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What do I call this type of code?

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:03 am
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.

Re: What do I call this type of code?

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:54 am
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.

Re: What do I call this type of code?

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:31 pm
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.