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Nathan Begnaud
8,221 PointsI'm Very Discouraged About Becoming A Web Designer, Do You Really Need To Know All This Stuff?
I downloaded a free website template, looked at the code and just pondered at what looked like Einstein's theory of relativity in great detail. There was a page full of css, targeting every element with varied height and widths just to get everything to align correctly. Not to mention the Jquery documents that look like this;
(function(a){var b=function(b,c){var d=a.extend({},a.fn.nivoSlider.defaults,c);var e={currentSlide:0,currentImage:"",totalSlides:0,running:false,paused:false,stop:false,controlNavEl:false};var f=a(b);f.data("nivo:vars",e).addClass("nivoSlider");var g=f.children();g.each(function(){var b=a(this);var c="";if(!b.is("img")){if(b.is("a")){b.addClass("nivo-imageLink");c=b}b=b.find("img:first")}var d=d===0?b.attr("width"):b.width(),f=f===0?b.attr("height"):b.height();if(c!==""){c.css("display","none")}b.css("display","none");e.totalSlides++});if(d.randomStart){d.startSlide=Math.floor(Math.random()*e.totalSlides)}if(d.startSlide>0){if(d.startSlide>=e.totalSlides){d.startSlide=e.totalSlides-1}e.currentSlide=d.startSlide}if(a(g[e.currentSlide]).is("img")){e.currentImage=a(g[e.currentSlide])}else{e.currentImage=a(g[e.currentSlide]).find("img:first")}if(a(g[e.currentSlide]).is("a")){a(g[e.currentSlide]).css("display","block")}var h=a('<img class="nivo-main-image" src="#" />');h.attr("src",e.currentImage.attr("src")).show();f.append(h);a(window).resize(function(){f.children("img").width(f.width());h.attr("src",e.currentImage.attr("src"));h.stop().height("auto");a(".nivo-slice").remove();a(".nivo-box").remove()});f.append(a('<div class="nivo-caption"></div>'));var i=function(b){var c=a(".nivo-caption",f);if(e.currentImage.attr("title")!=""&&e.currentImage.attr("title")!=undefined){var d=e.currentImage.attr("title");if(d.substr(0,1)=="#")d=a(d).html();if(c.css("display")=="block"){setTimeout(function(){c.html(d)},b.animSpeed)}else{c.html(d);c.stop().fadeIn(b.animSpeed)}}else{c.stop().fadeOut(b.animSpeed)}};i(d);var j=0;if(!d.manualAdvance&&g.length>1){j=setInterval(function(){o(f,g,d,false)},d.pauseTime)}if(d.directionNav){f.append('<div class="nivo-directionNav"><a class="nivo-prevNav">'+d.prevText+'</a><a class="nivo-nextNav">'+d.nextText+"</a></div>");a("a.nivo-prevNav",f).live("click",function(){if(e.running){return false}clearInterval(j);j="";e.currentSlide-=2;o(f,g,d,"prev")});a("a.nivo-nextNav",f).live("click",function(){if(e.running){return false}clearInterval(j);j="";o(f,g,d,"next")})}if(d.controlNav){e.controlNavEl=a('<div class="nivo-controlNav"></div>');f.after(e.controlNavEl);for(var k=0;k<g.length;k++){if(d.controlNavThumbs){e.controlNavEl.addClass("nivo-thumbs-enabled");var l=g.eq(k);if(!l.is("img")){l=l.find("img:first")}if(l.attr("data-thumb"))e.controlNavEl.append('<a class="nivo-control" rel="'+k+'"><img src="'+l.attr("data-thumb")+'" alt="" /></a>')}else{e.controlNavEl.append('<a class="nivo-control" rel="'+k+'">'+(k+1)+"</a>")}}a("a:eq("+e.currentSlide+")",e.controlNavEl).addClass("active");a("a",e.controlNavEl).bind("click",function(){if(e.running)return false;if(a(this).hasClass("active"))return false;clearInterval(j);j="";h.attr("src",e.currentImage.attr("src"));e.currentSlide=a(this).attr("rel")-1;o(f,g,d,"control")})}if(d.pauseOnHover){f.hover(function(){e.paused=true;clearInterval(j);j=""},function(){e.paused=false;if(j===""&&!d.manualAdvance){j=setInterval(function(){o(f,g,d,false)},d.pauseTime)}})}f.bind("nivo:animFinished",function(){h.attr("src",e.currentImage.attr("src"));e.running=false;a(g).each(function(){if(a(this).is("a")){a(this).css("display","none")}});if(a(g[e.currentSlide]).is("a")){a(g[e.currentSlide]).css("display","block")}if(j===""&&!e.paused&&!d.manualAdvance){j=setInterval(function(){o(f,g,d,false)},d.pauseTime)}d.afterChange.call(this)});var m=function(b,c,d){if(a(d.currentImage).parent().is("a"))a(d.currentImage).parent().css("display","block");a('img[src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'"]',b).not(".nivo-main-image,.nivo-control img").width(b.width()).css("visibility","hidden").show();var e=a('img[src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'"]',b).not(".nivo-main-image,.nivo-control img").parent().is("a")?a('img[src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'"]',b).not(".nivo-main-image,.nivo-control