Migrating from FrontPage to Expression Web

Just got Expression Web? Thinking, how do migrate from FrontPage to Expression Web? No fear, we have the solution.

Our new Class which starts today but there is still time to sign up, is half price for this first session... it will not be this price again. $39.50

Register: http://starttoweb.com/classes/fp-ew.php

Two Microosoft MVPs to hold your hand, a chance to win two Expression Web Tips ebooks, and a full ebook to go with the class about the course.


Prerequisite:

• Have installed Expression Web 1.0 or 2.0 or Download the 60 day trial version of EW 2.0 from the Microsoft Expression Web Site. Obtain and use the registration key or your trial will end before the full trial period.


• Firefox with html tidy extension


• Backed up your Website twice (Instructions in the class)


• Completed the Introductory Questionnaire (link in the class) Downloaded Steve Easton's FPCleaner Downloaded and implemented EW 1.0 or 2.0 Setting up Expression Web Ebooks (Free)

Course:

Preparation

• Installing EW


• Backing up

Cleanup Preparations

• Making CU Toolbar


• Making Queries


• Removal Preparations

Redundant graphics

• Save Navigation


• Remove Themes...


• DL Web Package


• Preserve Regions


• Insert DocType


• Remove bots

Pages Preparation

• Import Web Package


• Use Cleanup Toolbar


• Compatibility


• Clean Tables


• Accessible Tables


• Apply XHTML
  
• Run Queries

Revising Pages

• Preview in browser


• Replace Bots


• Compatibility Reports


• Accessibility Reports


• CSS Reports


• Navigation
  
  
  
  • Accessible Nav
  
  
  • Make Include Pages
  
  
  • Insert Include Pages


• Forms
  
  
  
  • Add Semantic Markup


• Heading Tags


• Add Metas Tags


• Validation


• Robots File


• About DWTs


• Use Site Summary

FrontPage Temporary Files

DEAR TINA: How do I clean FrontPage 2003 Temp files?

Dan

*********************************************************************

FrontPage Temp files

DEAR DAN: Tools Site Settings Advanced click 'Delete Files' under Temporary Files. For older versions it's Web Settings. Or you can use this new Free FrontPage Addon called FP Cleaner

Conflict with DWT and CSS sheet.

DEAR TINA: in my dwt is a line for font.css that reads

link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="font.css"

when I save and apply to pages it shows up as

link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="_templates/font.css"

but some of the text is NOT in the css directed font. so on a content page if I edit out the part that shows _templates/ all the fonts are restored to the one I want. Seems like there is some kind of conflict and FP will not allow me to format style sheet links any other way that I can figure out practicing on a test site.

is there a way to use font.css and a dwt and get all the fonts to be in the css directed font?

Marshall (from fplist)

*********************************************************************

When to use an editable region and when not to.

DEAR Marshall: This is because your using

!-- #BeginEditable "misc_head" --

!-- #EndEditable --

For static stuff that appears on every page you don't use editable regions, so take out the editable code for that section if you want the same style sheet on every page. Of course if you have any other style sheets in any other editable region they will stay the same. When you saved the dwt time and time again with the editable codes around the css sheet code, all you were doing was changing the content on the DWT. So when you applied the dwt to NEW pages, it would be changed on ALREADY MADE pages when you saved the dwt and the rest of the site was updated, because the content (i.e. your style sheet link) was in a EDITABLE region. (Editable regions are not updated or they would all look the same) the changes you made were NOT updated.

So the simple solution is, take the editable code for the metas away, it does not need to be there anyway, you will run into the same problem when you try to update your copyright at the end of the year.

Must have FrontPage Addons for the upcoming professional programmer

DEAR TINA: I ran across a website that has over 1700 FrontPage themes for about $200 called www.ThemePak.com . Before dropping down some coin, I wanted to know if anyone had another suggestion of a better product or company that provided much more themes or other FrontPage add-ins. I am interested in doing some website development on a professional basis and thought this theme route might make something eye catchy for a potential client. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated on themes or additional FrontPage add-ons that are a must have for the upcoming professional programmer. For the past 6 years I've designed about a dozen B+ websites for people for free and am now ready to step up to the next level and start charging for my services.

Jim Stipe (from FrontPage Newsgroup)

*********************************************************************

Addons for the professional user

DEAR JIM: Themes! .. No you want to avoid themes that's going backwards ... templates are the way to go, your much more in control and if you have fp03 get yourself a dwt (dynamic web template) use css for your formatting and includes for the menu's.

and go to either APlus Templates

or

BoxedArt

both of which offer numerous templates for the princely sum of one fixed fee for the year in the case of APlus it's $29.95 and boxed art it's a little more at $49.95 and you also get more for that money in the way of graphics and tools.

Plus both sites do very good templates, use templates and the keyword here is control, the more control you have the more versatile you can be, and it's much easier on maintenance too.

I just reread your post ... now if you want templates that are for reselling as though you made them for clients your going to have to read the licence. Outfront.net do a package like that, you will have to look at things slightly differently if it's for using for clients.

