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Joshua Thompson
1,229 PointsCreating a website structure - Stage 3 *Require Assistance*
Hello, I am on stage 3 "Creating a website structure" and in the video it has told me to download the 2 files associated with the video. Does this mean downloading the .zip files and just take them from there or actually downloading "normalize.css" from GitHub, if so, when I click the 'Download V2.1.3' it doesn't download anything it just opens up a page with a lot of text I do not understand, and where do I get the grid.css from?
Also what is this 'bower install' and 'component install' on the page after clicking the "Normalize.css" link on the video page? Do I need to do this 'bower install' and 'component install' for normalize.css? Also... where does that side bar come from in the video, is there an option for that on the Windows version? None of this gets explained in the video or in the Teachers Notes, I have been left feeling lost and like litle points has been skipped.
Joshua Thompson
1,229 PointsI have found the side bar! I also dragged my folder into it so it almost looks like the video now, just need that css folder with the files in it and stuff to be explained please.
Joshua Thompson
1,229 PointsI have found the normalize.css inside a .zip file on the second link from the stage 3 page. It has a few files in it which I don't understand but I guess I will just ignore those. It seems to be working without the 'bower' and 'component' install so hell knows what they are. It would be nice if a few seconds were taken in the video to just explain how to get this normalize.css file.
Kevin Korte
28,148 PointsThey should have said ignore those two options, but sense you asked. Bower is a package install manager. When you install something with bower, it makes sure any dependencies are also installed with it. It's used on the command line.
Component is like bower...it's a package manager. It's just another way to install it.
https://github.com/component/component
Both of which I wouldn't suggest you try to use. Heck, I don't even use these options. One day I'll get to understanding node package managers and such, but even for me that day is not today.
1 Answer
Kevin Korte
28,148 PointsI'll try to answer...
Downloading the two file - I think they mean the zip files that are downloadable under the video. Those are basically the teacher's files. However, I've never downloaded the files myself.
** page with a lot of text I do not understand** - That is normalize.css. You do not need to understand it. When you open that window up, just select all the text, copy it, go into your text editor, open a new CSS file, paste that code into that file, and save it as normalize.css. Than you just have to link that CSS file in the head of your website (should be the first CSS file linked in almost every case) and bam - you have normalize.css in your web project.
What normalize does; all of that text, is basically creates an even playing field for all browsers. Each browser has it's own default puddings, margins, etc for elements. When it's not set in CSS, the browser defaults back to it's own settings. Normalize.css goes through and resets all of these default browser settings to basically a blank, even canvas. It's much easier to have your site look the same across multiple browsers when you use normalize.
Do not worry about the bower or component install. When you're ready to use them, you'll know what they do. Focus on learning more about laying a solid foundation. Those two options are more advanced options. (I'm not even to the level of using them yet).
Joshua Thompson
1,229 PointsNice, thank you so much. You have cleared it up for me (: Thanks for the quick reply Kevin.
Kevin Korte
28,148 PointsGood deal, you're welcome. One day you'll be able to look at normalize.css code and understand it, but today you don't need to understand the code to use it.
Joshua Thompson
1,229 PointsJoshua Thompson
1,229 PointsI would just like to get the full understanding of what is going on; it just seems to have been rushed through.