Confused on saving new site in 2003

[Karin]

My old website is in Publisher 98 and I decided to redo my website in 2003.
I am confused on how it saves what I have created. I am not very computer
literate, so please explain in "simple terms". Here is what is saved in "My
Documents":

A folder called "public_html_files" - it has a filelist.xml, images, pages
numbered 0001,0002, etc. and a pubmaster001.html.

Another folder called "Publish" which opens to "nakarminiatures2.pub" .
This shows the actual site where changes are made.

There is also a folder with the Publisher logo that is named
"public_html.htm". This brings up the website as it would be viewed on the
internet.

Are these files named/saved correctly? Can any be eliminated? Which on do I
use to upload to the ftp site I use for my 98 website?

I also tried to go into the "Publish" folder, opened nakarminiatures2.pub
to name the pages. First page has Page title: NaKar Miniatures with file
name: index. The second has Page Title: Mares I with the file name: Mares1.
But when I view the the folder with all images and pages. The pages are
still listed as page0001, page0002, etc. How can I get it to show the file
names I want to display? I have read some of the other threads and am still
confused and very frustrated because I just don't know what I am doing! Help!!

 

[DavidF]

You have made a big jump, and Pub 2003 works very different than Pub 98.

I am guessing, as I don't have 98, that you are doing a "Save As: a web
page. This is not the correct way of producing your html output in Pub 2003.
In Pub 2003 you "Publish to the Web" to produce your web pages. You will get
an index.htm file which is your home page, and unless you change the
default, you will also get an "index_files" folder that contain all the
other pages in your site and the supporting graphics and images. I don't
think that Pub 98 used a supporting folder. Ultimately you will need to
upload the index.htm file and the index_files folder intact, to your server.
Delete all your old Pub 98 .html files.

Before you do, go to tools > options > web tab and uncheck the "rely on
vml..." and "allow png...". Also compress all your images. This was done
automatically in Pub 98 but not in Pub 2003. Reference: Compress graphics
file sizes to create smaller Publisher Web pages:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/HA011266301033.aspx

You might also want to review: Prepare, publish, and maintain your Publisher
Web site:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/HA100947601033.aspx
It is written for Pub 2007, but if you are using IE7 instead of IE6, then
the directions for using Vista would apply. FTP uploading has changed with
the introduction of IE7.

You do have the option of custom naming the pages of your site. I do
recommend that you use index.htm for your home page, but the other pages can
have any custom name. Go to Tools > Web page options, and under Publish to
the Web enter your custom File name. Note below that is where you also enter
the search engine information including the description of the page.

DavidF

 

[Karin]

Oh Gosh, what a mess! I tried uploading my website to the ftp site that I
always use. Website didn't show up. Called my website server. For some
reason the first page(index page) of my website site wasn't being saved along
with all the other images and pages. I had the webpage/file named index.htm.
They did some did some stuff on their end and now my site is up, but I would
still like to know why it's not being saved with the other images & pages? I
even tried to change the file names of each individual page, but it only
shows up as page0001, page0002, etc. I am just afraid that when I try to
upload with changes I am going to have problems.

Also, when I right click on a picture and try to copy "properties", this is
what I get: http://www.nakarminiatures.com/page001_files/page0001.htm
and no picture will show up.

 

[DavidF]

You didn't follow all the instructions I gave you, now did you?

First of all, you did a "Save As" to create your web pages just as you used
to do with Publisher 98, instead of "Publish to the Web". This resulted in
you producing "rich" or "heavy" html code instead of "filtered" code. This
also means you ended up with very bloated pages that are very slow to
load....and slow to upload to your site. This will have to be redone.

I also suspect that you did not delete all the old files off the server
before you uploaded the new files. Right?

I also see from looking at the links on your menu that your home page is not
index.htm...it is named "public_html.htm". I assume that your web host
renamed your home page in order to get it to work. In fact if you mouseover
all the links it shows that you did not save your pages correctly to begin
with. Apparently, when you did your Save As a web page, you saved the
default home page as "page001.htm" which then created a subfolder named
"page001_files" instead of "index_files". This created several conflicts
including the fact that you have another page named page001, and a browser
looked for a default page and didn't recognize page001.htm as a home page.
I presume that you built your own navbar, and inserted the links, correct?
You are going to have to change those links to confirm with the way Pub 2003
works. So lets start over...

