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Microsoft FrontPage 2000®
Quick Reference
Updated June 28, 1999
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What is the value of Microsoft FrontPage 2000 (MSFP 2K)? For programmers, it is not the HTML coding. There is the strong possibility that we could unlearn how to program it, if we are lazy. This is precisely what will be valuable to the non-programmer; they may never learn HTML, and good for them! Let the non-programmers depend on the HTML features of MSFP 2K.
Then is there anything of interest for the programmer? The site management features are superb, as are consistency and integrity . . . it finds broken links . . . style can easily be applied throughout . . . elements are kept together in a file . . . the graphical Navigation presentation reveals the logic of the site (and there is a lot to reconsider when faced with it) . . . we let the program code tedious HTML, then edit it and keep our debugging skills sharp . . . multiple programmers can be intelligently managed. I can't say enough about it.
For new web site creators, or for us old-timers, here is a Quick Reference of my findings while using the elements. Please report your experiences here. What we're looking for are tricky, subtle or non-intuitive experiences. Also, let me know your feelings about the package. Do not miss the DEMO. It is very well done. Good luck and report back!
Conventions: To show consecutive menu selections, I use this style -- Insert/Form/One-line Text Box.
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Page Layout Topics
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Page Templates
When you select New/Page, a selection of Templates appears. Select one, and the stored page appears. Type over writings; still working with this one.
Use templates by opening existing template, Save As new file, and modify by typing over suggested comments and layout. This will need updating too.
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Forms
I suggest you create a single-cell table and put the elements in it. Insert/Form, then add each form element you want, preceded by a Label.* Use your Home button to position yourself in front of an element that you want to move down by using Enter. *Label: Insert the form field, type the text, select both and 'click the Label command'. I could not find this command.
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Shared Borders
Shared Borders (regions reserved for content to appear throughout your pages -- not frames[?]).
Format/SharedBorders. When you update it, all pages are updated. Do not use Frames and Shared Borders on the same page.
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Create Tables
Table/Insert, fill out the Properties. Border=0, Cell Width=200 Cellpadding=3 Cellspacing=0. Align text to Top and Left (center vertical and horizontal is default).
MariaPia's
FP 2000 Page
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Link 1
Link 2
Link 3 |
Welcome to
the FP 2000 page. Navigate from the left and check back for
regular updates. |
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Draw Tables
Or, select Draw Table from the Tables toolbar. Draw a cell. Then draw lines within the cell to create odd designs.
Caption
| Today is the first day of the rest of |
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Delete Cells
To delete a cell or other Table element, select cell, click
View/Toolbars/Tables and then select Eraser tool.
When I tried this, I had to Erase the Row above and drag down to the desired Row (slightly dangerous). What it did was delete the desired 2nd Row, plus Merge Cells in the Row above. Fortunately, there was only 1 cell occupied at the time. Experimentation
advised here.
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Themes
Insert/Theme, select from list. To remove a Theme from a page, Format/Theme/Selected Pages/(no theme). Will be updated when I get the hang of creating and modifying Themes. These increase file size exponentially.
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Bookmarks
Type text, select it, right click it and drag to top (bookmark position). Shortcut menu appears; select 'Link here'. This takes a steady hand, and is tedious for many Bookmarks. |
Superscript
Format/Font/CharacterSpacing/ Position/Raised.
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Positioning
Place objects or text precisely on the page instead of sequentially. Select object, Format/Position/Absolute or Relative or Z-Order (position in a stack of elements). Experiment because this is an advanced feature.
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Style Sheets
Format/Stylesheet Link to apply a Style Sheet to a page or All Pages (attaches .CSS file to page). To create or edit .CSS, Format/Style.
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Navigation Bar
Insert/Navigation Bar. Select Child Pages Under Home for where links will appear. Click Home. Click Horizontal or Vertical. Click Button. Can only use Buttons if a Theme is used. Of course, you could use the old-fashioned HTML coding method.
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Table of Contents
This would be for the entire web. Create a new page, click to it. Insert/Component/Table of Contents. I set this up in web that already existed. It didn't add entries, as promised, but I will test more and report back.
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DHMTL
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Text
Type text, select, then Format/DHTML Effect, then select Page Load from DHTML Toolbar. Preview. Must apply to the entire line. |
Graphics
Example: Select the graphic, Format/DHTML, select MouseOver, select Swap. |
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Images
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Flip
To flip, click graphic, click one of 4 rotate buttons on Graphics Bar (rectangle, circle, etc.). NOTE: If you copy/paste same picture, it will flip all pix! |
Crop
To crop, resize pic to smaller, click Crop button on Graphics Bar, draw rectangle on pic, click Crop button again. |
Brightness
Click pic, click Less Brightness button on Graphics Bar multiple times. |
Transparency
Click pic, click Transparency button on Graphics Bar, click Eraser on color to remove. This removed all Blue in my test. |
Wash Out
Click pic, click Wash Out button on Graphics Bar.
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Text on Graphic
Select picture, click Text button on the Pictures toolbar, type in the box created, use Format/Font, select effect.
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Image Map
Use commands on Pictures toolbar to create Hotspots. These are the Rectangle, Circle, etc. Draw on pic, deselect, then drag the border precisely where you want it, select the Link that pops up. Use Ctrl+Click to follow link. For polygon, click each corner (20 turns would be fine), then double-click to finish.
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Save These Modified Pix
To save as a new pic, right click on the pic and select Save As. Rename it or save to a different directory. |
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Administration
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Upload
Close all files. File/Web Publish. For GeoCities, after trial and error, I found that you use "ftp://ftp.oocities.com". It works like a charm, with these cautions:
It will actually replace any file named the same, e.g., 'index.html'. It will prompt you to say whether it should delete ... each and every existing file. Therefore, I will report back when I can upload a single page or a new directory.
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Security
Tools/WebSettings, click Use Document Check-in and Check-out. This puts bullets in front of each file; when you open a file Normal (edit) mode, the bullet changes to a red checkmark. When you close, you lose your edits, unless you are connected to a Server. |
Download Web
File/Import, then insert your URL plus the name of one page, like index.html. Within 5 minutes, my site had been imported into FP 2K, at a size of over 4 million bytes. However, I notice that not exactly every single page came down, so I will look into that. What came down was perfect and amazing. I can see that I will manage the site from FP 2K.
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Scripts
When you click Tools/Macro/Microsoft Script Editor, you will be prompted to reinsert the CD (use #1). A marvelous Editor appears, which uses 'JScript', with lots of unnecessary apologies (though carefully never mentioning the dirty word 'Javascript'). There is a nice tutorial. Caution: JScript has features optimized for MSIE 4.0+, so Netscapers Beware.
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