File to edit for a completely new custom home page

[kara00]

I have created my site in html and want the home page to display my index.html equivalent. I read that if you just add your index.html file to your theme it will override the default index.php but I've tried this, flushed the cache and it still doesn't come up.

 

The only modules I will require on the home page is the main menu and login access and the layout I have designed, so basically it's a front page with no products displayed, but links to product categories, kind of splash page really.

 

As index.html does not override index.php, do I have to copy my code from index.html and put it in index.php or index.tpl? Which is the file I should be editing?

 

Also what template file controls the display of the header and footer for index.php. I ask this because I took out the call to include hook_theme in the index.php file and yet the headers and footers are still displayed.

 

Any suggestions?