img").parent().height():a('img[src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'"]',b).not(".nivo-main-image,.nivo-control img").height();for(var f=0;f<c.slices;f++){var g=Math.round(b.width()/c.slices);if(f===c.slices-1){b.append(a('<div class="nivo-slice" name="'+f+'"><img src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'" style="position:absolute; width:'+b.width()+"px; height:auto; display:block !important; top:0; left:-"+(g+f*g-g)+'px;" /></div>').css({left:g*f+"px",width:b.width()-g*f+"px",height:e+"px",opacity:"0",overflow:"hidden"}))}else{b.append(a('<div class="nivo-slice" name="'+f+'"><img src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'" style="position:absolute; width:'+b.width()+"px; height:auto; display:block !important; top:0; left:-"+(g+f*g-g)+'px;" /></div>').css({left:g*f+"px",width:g+"px",height:e+"px",opacity:"0",overflow:"hidden"}))}}a(".nivo-slice",b).height(e);h.stop().animate({height:a(d.currentImage).height()},c.animSpeed)};var n=function(b,c,d){if(a(d.currentImage).parent().is("a"))a(d.currentImage).parent().css("display","block");a('img[src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'"]',b).not(".nivo-main-image,.nivo-control img").width(b.width()).css("visibility","hidden").show();var e=Math.round(b.width()/c.boxCols),f=Math.round(a('img[src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'"]',b).not(".nivo-main-image,.nivo-control img").height()/c.boxRows);for(var g=0;g<c.boxRows;g++){for(var i=0;i<c.boxCols;i++){if(i===c.boxCols-1){b.append(a('<div class="nivo-box" name="'+i+'" rel="'+g+'"><img src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'" style="position:absolute; width:'+b.width()+"px; height:auto; display:block; top:-"+f*g+"px; left:-"+e*i+'px;" /></div>').css({opacity:0,left:e*i+"px",top:f*g+"px",width:b.width()-e*i+"px"}));a('.nivo-box[name="'+i+'"]',b).height(a('.nivo-box[name="'+i+'"] img',b).height()+"px")}else{b.append(a('<div class="nivo-box" name="'+i+'" rel="'+g+'"><img src="'+d.currentImage.attr("src")+'" style="position:absolute; width:'+b.width()+"px; height:auto; display:block; top:-"+f*g+"px; left:-"+e*i+'px;" /></div>').css({opacity:0,left:e*i+"px",top:f*g+"px",width:e+"px"}));a('.nivo-box[name="'+i+'"]',b).height(a('.nivo-box[name="'+i+'"] img',b).height()+"px")}}}h.stop().animate({height:a(d.currentImage).height()},c.animSpeed)};var o=function(b,c,d,e){var f=b.data("nivo:vars");if(f&&f.currentSlide===f.totalSlides-1){d.lastSlide.call(this)}if((!f||f.stop)&&!e){return false}d.beforeChange.call(this);if(!e){h.attr("src",f.currentImage.attr("src"))}else{if(e==="prev"){h.attr("src",f.currentImage.attr("src"))}if(e==="next"){h.attr("src",f.currentImage.attr("src"))}}f.currentSlide++;if(f.currentSlide===f.totalSlides){f.currentSlide=0;d.slideshowEnd.call(this)}if(f.currentSlide<0){f.currentSlide=f.totalSlides-1}if(a(c[f.currentSlide]).is("img")){f.currentImage=a(c[f.currentSlide])}else{f.currentImage=a(c[f.currentSlide]).find("img:first")}if(d.controlNav){a("a",f.controlNavEl).removeClass("active");a("a:eq("+f.currentSlide+")",f.controlNavEl).addClass("active")}i(d);a(".nivo-slice",b).remove();a(".nivo-box",b).remove();var g=d.effect,j="";if(d.effect==="random"){j=new Array("sliceDownRight","sliceDownLeft","sliceUpRight","sliceUpLeft","sliceUpDown","sliceUpDownLeft","fold","fade","boxRandom","boxRain","boxRainReverse","boxRainGrow","boxRainGrowReverse");g=j[Math.floor(Math.random()*(j.length+1))];if(g===undefined){g="fade"}}if(d.effect.indexOf(",")!==-1){j=d.effect.split(",");g=j[Math.floor(Math.random()*j.length)];if(g===undefined){g="fade"}}if(f.currentImage.attr("data-transition")){g=f.currentImage.attr("data-transition")}f.running=true;var k=0,l=0,o="",q="",r="",s="";if(g==="sliceDown"||g==="sliceDownRight"||g==="sliceDownLeft"){m(b,d,f);k=0;l=0;o=a(".nivo-slice",b);if(g==="sliceDownLeft"){o=a(".nivo-slice",b)._reverse()}o.each(function(){var c=a(this);c.css({top:"0px"});if(l===d.slices-1){setTimeout(function(){c.animate({opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed,"",function(){b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})},100+k)}else{setTimeout(function(){c.animate({opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed)},100+k)}k+=50;l++})}else if(g==="sliceUp"||g==="sliceUpRight"||g==="sliceUpLeft"){m(b,d,f);k=0;l=0;o=a(".nivo-slice",b);if(g==="sliceUpLeft"){o=a(".nivo-slice",b)._reverse()}o.each(function(){var