A Review By Jill Jones
I have chosen Microsoft FrontPage 98 to evaluate as an advanced HTML editor. I have grown to feel comfortable with this tool in my web editing endeavors. In this section, I will address three skill sets necessary when getting started.
 | Working with a web |
| Using Themes |
| Working with a web page |
When you open FrontPage 98, a dialogue box immediately pops up affording you (the user) two choices. You may open an existing FrontPage web or create a new FrontPage web. The new user will want to create a new web.
The next box affords more choices. First, you must choose the kind of FrontPage web to create: One Page Web, Import an Existing Web, or From Wizard or Template. I always choose a One Page Web, as this allows for the most flexibility. I can add any design and as many pages as I need with this option. The "Import an Existing Web" option allows you to pull another web onto the work space for editing. If you have a specific purpose for your web, or would like the software to do more of the work for you, you can choose a web design from the wizard or template. After you have chosen the kind of web to create, you must name it in this box also. After clicking the OK button, you are ready to begin creating.
When working with a web in FrontPage 98, it is important to note that there are always two screens active. If you are actually working on your web, you are in FrontPage Editor. In this screen, you have three different views to toggle between. The Normal view allows you to work in a kind of word processor environment and is very similar to other Microsoft software products. The HTML view allows you to view the actual coding of the page. The Preview view gives you a beginning idea of what your page will look like in the browser. You can not make any changes while in the Preview view. The organization of your web can be viewed in many forms through the other active screen, FrontPage Explorer. From this screen, you can view your web as folders, all files, navigation, as well as all of your hyperlinks and their status. Also, on this screen, you can explore theme options for your web. FrontPage 2000 combines both of these screens so that it is not necessarry to move back and forth between them.
"A FrontPage theme consists of unified design elements and color schemes for bullets, fonts, images, navigation bars, and other page elements. When applied, a theme gives the pages and navigation bars in your FrontPage web an attractive and consistent appearance." (Microsoft FrontPage Help). Themes are a quick and easy way to add design elements to your site. This site was designed using the "Bars" theme. Simply make sure you are on the FrontPage Explorer screen and click on Themes. You can choose from several different themes and can choose to use them throughout your web, or just on certain pages. Also, if you get done with your site and want to change your theme, its as easy as a click of your mouse!
When you're ready to add a new page to your web, once again, simply make sure you're in
FrontPage Explorer and the Navigation view. Right click on your home page and a
drop-down menu will give you the option of creating a new page. No Problem!!
Once your page is created in the navigation view, you can change its name by, again, right
clicking on the new page and choosing the "Rename" option. Then, double
click your new page and you're ready to start designing again!