Addon's that I use every day of the week are:

FrontLook Search Engine (many other tools also)

D2Stuff - Time management/seo/page building tools 18 of them (trial but to buy) the spacer and the page filler are very useful.

Most of the tools at InstantFX I use the free case changer several times a day.

I use Jimco tools of course, all free

FrontPage Devices - There are quite a few addons here, they also have PageTools which are great for fp02

FrontPage Power Edit 2,0 - You can use this to prepare sitewide in one go for css and a dwt rather than having to do it page by page

Jbots At Your Command - I love this one it adds anything I want to any menu I really like being able to add select all to my right click menu's, there are lots more addons here to.

There are numerous other addons I use as well. These are just a few of them I really like addons:)

I also use TopStyle Pro for CSS (for more info see css article below) as the fp interface for css is not that intuitive and helpful, but I try to work directly on the sheet as much as I can then go back to TS for validation on what I've just tweaked, using FP03 really helps as the split view and html tags really make a difference in
understanding more html and css and how it all fit's together.

If you want to start charging keep learning .. do you know CSS (cascading style sheets) if not start learning now, do you have the latest FrontPage version? Those dwt make life much easier ... do you use includes? Here are a couple of articles to give you some ideas if not.

DWT
http://www.outfront.net/tutorials_02/fp_techniques/dwt-1.htm
http://www.outfront.net/tutorials_02/fp_techniques/dwt-2.htm

Free updated DWT Ebook now available from http://frontpage-ebooks.com/

FrontPage and CSS
http://msmvps.com/frontpage/articles/13615.aspx
http://msmvps.com/frontpage/articles/13683.aspx

FrontPage Includes
http://anyfrontpage.com/ezine/va/frontpage-includes.htm

Cleaning up your FrontPage Code
http://msmvps.com/frontpage/articles/33401.aspx

FrontPage Tools for Meta Tags

DEAR TINA: At the moment I am opening each page to edit this line on the code page: (meta name="description" content="Fill in the content.")

1. Is there a tool that would make the review of the description meta tag easy?

2. Also, is there a tool that can give me a report of this meta tag per page?

Jane

*********************************************************************

Meta Tag FrontPage Addons

DEAR JANE: There are plenty of tools available.

Question 1.

D2Stuff has many other addons within the same app, not free but there is a trial and is quite cheap considering what else you get ... the prices may go up soon.

MetaData Editor - This is free and for 98, 2000 and 2002 only it's quite old.

PowerMeta - by Jimco which comes with a lot of other stuff, similar to rankpal somewhat. (PowerMeta is free with Jim's book which is well worth every
penny btw) otherwise you buy there is a Trial

Meta Tag Maker 2004 by websunlimted

Note: Using third party meta tag addons will at the present time mess up your dwt coding for your meta tags, so just use the tool and copy and paste the content as below.

See this two part article for more info on dwt's. (Dynamic Web Templates)

( http://www.outfront.net/tutorials_02/fp_techniques/dwt-1.htm and http://www.outfront.net/tutorials_02/fp_techniques/dwt-2.htm )

I also have a free ebook available which is updated DWT Ebook

With FrontPage 2003 you can now right click and choose page properties and insert content into title keywords and description right away.

Question 2.

Originally I did have a Free FrontPage Addon to tell you about but this has now been discontinued.

Stop FrontPage displaying 20% in Links

DEAR TINA: How can I stop FrontPage from displaying my page URLs with 20%, instead of > just www.xxxx.com/page??

Denise

*********************************************************************

Spaces in files names

DEAR DENISE: You would need to rename your files for example red20%widget.htm should be changed to red-widget.htm

NOTE: When you make a file and leave a space FrontPage will automatically insert the 20% to denote there is a space.

For SEO purposes using a dash for the space is the best rather than a underscore _. This is because search engine bots 'see' your keywords for example Red Widget when put together redwidget is one keyword when and underscore is used red_widget is also one keyword as the bots don't 'see' the underscore. On the other hand if a dash is used red-widget this is seen and they keyword becomes two. This is a small part of the overall picture but an important one in SEO optimization.

There is a Free FrontPage addon that can get rid of the spaces in your file names throughout your site automatically, however it will insert an underscore. So your red20%widget.htm becomes red_widget.htm for SEO purposes this is no good as
redwidget becomes one keyword not two.

If you are going to rename a page merely by getting rid of the 20% and changing it for a dash, it still means it's a complete change of file name to the search engine's so you need to use a 301 redirect for your older files to the newer files, (make sure the content is not duplicated by leaving content on your old file names).

This is best solution, if you can't manage that using a redirect meta tag on the old file is something you can do at the very least. - Make sure if your using a navigation view that you take out the old file and put in the new and that after all your changes you recalculate hyperlinks under Tools as well. Since you have to rename file names, it's a good time to think more about the SEO content of the file names. file names title h1 tag and content should all reflect each
other. For more on SEO check out this free seo class

Critique my site

DEAR TINA: Please can you critique my site http://twoheartsminis.com

Kimberly

*********************************************************************

Two Hearts Minis web critique

DEAR KIMBERLY: The critique was given at my FrontPage List and then you asked questions here are the answers to those questions.