c=a(this);c.css({bottom:"0px"});if(l===d.slices-1){setTimeout(function(){c.animate({opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed,"",function(){b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})},100+k)}else{setTimeout(function(){c.animate({opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed)},100+k)}k+=50;l++})}else if(g==="sliceUpDown"||g==="sliceUpDownRight"||g==="sliceUpDownLeft"){m(b,d,f);k=0;l=0;var t=0;o=a(".nivo-slice",b);if(g==="sliceUpDownLeft"){o=a(".nivo-slice",b)._reverse()}o.each(function(){var c=a(this);if(l===0){c.css("top","0px");l++}else{c.css("bottom","0px");l=0}if(t===d.slices-1){setTimeout(function(){c.animate({opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed,"",function(){b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})},100+k)}else{setTimeout(function(){c.animate({opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed)},100+k)}k+=50;t++})}else if(g==="fold"){m(b,d,f);k=0;l=0;a(".nivo-slice",b).each(function(){var c=a(this);var e=c.width();c.css({top:"0px",width:"0px"});if(l===d.slices-1){setTimeout(function(){c.animate({width:e,opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed,"",function(){b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})},100+k)}else{setTimeout(function(){c.animate({width:e,opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed)},100+k)}k+=50;l++})}else if(g==="fade"){m(b,d,f);q=a(".nivo-slice:first",b);q.css({width:b.width()+"px"});q.animate({opacity:"1.0"},d.animSpeed*2,"",function(){b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})}else if(g==="slideInRight"){m(b,d,f);q=a(".nivo-slice:first",b);q.css({width:"0px",opacity:"1"});q.animate({width:b.width()+"px"},d.animSpeed*2,"",function(){b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})}else if(g==="slideInLeft"){m(b,d,f);q=a(".nivo-slice:first",b);q.css({width:"0px",opacity:"1",left:"",right:"0px"});q.animate({width:b.width()+"px"},d.animSpeed*2,"",function(){q.css({left:"0px",right:""});b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})}else if(g==="boxRandom"){n(b,d,f);r=d.boxCols*d.boxRows;l=0;k=0;s=p(a(".nivo-box",b));s.each(function(){var c=a(this);if(l===r-1){setTimeout(function(){c.animate({opacity:"1"},d.animSpeed,"",function(){b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})},100+k)}else{setTimeout(function(){c.animate({opacity:"1"},d.animSpeed)},100+k)}k+=20;l++})}else if(g==="boxRain"||g==="boxRainReverse"||g==="boxRainGrow"||g==="boxRainGrowReverse"){n(b,d,f);r=d.boxCols*d.boxRows;l=0;k=0;var u=0;var v=0;var w=[];w[u]=[];s=a(".nivo-box",b);if(g==="boxRainReverse"||g==="boxRainGrowReverse"){s=a(".nivo-box",b)._reverse()}s.each(function(){w[u][v]=a(this);v++;if(v===d.boxCols){u++;v=0;w[u]=[]}});for(var x=0;x<d.boxCols*2;x++){var y=x;for(var z=0;z<d.boxRows;z++){if(y>=0&&y<d.boxCols){(function(c,e,f,h,i){var j=a(w[c][e]);var k=j.width();var l=j.height();if(g==="boxRainGrow"||g==="boxRainGrowReverse"){j.width(0).height(0)}if(h===i-1){setTimeout(function(){j.animate({opacity:"1",width:k,height:l},d.animSpeed/1.3,"",function(){b.trigger("nivo:animFinished")})},100+f)}else{setTimeout(function(){j.animate({opacity:"1",width:k,height:l},d.animSpeed/1.3)},100+f)}})(z,y,k,l,r);l++}y--}k+=100}}};var p=function(a){for(var b,c,d=a.length;d;b=parseInt(Math.random()*d,10),c=a[--d],a[d]=a[b],a[b]=c);return a};var q=function(a){if(this.console&&typeof console.log!=="undefined"){console.log(a)}};this.stop=function(){if(!a(b).data("nivo:vars").stop){a(b).data("nivo:vars").stop=true;q("Stop Slider")}};this.start=function(){if(a(b).data("nivo:vars").stop){a(b).data("nivo:vars").stop=false;q("Start Slider")}};d.afterLoad.call(this);return this};a.fn.nivoSlider=function(c){return this.each(function(d,e){var f=a(this);if(f.data("nivoslider")){return f.data("nivoslider")}var g=new b(this,c);f.data("nivoslider",g)})};a.fn.nivoSlider.defaults={effect:"random",slices:15,boxCols:8,boxRows:4,animSpeed:500,pauseTime:3e3,startSlide:0,directionNav:true,controlNav:true,controlNavThumbs:false,pauseOnHover:true,manualAdvance:false,prevText:"Prev",nextText:"Next",randomStart:false,beforeChange:function(){},afterChange:function(){},slideshowEnd:function(){},lastSlide:function(){},afterLoad:function(){}};a.fn._reverse=[].reverse})(jQuery)
What? There's a whole other page like that as well. This website looks so simple yet look at how much code is inputted for just the one basic page. This is sooo discouraging to me, how on earth am I going to ever be able to write that much code for one page. That's like writing a small book. Do you really need to know all of this to become a Web Designer?
10 Answers

