some questions about joomla

[jensvdh842]

Hello,
I have a quite decent knowledge about xhtml/css. So i decided to make a template in photoshop. Then made that template in css/xhtml.

But now i have a few questions when it comes to converting that template to a joomla template.
I think i understand most of it (i have a blank css file with most of the code that i need, from encompassdesigns. So that will help alot)
But what i don't entirely understand is the whole "modules" thing.

Let's say i have a simple html template, with a horizontal header, a horizontal menu under the header. A left menu and a content block. These are divs.

How do i insert "joomla modules?" what do they exactly do? How do i know which module does what?

Or can i just make my divs and then assign menu's to each div via the joomla administration panel?

 

[MaestroFX1]

To include any module, use
----------------
<div id="Header">
<jdoc:include type=”header” />
</div>
----------------

 

[jensvdh842]

Ok so i've been reading abit more and i think i get it.
Can anyone confirm i got it right?

So first of all.

• I need to choose what components and modules i want to use on my site.
• After that, i need to make positions for those components and modules and put those in div's in html.
• After that i just do the standard CSS markup and also the specific markup that is required by joomla.
• Then i have to put every file i used and every position in an XML document.
• After uploading my template i can then put the components and modules into their respective places via the joomla administrator panel (so inside the div's , placed around with css).

Is that right?
Also , i don't really get the difference between a "module" and a component quite yet.
what i think i understand so far is this:

• A module is something that can be put anywhere (like a menu, a login form and button, a side-bar poll, a facebook widget)
• A component is the "main part" of your website and can be News , a forum etc?
• So there are not really different pages, it's just the component that changes based on what link you click.

Did i get it right now?
Also can i edit my website directly on the server using dreamweaver, or do i need to do everything offline and then upload the template? (i .e does joomla only read the XML file when i install the template , or everytime someone loads a page)

thanks in advance.

 

[MaestroFX1]

Components are more complex in scripting and hence more advanced in their data handling.
They are mainly used for page rendering. It is system-wide.

Modules are not so complex. They are mostly complementary in nature.
It can be simple text too. It can be made page-specific.