FrontPage Lesson #10: Introduction to FrontPage 2000

Vocabulary

• Views Bar: a vertical column of icons that enable you to select different FrontPage 2000 views; the Views Bar originally was part of FrontPage 98's Explorer window.
• Folder List: provides a vertical listing of directories and files within a specific web; the folders list was originally part of FrontPage 98's Explorer window.
• Extensions: special features unique to FrontPage that automate specific processes, such as adding a search form to a website; FrontPage extensions require publication on a FrontPage server in order for them to work. Not all FrontPage 2000 extensions are compatible with earlier versions of FrontPage.

Item One: Major Differences between FrontPage 2000 and FrontPage 98

1. FrontPage Explorer and FrontPage Editor have been combined into a single window in FrontPage 2000. Users no longer have to toggle between two different windows to access these functionalities.
2. FrontPage 2000 uses a different metaphor for opening  files and webs.
3. FrontPage 2000 relies on adaptive menu items, which means that frequently used menu items appear be default.

Item Two: Views in FrontPage 2000

FrontPage 2000 combines Explorer and Editor into one window. When you launch FrontPage 2000, you will see the following view:



Unlike earlier versions of FrontPage, you do not need to switch windows to work on individual web pages. In the example above, FrontPage's editing space appears in the left-most panel of the window. Note that both the Views toolbar and the Folder List toolbar can be closed to make more working space available.

To close either the Views or Folder List toolbars, go to the View main menu item and select the appropriate option. To close the Views toolbar, select Views Bar option; to close the Folder List toolbar, select the Folders List option.



In the example below, both the Views and Folder List toolbars have been closed; I use this option to maximize my available working space:



 

Item Three: Adaptive Menu Items

FrontPage 2000 simplifies option selection under its main menu items. When a menu item is initially selected, a truncated list of options is offered:



To access a more expanded list of options for a given menu item, place your cursor over the double-down arrows; after a brief pause, an expanded list of options will appear:

Item Four: Opening a Web in FrontPage 2000

Once FrontPage 2000 is running, go to the Files main menu item and select the Open Web option:



The Open Web window allows you to select a web located on a remote server or on your local drive. The Open Web window normally displays the web last opened; to select a web stored on your local drive, click the My Documents icon and browse for it like you would browse for a file in any other Microsoft application. To open a web stored on a server, click the Web Folders icon, then enter the full address of your web, including the http:// prefix. Once you have opened a web stored on a server, its name will be displayed in a list each time you click the Web Folders icon.

Below is the Open Web window. Note how previously opened webs are listed when the Web Folders icon is clicked:



 

Item: Should You Upgrade?

FrontPage 2000 offers incremental improvements in interface design and overall functionality, but it does not represent a dramatic revision of FrontPage 98. In FrontPage 2000, webs stored on your hard drive are a little easier to locate; this advantage, however, is balanced by the fact that a number of access providers have not upgraded their FrontPage server extensions.

My recommendation? If you are comfortable using FrontPage 98, then there is no need to upgrade in the near future. If you are learning FrontPage for the first time and have little prior experience, then FrontPage 2000 could potentially flatten your initial learning curve.