Assuming that you want to use your page naming convention of page001.htm to
page0014.htm, start naming the pages on page two of your Pub file. Don't
name your home page "page001.htm". It appears that the first page of the
"Mares" section is currently named page001. Go to that page in your
Publisher publication, Tools > Web page options. Make sure that under
Publish to the Web, that the file name is "001"...the .htm extension will
automatically be added. Go to each page in your publication and make sure
that each page has the file named correctly.

Now go to your old "Publish" folder on your computer that you used to save
to when you used Pub 98...or where ever you used to Save As your files
before. Delete the old files in that folder. Then go to File > Publish to
the Web, and direct the output to that "Publish" folder. When you Publish to
the Web and get the Save in dialog box, make sure the file name you use is
"index.htm"....not "public_html.htm" After you finish that go to the
"Publish" folder where your directed the output and look at the files. You
should have an index.htm file and an index_files folder. Assuming you do,
you are now ready to rewrite the links on your navbar. Go back to your Pub
file and....

The link to the Mares page, that you custom named as "page001.htm", the link
will now be http://www.nakarminiatures.com/index_files/page001.htm
Assuming that you name stallions page as "page0010.htm" then the link to
that page will be
http://www.nakarminiatures.com/index_files/page0010.htm
etc, etc, etc...

Once you get all the links on your navbar redone, on each page, you are
ready to publish your new pages. Go to your local folder, which I have been
calling "Publish" and delete the old files. Now Publish to the Web, save the
home page as index.htm just as you did, and direct the output to the Publish
folder, and you are ready to ftp upload the index.htm file and the
index_files folder to your host.

If you are worried that you will still not have things working correctly,
log into your web host with FTP, and rename the old files by adding ".old"
to the "Public_html.htm.old". This way in the worse case, you can just
remove the .old extension and have your site working. Best case you can go
back and delete those old files.

Upload your new files and test. Should work if you did it right.

Part of the problem is that you did not spend any time understanding the
differences in how Pub 98 and 2003 work. Read the link to Prepare, publish,
and maintain your Publisher Web site again:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/HA100947601033.aspx
It explains how Pub 2003 and 2007 work. And before that, you might take a
moment and read these two links also. Pub 2000 worked much as Pub 98 did,
and if you understand how MSFT changed things in 2002, and again in 2003,
you will understand more about what you are doing wrong and what I am
suggesting.

Web Publication Changes Made in Version 2002 of Publisher:
http://msmvps.com/blogs/dbartosik/pages/81262.aspx

Publisher 2003 - What's new in web design for this version
http://msmvps.com/blogs/dbartosik/pages/80555.aspx

As to the right click issue, that is disabled in Pub 2003. There are
workarounds...but one thing at a time.

DavidF

 

[DavidF]

By the way...here is a Publisher built site that will interest you...and
perhaps inspire you to work through the transition to Pub 2003. It will be
worth it...

http://www.beltonstud.com/

DavidF

 

[Karin]

David, I did read Prepare, publish, and maintain your Publisher Website as
well as the other links. It is just very confusing for someone like me with
little computer knowledge. I will go over it again.

I did delete the old website before uploading to the server. When I spoke
to the guy he said I was missing the index page. The first page of my
website was actually the second page (Mares page). I tried to change the
file names to: Stallions, Mares, etc. but when I saved it, they still
showed up as 0001, 0002, etc. I couldn't understand why it wasn't saving the
changes.

I am going to try what you suggested. If I have any problems, I'll be back.
LOL

Thanks again David.

 

[DavidF]

Karin,

Sometimes I have to read things over and over before it actually sinks
in...don't feel like the lone ranger.

If you did try to change the page names and it didn't stick, it may have
been because you were doing a "Save As a web page" instead of a "Publish to
the web" to produce your html files...your web pages.

