CMS Review: Expression Engine
by Regine
Expression Engine is yet another fast growing content management system. Although you have to purchase a license to get the entire EE package, there is a free version available called EE core, which includes everything that a simple blogger needs to manage a simple website.
Once you’ve downloaded the EE core version, installing requires a few steps as described in the documentation file provided in the EE website (you get a link in the readme file). I find it a little bit inconvenient having to go online to check that out while it easily could have been added as a .txt file within the download folder. After uploading certain files in binary mode (others in ASCII mode and correct CHMODing), you’re pretty much done. It’s not hard at all but you have to pay attention to those steps. This may take a few minutes.
Once you have uploaded everything to your local server and pointing your browser to your site /install.php, you’ll have to fill out a form with your database details and desired login info. It’s pretty much straightforward and no problems were ever encountered here.
You can set up several different template groups, or you can also set up different weblogs, as EE allows you to have multiple weblogs with only one software unit.
Using EE is quite easy as the administration interface is clean and well organized. Customizing your preferences wouldn’t be a problem since most administrative tools are just a click away. The main tabs are also quite intuitive: publish, edit, templates, communicate, modules, my account and admin.
The default website layout that comes with EE is quite hideous. Oh my eyes! I haven’t seen a default theme as fugly as this one. However, customizing it wouldn’t be a problem. If you have minimal knowledge about PHP includes, this will be easy as cake. And even if you don’t, it’s quite easy to set up a layout exactly the way you want it as EE allows you to use embed tags. Using these tags you can basically insert a page into another using EE code/tags (see below for an example).
{assign_variable:my_weblog="default_site"}
{assign_variable:my_template_group="site"}
{embed="include/header"}
404: It seems the page you're looking for isn't available at the moment or it has
gone missing.
{embed="include/footer"}
There are tutorials online that can teach you how to customize your site and layout (Brent has some and so do I). EE administrates your website by using templates. The main template group is called *site and it’s there where your main blog is controlled. You can set up several different template groups, or you can also set up different weblogs, as EE allows you to have multiple weblogs with only one software unit.
To start posting you only have to press the tab labeled Publish and you’ll find a nice publish form. The layout is clean and organized and finding anything is pretty much a click away. After you’re finished writing your entry, you can decide whether you want to preview your post, save it quickly to continue writing, or submit it.
If you’d like to edit an entry, click the tab labeled Edit and there you’ll find a list of entries. Click on the desired entry and a similar form as the one in the Publish tab will appear. Edit your entry as you please and hit Update. Quite easy!
Of all CMS I’ve tried, EE seems the easiest to work with in my opinion. Figuring out the tag/coding system takes about half an hour, at most. The problem with EE is that since it’s not as widespread as Wordpress, it’s a bit more difficult to find themes and tutorials. However, the forums are quite helpful and you’ll certainly find the information you need there. Compared to Wordpress, the installation requires a few more steps and the system is completely different. However, the well organized interface and the easiness of the tag system make it quite easy to figure out. You don’t need to know everything about PHP to be able to do and undo with your site as much as you wish.
Regine is the owner of Tormentosa.org.
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