Original Critique > "This is a framed site," >>>

KIMBERLY: I am going to work on changing this.

TINA: Just make a new web in FrontPage and start work on a template. First work on a piece of paper your layout for your menus, it really does work:) Then start with your homepage in designing your template. Cleaning up your FrontPage Code this article might prove helpful. and also How to promote your website further down the line. Test your templates and make test one's, ask the FrontPage List for feedback.

Original Critique > "You don't have any text links which is important for search engines and for those that can't see graphics." >>>

KIMBERLY: This is one thing I do not understand.

TINA: Image links lose all the benefits provided by anchor text links. (Which is simply good old fashioned text links that use your key phrase as the text for the link) Anchor text links are vital for your position in the search engine results and this follows with all the seo practices. I really hope you join Cricket's SEO Techniques class, it's the most wonderful help you could ever get in building your site and getting results in terms of sales and visitors.

Original Critique > Your using a graphic for your email link, not everyone can see that link when you use a graphic a text link should be provided see Protect your email address for what to do. This is part a business site and part a homepage site, I'd make your main domain your business site and make a subweb for anything else that way you can promote just the main site, and let friends and family know about the subweb. >>>

KIMBERLY: The whole thing is a business site. I raise, show andsell pygmy goats and I have an embroidery business. I have been thinking of doing a sub domain for the Kimberly's Designs. Which is my embroidery business.

TINA: Ok, see the impression I and others got was that it was a homepage site. If your truly serious join Cricket's seo classes you won't regret it. If you have another business you need to separate that out and use another domain really. Though I understand not everyone can not pay for hosting for more than one site, though I believe 1and1.com lets you do this for a very modest fee. Myself I have around 15 sites and use a reseller account ($35 a month) it's more cost effective for me, you have a bit of a learning curve but I can't afford to pay out more so I had to learn:)

Original Critique > You need a privacy policy and sitemap, sitemap's are essential for a better position in the search engines, not having a sitemap your restricting the bots from crawling your site effectively. >>>

KIMBERLY: All of this I do not understand either. Can you show me a sample of a privacy policy?

TINA: http://accessfp.net/privacystatement.htm and this is my disclaimer too http://accessfp.net/disclaim.htm Here is a very old article I wrote about privacy policies and here is a more up todate one written by Elizabeth

Original Critique > You have lots of pages that are not reflected within the menu, making a text linked menu using includes will make it a lot easier for users to find their way around. >>>

KIMBERLY: Ok am I understanding this right? Instead of using graphics with words on this as links, it is best to use just words. Is this right?

TINA: Yes though you can use both, perhaps use graphics at the top of the site and text links at the bottom if you don't want to give up your graphics ,though they should be easy to read and not add a lot to the page load if you look at http://accessfp.net my menu is all text links but I've made an effort to spruce it up a little as though they were buttons with the main categories down the left hand side again on http://addonfp.com It is best to use includes with menu's see this FrontPage Includes article for more info about includes.

Original Critique > The background on this page is not configured. >>>

KIMBERLY: I don't understand this either.

TINA: In Internet Explorer go to.

Tools Internet Options Colors Untick the Use windows colours and choose a colour for the background that no one would use like spruce pink click ok twice and refresh the page to your site you will see what I mean. I use this method to check my own pages you would be surprised at how many 'big' sites don't have theirs configured try looking at http://www.yahoo.com/

To configure your background in FrontPage.

Right click on the background of a page, choose Page properties. Go to the background tab, go to 'Colour's 'background' and choose your background colour, while you are there change the hyperlink colours from automatic as well to the colour of your choice and the text too. Press Ok. Remember to use the same link colours throughout your site so you won't confuse visitors

Original Critique > Some of the links are 404. >>>

KIMBERLY: what is a 404?

TINA: Here is an article I wrote about 404's. 4 Guest Article - "Error 404: File not Found"

Original Critique > With your photos offset them in spacing by about 5 pixels so the text does
not jut against the side of the image. >>>

KIMBERLY: Don't understand what you mean by this either.

TINA: Click your graphic to select it and then right click and choose 'Picture Properties' from the pop up menu, go to the 'Appearance' tab and see horizontal and vertical spacing on the middle right change the figure from 0 to 5 on both press ok. You will see how the graphic then moves away from the text.

Original Critique > This site could be pretty awesome in presentation, if you keep it as it is you should at least fix all the broken links, configure backgrounds. >>>

KIMBERLY: How do I do this?

TINA: As above on the configure backgrounds for broken links you can use FrontPage's report feature. Running a Broken Hyperlinks Report.

Original Critique > You need a copyright. >>>

KIMBERLY: Can you give me a sample of how to do this?

TINA: Copyright © 1999 - 2004 AccessFP - Tina Clarke. All Rights Reserved.
see 4 Guest Article - 10 Tips for Protection