You probably should do a lot of testing on your computer before uploading
new files, especially if you prefer naming the files Stallions, mares etc.
Once you get that sorted out, you then go back and change the hyperlinks.
Try going to the first page of your Mares section. Go to Tools > Web options
and in the field beside "File name:" type "mares" without the quotes. Then
File > Publish to the web and direct the output to either your old Publish
folder on your computer, or another folder where you can find it. Then go to
that folder, open it, and open the index_files folder and see if you have a
file called "mares.htm". If you do, then the renaming of the pages worked
correctly. Also then the link to that page would be:
http://www.nakarminiatures.com/index_files/mares.htm
instead of
http://www.nakarminiatures.com/index_files/page001.htm

Remember when you write file names to be consistent with upper and lower
case...and probably use just lower case so as to not create problems down
the road. Also, don't use any spaces...use underscores or hyphens. For
example the second page in the mares section could be called "mares2" or
"mares_page2" or "mares-2"...etc.

The other thing to stress is that when you do "publish to the web" save the
home page as "index.htm". As I said, you saved it as "page001"...that is why
you did not have an index.htm file. After you have tested your output, and
confirm that you have an index.htm file and an index_files folder, and the
other pages is your site are named correctly, and the links written
correctly on your computer, be sure to upload the index.htm file and the
whole folder "index_files" intact...don't upload just the files within the
folder.

Good luck...DavidF

 

[Karin]

Okay, David – This is the first chance I have had to get back to this. When
we last corresponded I did reread all the articles you suggested and then I
tried to follow your directions for a "Publish" folder. I renamed the pages.
I think it worked!

I did lose in the file where you go in to make changes to your web site.
Fortunately, I had a copy on my memory stick and downloaded it. It is now
“saved as†a “.pub†file.

This is what I have in “My Documentsâ€:
A folder called “Publishâ€. Open “Publish†and there is an index_files ,
then under that is a index.htm (with IE icon). Opening the index_files and
viewing contents by type, there are images with very large numbers. (ie.
image11071.gif), then files with IE logo with the names I gave them (ie.
mares1.htm), followed by (ie. image1380.jpg), (ie. image1209.png), and (ie.
image1030.wmz) with windows media player logo.

I have no idea why there are images with “.wmzâ€. I don’t have any videos on
my web pages. Also, I noticed that some of the images are on there as both
..jpg and .png. Why is that?

I have other questions, but I want to wait to hear what you have to say with
what I did so far.
Karin

P.S. when I lost my working web pages, I saw an article you wrote on :
Common Sense Computing 101 aka "Why in the world would you lose your
publisher file?". I actually tried what you recommended. I could only get
the first page (index page) to come up. I could not get the rest of the
pages to work. But, hey – I did read the article and tried it! LOL

 

[DavidF]

Karin,

Sounds like you made some progress.

My suggestions around the use of a Publish folder came from the assumption
that in Pub 98, when you Save As a web page, Pub 98 would automatically
create a Publish folder to contain the html files. This is how it works in
Pub 2000. All the Publish folder is a place to direct your output when you
Publish to the Web with Pub 2003. You could just as easily have put a folder
of any name on your Desktop...it doesn't really matter. But now that you
have the Publish folder and have Publish to the Web and directed your output
to that folder, that will be the default in the future, which should make
life a bit easier for you.

It sounds like you got the files you were supposed to get, including the
custom names page files. Now if you delete the old Publisher files off the
server, including the public_html.html file, and upload the index.htm file
and the index_files folder you just created, you should be good to go. Be
careful to not delete the web host files...just the publisher files.

The Publisher coding engine makes copies of all embedded images when you
Publish to the web. It will even make duplicates in different file formats
such as .png and different resolutions, especially if you did not compress
the images before you Publish to the web. The idea behind this is to serve
up the best image for the particular browser used to view the site. FireFox
users will see different pictures than a IE viewer. The .wmz graphic file is
usually for clipart that you inserted into your pages. It is confusing when
you see it associated with the media player. Basically, you are getting what
you should be getting in the html output. Just be sure to go to Tools >
Options > web tab and uncheck "rely on vml..." and "allow png...", and
compress the graphics (link provided) before you do your final Publish to
the Web, prior to uploading the fresh files.

The article you referenced is written by David Bartosik, not me. He is the
true Publisher website expert and was active for 5 or 6 years, but has taken
a break. The article describes how to recreate ONE page at a time...that is
why you only got one page. You gotta start reading more carefully <g>.
Luckily it sounds like you were able to find a copy of your original
Publisher file, so it is not an issue.

Good luck.

DavidF