Calvin Nix
43,828 PointsHey Nathan,
Don't be discouraged. It will be good to know some of that stuff but for the most part it fully depends on what you are wanting to do. If you are just wanting to put together a simple website then all you need to is familiarize yourself with HTML, CSS, and maybe even a little JavaScript.
If you are wanting to become a web designer then you should focus more on design aspects and what truly makes a website look nice. If you are able to get an eye for design then the process to implement the design is easy. (Keep in mind you don't need to re-invent the wheel, there are frameworks everywhere! My personal favorite is Bootstrap)
Thanks, Calvin

Don Howard
5,827 PointsHi Nathan,
If you look at the whole and try to tackle it all at once it will be overwhelming. If you want to accomplish it all in a couple of weeks it will crush you. Take it a step at a time, with a realistic timeline for completion of each step you will succeed!

Dustin Matlock
33,856 PointsNathan, I went ahead and changed the topic to general discussion. Try not to get discouraged. Just look how far you've come. There's a whole story behind the code you posted, and believe it or not, web designers and developers are not expected to remember every single part about JavaScript, or anything for that matter.
Take small steps if you want to learn more JavaScript, the other parts will come easier with repetition. One of the most helpful things in learning something new is believing that you can. You're not alone, and many students at Treehouse have a ways to go before they learn to code websites from scratch. Downloading a free template and examining the code is the kind of effort needed, and you've done that sort of thing already.
The more you see glimpses of code, and can recognize certain aspects, the more encouraged you'll get to learn more. The number one single most important bit of advice I can give you—never give up. No one that has tried their heart out at something has failed, and that's the kind of attitude you'll need to keep at this and win.

