What do I call this type of code?

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Prestonkd
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What do I call this type of code?

Post by Prestonkd »

Hello all. New to the board. Hope someone can help me out. I manage several web sites but am not a coder. I have a functionality that I would like to incorporate into several sites but cannot find a script or Wordpress plug-in to do what I want. This may be because I don't know what to call it and thus am not looking for the right thing. If there is not a ready made product for accomplishing this task I am considering hiring someone through eLance or somewhere to have it written. I still need to know what to call it if there is a name for it.

Here's what I want to do. I have several sites that are basically information providing sites. For example, one provides information about weddings. The information is all free and that is what draws traffic. I want the ability to have a list of providers of wedding related services so that people can search for a photographer or caterer in their area. I want the providers to be able to sign up and pay to have their contact info and web site link show when they match a search. I want the sign up and payment to be automated. I would like to be able to do this inside of Wordpress. I have seen numerous sites that have this feature. I do not know if they are all using the same method of accomplishing this. I do not think I have seen it done inside Wordpress but I am somewhat new to Wordpress.

So, is there a name for this type of script? Is there a better way to describe it to a potential programmer? Is there some product out there that I can buy that already does this? I appreciate any help.
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pickle
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Re: What do I call this type of code?

Post by pickle »

The first word that came to my mind was "directory". I don't think there's a single term or phrase that refers to what you want to do.

I'm not sure something like this will exist for Wordpress - but I may be wrong, they seem to have everything else for Wordpress.

I think your description is adequate to advertise for a programmer. The programmer may want more information before they start the project, but that's enough to at least get them interested.
Real programmers don't comment their code. If it was hard to write, it should be hard to understand.
Prestonkd
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Re: What do I call this type of code?

Post by Prestonkd »

Thanks for your response.

I know enough about HTML, MySQL and Dreamweaver that I could probably (keyword - "probably") put together the directory itself. I could more than likely figure out the search function part of it too. What I have no idea about is the automated payment interface and how ads get automatically inserted into the right place and how they get cancelled when the payment expires, etc.

I have been revamping all of the websites that I manage and have been using Wordpress. It is really useful for fresh content and with the right plug-ins to optimize it, the search engines really seem to like it. All that to say that I have noticed that everything in Wordpress is using PHP code. I am not a coder and don't have the time to become one. At least not as fast as I need this stuff done.

I would prefer this to be a Wordpress plug-in. If I pay someone to develop it, I may even sell it. But, if it has to be done in HTML or some other way outside of Wordpress I would be okay with that too. I can just link to the directory page from Wordpress.

To anybody that has written Wordpress plug-ins - assuming that this is even possible - where does this project rate on the scale of 1) standard PHP programming to 10) really involved project that only a topnotch professional programmer will be able to accomplish. Just trying to get an idea of what I am looking at here. Thanks for your comments.
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