Linking separate Publisher web page files together in a web site.

[Leebo]

Hi, First of all I am completely new to all of this so I hope someone can
give me some simple guidance to solve my problem.

I am trying to make a web site using Publisher. Basically, there is a lot
of information I need to convey so the way I have approached it is to make a
"Home" page file and then a series of separate "Information" files, most of
which are 5-6 pages long.

I thought i could make a series of hyperlinks from the "home" page to each
new "information" file, which would then open that page up so that the
information could be viewed.

This seems to work fine until I go to "Web Page Preview" and then the
"Information" files will not open from the "Home page" hyperlinks.

Is there a simple way to correct this problem? Its taking me hours and
hours and I would hate to get to the end only to discover that I have wasted
my effort! Thanks for any advice anyone can give.

Regards, Lee

 

[DavidF]

Lee,

You can certainly build your site from multiple files. In fact most of my
site is built with pages from individual pub files. The only real trick is
getting the navigation setup and writing the links correctly, and you may
need to create your own navigation bar. Here is an article by David Bartosik
about exactly what you are trying to do, and though it refers to using Pub
2000, the principles are the same which ever version you use.

http://www.publishermvps.com/Default.aspx?tabid=81

Read through that article and post back if you don't figure out how to
organize and write the links. You might also take some time looking over the
other excellent materials David has produced...

DavidF

 

[Leebo]

Dear David,

Many thanks for offering your advice and assistance. After reading the
article I think (hope?) I am on the right track, although I am still not
completely sure of the exact thing I need to do.

Just as background, when it comes to actually "uploading" the site to the
web domain, I have no idea about that side of things and will be handing that
process over to someone else. I am really just trying to get the basic
stucture working first.

This means that I am essentially working with the files saved in "Publisher"
format, rather than as "html" (or web?) format.

So to take the article as an example, if the "Home" page I make is titiled
'Pets.pub' and the pets listed there are "Dogs", "Cats" and "Birds", I would
then have files named 'dogs.pub', 'cats.pub' and 'birds.pub'.

The 'dogs.pub' file might have pages called 'beagles', 'hounds', 'terriers'
and 'mutts'.

If I create a hyperlink from text or a button in the "Home" page file
(Pets.pub) to 'Dogs.pub' I would hope that this would then allow me to access
the beagles, hounds, terriers and mutts.

I can seem to get that side of things working on my computer here and have
saved all of the different publisher files into the one folder so that
everything is in the one place. Its when i do the 'web page preview' thing
that the links don't seem to open. I think i am a bit lost as to how the
whole "html" thing comes in. Thats the part i guess i am quite unsure of.

I will experiment a little more using the information in the article. Thank
you again, I greatly appreciate your time in responding and your advice and
assistance.

Regards, Lee

 

[David Bartosik]

inline......

Just as background, when it comes to actually "uploading" the site to the
web domain, I have no idea about that side of things and will be handing that
process over to someone else. I am really just trying to get the basic
stucture working first.

use article http://www.publishermvps.com/Default.aspx?tabid=163 instead,
it's updated for version 2002. 2002 and 2003 both have the sub-folder and are
identical except for the fact that 2003 supports renaming the html files.
That sub-folder makes a lot of difference in how you organize the structure.
Being new to web site creation you may need to reconsider using multiple pub
file as it is a more advanced technique versus the normal creation of a full
site in a single pub file.

This means that I am essentially working with the files saved in "Publisher"
format, rather than as "html" (or web?) format.

as I explain on the page -
http://www.publishermvps.com/WebDesign/tabid/29/Default.aspx - you maintain
the site in the pub file. You then generate the site files in the publish
function. Also you should read thru the FAQ -
http://www.publishermvps.com/Default.aspx?tabid=30 - to avoid common newbie
mistakes.

So to take the article as an example, if the "Home" page I make is titiled
'Pets.pub' and the pets listed there are "Dogs", "Cats" and "Birds", I would
then have files named 'dogs.pub', 'cats.pub' and 'birds.pub'.

The 'dogs.pub' file might have pages called 'beagles', 'hounds', 'terriers'
and 'mutts'.

If I create a hyperlink from text or a button in the "Home" page file
(Pets.pub) to 'Dogs.pub' I would hope that this would then allow me to access
the beagles, hounds, terriers and mutts.

The link has to be from an html file to an html file. You will need to know
the URL of that page in the link. So you would need to name the target page
in the page options so you know the name of the html file you are linking to.
And if you use the sub-folder you then have to include that in the path. I'd
suggest not using the sub-folder to simplify things.

I can seem to get that side of things working on my computer here and have
saved all of the different publisher files into the one folder so that
everything is in the one place. Its when i do the 'web page preview' thing
that the links don't seem to open. I think i am a bit lost as to how the
whole "html" thing comes in. Thats the part i guess i am quite unsure of.

preview is only previewing the current pub file. it cannot access
non-existant html files from another pub file.
To test the site without uploading it you need to create a test folder on
your PC and then publish each pub file to that folder and then open the index
(home page) file in your browser.

David Bartosik - [MSFT MVP]
www.publishermvps.com
www.davidbartosik.com

 

[Leebo]

David,

Once again many thanks for your advice. I will try your suggestions and see
how I get on. I am very appreciative of your help.

Regards, Lee

inline......

Just as background, when it comes to actually "uploading" the site to the
web domain, I have no idea about that side of things and will be handing that
process over to someone else. I am really just trying to get the basic
stucture working first.

use article http://www.publishermvps.com/Default.aspx?tabid=163 instead,
it's updated for version 2002. 2002 and 2003 both have the sub-folder and are
identical except for the fact that 2003 supports renaming the html files.
That sub-folder makes a lot of difference in how you organize the structure.
Being new to web site creation you may need to reconsider using multiple pub
file as it is a more advanced technique versus the normal creation of a full
site in a single pub file.

This means that I am essentially working with the files saved in "Publisher"
format, rather than as "html" (or web?) format.

as I explain on the page -
http://www.publishermvps.com/WebDesign/tabid/29/Default.aspx - you maintain
the site in the pub file. You then generate the site files in the publish
function. Also you should read thru the FAQ -
http://www.publishermvps.com/Default.aspx?tabid=30 - to avoid common newbie
mistakes.

So to take the article as an example, if the "Home" page I make is titiled
'Pets.pub' and the pets listed there are "Dogs", "Cats" and "Birds", I would
then have files named 'dogs.pub', 'cats.pub' and 'birds.pub'.

The 'dogs.pub' file might have pages called 'beagles', 'hounds', 'terriers'
and 'mutts'.

If I create a hyperlink from text or a button in the "Home" page file
(Pets.pub) to 'Dogs.pub' I would hope that this would then allow me to access
the beagles, hounds, terriers and mutts.

The link has to be from an html file to an html file. You will need to know
the URL of that page in the link. So you would need to name the target page
in the page options so you know the name of the html file you are linking to.
And if you use the sub-folder you then have to include that in the path. I'd
suggest not using the sub-folder to simplify things.

I can seem to get that side of things working on my computer here and have
saved all of the different publisher files into the one folder so that
everything is in the one place. Its when i do the 'web page preview' thing
that the links don't seem to open. I think i am a bit lost as to how the
whole "html" thing comes in. Thats the part i guess i am quite unsure of.

preview is only previewing the current pub file. it cannot access
non-existant html files from another pub file.
To test the site without uploading it you need to create a test folder on
your PC and then publish each pub file to that folder and then open the index
(home page) file in your browser.

David Bartosik - [MSFT MVP]
www.publishermvps.com
www.davidbartosik.com