myackley35
34,574 PointsHey Nathan,
I totally understand how overwhelming it can be to look at a huge block of code like that. It's totally normal. Every web designer has been there also.
A lot of what you need to know just comes with experience and leaning on the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc. The important thing is to stay curious and don't give up.
By the way, what you're looking at appears to be a plugin for a jQuery slideshow plugin called NivoSlider. Maybe the next step for you is to figure out how to get jQuery plugins to work in your web projects? If not, keep working on relative Treehouse courses until you feel more comfortable.
Keep building things, Nathan!

Nathan Begnaud
8,221 PointsThanks guys, I appreciate your advice.

Don Howard
5,827 PointsYou bet Nathan,
I find that having success at something inspires me to do more, and have a much more positive attitude about it. It helps me to setup small daily goals that can lead to multiple successes in one day if time allows and if I push myself. That system allows me at least some success on most any given day.
Don

myackley35
34,574 PointsAnytime, Nathan!

Christopher Bijalba
12,446 PointsDesigning for web is not the same as being a front-end developer and inventing code. Are you more interested in graphics, or "drawing" what web pages look like? If so, that is a separate skillset from taking those graphics/sketches and then turning that into a real, functioning webpage.
It depends on the scale of the business you're engaging with. If it is just you, then yes, you'd need to do everything. If it was at one of the top companies in the world, there might be a team of 40 unique roles working on a website.
The code you referred to, most people wouldn't know how to read or understand it. It is a part of a library that you don't need to know every bit of, but you might be interested in understanding how to refer to the parts.

john hugo
2,379 Pointsi felt like that when i went from html to css,i thought about giving up because i couldnt remember the code,but spoke with a tutor and he suggested how to learn and im 100% comfy :-) keep building pal

vryiziilos
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 23,052 PointsWow, I know exactly what you are saying! :) Just by looking at Bootstrap css file makes me go nuts and that's just CSS hehe...I don't even know how most of its jQuery works.
Although I am able to build simple websites and applications I am still far away from becoming a full stack web developer. Sometimes I wish I knew it all , but you know what? One step at a time, my friend. Try to learn something new every day even if it's something simple and try to practice it (like add something cool you learned to your portfolio website for example). And NEVER give up!
Good luck and happy coding:)
Sharon Jeter
9,965 PointsSharon Jeter
9,965 PointsI know exactly what you mean. There is so much to learn. I have been learning with treehouse for 3 or 4 months now. Though I have a ways to go, I've come a long way, too. I know and UNDERSTAND so much. And I did it just one lesson at a time. 3 minutes here, 7 minutes there. Just focus on the steps. You will get to where you want to be. This website is AWESOME!!