Convert static website to GRAV

1

Is there a possibility to convert a HTML page consisting of hundreds of pages into a GRAV version?
The problem is that the site consists of hundreds of individual pages and has no CMS. The pages are all pure HTML pages, otherwise only PHP and JS.
And not responsive. Is it possible to convert the site to a Responsive GRAV version without the design suffering?
For example, one of the pages is How Many Cars are There in the World?

2

So where is the content for the site sourced from? Is there a database of some sort or is it all mixed in with the HTML/PHP?

It’s possible, but how much human intervention is required depends a lot on what is set up now.

You can move the content into any (responsive) template, but you need to find or build a design. It won’t be so straightforward if your content is tightly integrated with the current site design.

3

@Henning007, I think I would not embark on this journey…

  • If I understand the philosophy of Xara correctly there is no separation of content, layout and logic. Everything is hardcoded and mingled into the html page. There is no such thing as export.

  • Most style and logic is attached to the HML elements. The available css files offer minimal styling.

  • Positioning of elements is absolute.

  • Parsing the page using JS would be very hard, because of the lack of proper identifiers of content types. Most elements are just <div>'s and <span>'s with cryptic class names.

    • Menu items are images including its label.
    • All text share the same classes. The position defines its meaning, not its context, id or classes.
    • How would you extract the hardcoded style into a stylesheet if you cannot identify the element? Likewise js code.

I’m afraid this is an example of the dreaded lock-in created by drag-&-drop pagebuilders.

2 Likes
4

Thanks. As I said, each page/topic is in its own directory. Pure HTML pages with PHP.
I see black with the convert.
I now have the problem that Google smears an advertising bar at the bottom without asking me, although I have chosen fixed banner sizes.
I don’t want to have to change that on hundreds of pages.

5

@Henning007, I’m afraid I do not understand your last reply…

I see black with the convert.

???

I now have the problem that Google smears an advertising bar at the bottom without asking me, although I have chosen fixed banner sizes.

Google doesn’t do that. By changing the styling of the banner, you have told the banner to do so…

I don’t want to have to change that on hundreds of pages.

I wouldn’t want that either. Nonetheless, I wish you good luck with it…

6

Hello pamtbaau, I have solved the problem with the Adsense ads. You can change it under “Ad settings”!
THANKS!

“I see black”
That was a German saying.
Means as much as I am pessimistic.

7

If the system used to build your site allows you to export the HTML files (or if you already have them), I would simply convert all .HTML files to Markdown (with Pandoc or other tools), getting rid of all formatting, images, CSS, etc.
At least you’ll have the textual content.

Then you can choose a suitable theme/template and adapt the .md files, adding images and whatnot.

just my 2 cents

1 Like
9

Why are your pure HTML pages not responsive? Pure HTML is a static site and can be hosted free with netlify, cloudflare pages, github pages, etc., and the outcome should be a very responsive site. It’s what I’m aiming for. See Why Static Site Generators Are The Next Big Thing — Smashing Magazine.