Contribute Integration with Visual Studio 2008

[bezel725]

I've been asked to design a site in Visual Studio 2008 (which I know), but the
customer also wants to deploy some content via Contribute CS3 (which I don't
know). I can't seem to find many references for best practices on how to get
them to work together. I've got master pages in .NET, with web forms for the
dynamic content, and I need to be able to include the static content in
sections of the pages and flash content elsewhere

My main concern is that I may do updates to the site via Visual Studio, and
overwrite other peoples changes, and vice versa. I'd really like to hear about
how to architect the site to protect the various areas of content, but still
share the css and master page files.

Any suggestions on where to start? The choice of software was made before I
joined the project, so for better or worse, I'm stuck with it.

Thanks

[ThinkInk]

I don't think the updates can be monitored, but you can make sure you don't
overwrite changes made by other publishers to the site by downloading the
page(s) first yourself.

By using Contribute for the content management, you can administer the website
with you own copy of Contribute and this way manage the other users and the
roles the will have in updating the wenbsite. I suggest you download Contribute
CS3 to test the program.

In your Visual Studio template you could code some editable regions (like
possible in Dreamweaver) and this way providing protection for the design of
the pages and giving your publishers clear editable regions.

Check out this post:

[url]http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/webforums/forum/messageview.cfm?forumid=55&catid=29[/url]
0&threadid=1281929&highlight_key=y&keyword1=handco ding

[bezel725]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm thinking that the best way to integrate the two,
may be to not try to do it at all. Just have the main site driven by .NET, and
a microsite under that for the static content, and maintain two sets of css
files and the like that Contribute publishes to. That should keep us isolated
enough so they don't need to learn .NET.

Unfortunately, the client bought the software, insists on using it, but they
don't have an admin who has gotten up to speed (or even tried), and I was just
supposed to build the .net portion. They kinda added the 'set up our
Contribute server' on at the last minute. I guess this is just another one of
those learning opportunities so I can put another bit of software on the ole
resume.

Can you recommend any good books on Contribute to get me going (besides the
user manual, which I have browsed)
Thanks again

[ThinkInk]

No, I'm sorry, I can't recommend a good book. I learned the program by using it in practice.
There are books available though, but they are quit pricy... Don't know if they are any good...