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MIX10 Session and Supporting Documents


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Above is my MIX10 session A Case Study: Rapid WordPress Design and Prototyping with Expression Web 3 in its entirety in Silverlight video format. It can be blown up to full screen and I highly recommend it as there are code examples.

In the session I referenced a bunch of different technologies and applications I use on a day-to-day basis. For those in attendance and those watching on the web here is the exhaustive list of links and tools for you to play around with. I will post a link to the video version of my session when it becomes available approximately 24 hours after the session itself.

The Unholy Quatern

The Unholy Quatern consists of 4 basic elements;

  1. WordPress
  2. Microsoft Expression Web 3
  3. Microsoft Web Platform Installer
  4. Live Mesh

If you are only installing WordPress on your local computer there is no need to get WordPress from the original source – the Web Platform Installer will handle the installation for you. The same applies if you are using a different CMS under the WPI.

NOTE: If you are working in Windows 7 it will be necessary to run Expression Web 3 as Administrator if you want to set up the WPI version of WordPress as a site. Otherwise Expression Web 3 will not have permission to write to the folder and you’ll be banging your head against a wall for hours trying to figure out why it’s not working.

WordPress Code Snippets for Expression Web

I have created a downloadable version of the WordPress code snippets used in the session. They are availalbe – and frequently updated – at the Expression Gallery. The snippets work with any version of Expression Web and are quite literally plug-and-play. The current version of the WordPress Template Tools comes with a special snippet that lets you create new snippets. Snippets in the current version are:

  • Custom Page Template tag
  • Custom Field tag
  • PHP parsing Custom Field
  • Conditional Custom Field
  • Image as Header
  • Get blog/site URL
  • Get current theme URL
  • Get blog/site name
  • Get blog description
  • PHP include

Most of these are plug-and-play and those that are not are fairly easy to understand. They are all 100% standards-based and use current and up-to-date WordPress template tags.

I update the WordPress Template Tools on a random basis whenever I feel there is a new tag that will be useful for other people. If you have an idea for a template tag not currently in the list feel free to contact me with the suggestion.

By Morten Rand-Hendriksen

Morten Rand-Hendriksen is a staff author at LinkedIn Learning and lynda.com specializing in WordPress and web design and development and an instructor at Emily Carr University of Art and Design. He is a popular speaker and educator on all things design, web standards and open source. As the owner and Web Head at Pink & Yellow Media, a boutique style digital media company in Burnaby, BC, Canada, he has created WordPress-based web solutions for multi-national companies, political parties, banks, and small businesses and bloggers alike. He also contributes to the local WordPress community by organizing Meetups and WordCamps.

9 replies on “MIX10 Session and Supporting Documents”

Great session at MIX. I’m new to live mesh, can you point me to some resources that explain how mesh sync’s the theme folder on your PC to your server?

I use Live Mesh to sync my theme folder between my different computers and my backup server. Mesh only works if the app is installed on the system in question so if you want to use it to sync files to a remote server you have to be able to install Mesh on that server, so probably never.

Morten, I will check this out more. I have shied away from WordPress lately but maybe I can still figure out how to use it and Expression Web 3. One program at a time right now.

I like the video. You spoke of two themes you will provide. I did not find them.

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