Rebuild website with different software

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Samrc or Anyone who have access to the Trellix web templates,

I am wantin' to move some websites over to TCH and I do believe I'll need a website builder to help me re-create and keep the design/layout, colorin' and etc, near to what they are now. I use my own backgrounds, images and etc for the websites, and the host provided a web builder with my  signup. Since that time, they've redone their web builder and l feel it is inferior to the original. The people I do  websites for are not thrilled as they are quite happy with the design their website has. The new builder is the host's own creation and not associated with any other program or software that I'm aware of. I volunteer my services to these groups and I'm not computer savvy, like most of you. I make do with what I know and keep on tryin' to learn all that I can.

I just don't know if I am smart enough to do them from scratch, once I get an account with TCH, without help from a site builder. here is a link to one in particular >>> http://www.royrogersfestival.org. Have any suggestions?

I've have learned how to create web pages on my own through notepad. Not bad if I say so myself, but how do you get a navigagation menu located on the leftside while the body, text and images located at the top center page? When I played with this in noteped, I'd get a navigation on the left, but the body/text/picture layout was right below the navigation menu, but in the center. I just can not figure out what I'm doin' wrong. Can anyone suggest anything? If I could figure this out, I might not need a sitebuiler. I could just use ftp to upload the website pages and etc into the public.html folder, correct?

I am familiar with the Trellis SiteBuilder. It's been a few years, but I did create a website with the Trellis Site Builder through tripod. I do remember the template name. It was "sandstone blue". Really basic, but it served my purpose! I wonder if there's a way I could get a hold of that template and then somehow customize it to the background image and the color options I need to re-create the websites I want to move to TCH, since it's close to their now layout/style. Am I askin' the impossible? I wished I had found a paid version of Trellis 'fore it went bye bye. I didn't know back then you could order and get any web builder!! I sure have learn a bunch since my very first website went live, but I continue to learn new things everyday.

Sure would appreciate all the feedback I can get!!

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The hazard of using an ONLINE builder from ANY host is that if you ever want to change you are in a bind.
Lots of people use SITE BUILDER from Verizon, Earthlink and other major ISP companies and are happy until... and then they find out they have to rebuild using new software.

You have a few choices.  All up to you, totally up to your comfort zone.
I am going to break this thread and start your OWN one, specifically for your situation.  Then I will come back to begin a response.....

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1) Since you are used to working with straight HTML code in notepad, one reasonable choice for you would be to use a real HTML editor. Many provide a VIEW of the page and the code as you work on it.  You can even FILE SAVE AS from your website and keep a copy of your current page. Then open it in an HTML editor to actually work on your EXISTING pages, without having to recreate them from scratch.  Put them onto TCH or any other host.

2) Or you can bring the page into another builder type program, if they allow import.  (I am testing Microsoft's Web Expression now and find that it DOES import the web pages quite nicely AND you don't have to work with the HTML code.  Have not tried it yet on a FRAMED page)  Most site builder programs do not import other builders pages.  They want their own coding.

3) Try one of the site builder programs we are testing (go to the main page of the forum) and you will find links under the different programs for you to visit the author's site and download one of the trials.  Then OPEN your website page.  Copy / Paste your content into the new page, constructing from ground up in the new program.  SiteSpinner does not list FRAMED pages as option, but since you have a non-framed page, that is not a problem.

CSB is a dead program, no longer for sale but someone could donate their copy to you, or an exta serial number if they have one. Lovely program, but in your case, I don't recommend you start with CSB as we will ALL have to move away from it and you might as well start with a program that you can stay with for a while. And if you have to rebuild, you might as well start out in a program that will continue to grow with you.

As to templates, each program has its own way they need to be made. Try a builder and we will help you with the rest....See which fits YOU best.

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Thanks so much Samrc! I really do appreciate it!! I will check out the site builder test page more thoroughly and the differet programs you're testin'. My computer still runs on Windows Millennium Me. Would that make a difference?

Did you happen to checkout the website I listed in particular, in my previous post? If you did, then you can see the layout/style and etc. It's a very simple layout/style  My brain tells me it wouldn't be that hard to do, but knowin' how to get it done is another .

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Yes I looked at it.  And pulled the COMPLETE home page into my HTML editor (CuteHTML). 
The design is not difficult to duplicate.

Should you decide to use a site builder instead of an HTML editor (easier to work with than straight HTML for some things), you will be able to cut and paste portions of code into site builders to recreate some of the functionality you have now without too much hassle.  SOME builders make it hard to make your OWN design, relying on TEMPLATES you must adjust.  Some make the templates very flexible allowing you to tweak to your heart's content.

When considering a program, look at the system requirements before downloading.  Most of the programs would work on XP, some on ME and Vista.