WebSmart

Editing tools:
web pages use the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) to control formatting like font type, size and color, indentations, table layouts, image properties, links to other pages and so on. These markups are not intuitive so it is advisable to use an authoring tool to simplify the task. Suggested HTML editing tools (include FTP functions):

• Netscape Composer (http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/) Included free
• with the Netscape browser. Includes limited FTP functions.
• Macromedia Homesite (www.macromedia.com/software/homesite)
• Microsoft FrontPage (www.microsoft.com/frontpage); Includes FTP functions
• Macromedia DreamWeaver (www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver); Includes FTP functions
• Adobe GoLive (www.adobe.com/golive)

In addition to creating and editing web pages, one needs to transfer the pages and images between your local system, on which they were created, and the remote site accessible on the internet. File Transfer Programs (FTP) provide this function. Suggested free FTP software:

• www.ipswitch.com/products
• www.ftpplanet.com/download.htm
• Fetch (Apple only) (www.fetchsoftworks.com)
• Additional free software may be available at www.cnet.com

Page maintenance:
The easiest way to create a new page for an existing web site is to copy, and save with a new name, the existing page that most closely reflects the design of the new page. Then follow steps 2-4 to edit, publish and test the new page.

There are four steps for maintaining the content on existing web pages.

1. Retrieve
2. Edit
3. Publish
4. Test

It is usually best to download the current version of a web page from the server if there is more than one person updating the web site. This ensures that you are updating the latest version of the page.

1. Retrieve:

• Locate the address of the most current version of the web page on your local system or download it from the remote site where the web site is hosted.
• To download a file start your FTP software. With WS_FTP you will see a screen like theone below. (Click Cancel on the Session Properties screen if it pops up when you start.)

Figure 1: Opening WS_FTP program

• Double click on the folder images in the left panel until you open the folder that is to contain the web site on which you are working. The folder will display the existing files on your local system or it will appear empty if this is the first time you are retrieving the files from the remote site.
• Click Connect at the bottom of the page to display the "Session Properties" screen shown below. Enter a name for this session profile. Enter the host name and other information provided by the Johnson School technical team. Add a comment if you choose. In most cases the remaining tabs may be left blank with the default settings.
• Click Apply to save these entries

Figure 3: Connecting to the remote server using WS_FTP

• Click OK to connect to the server. You will see a screen that looks like Figure 4. Note that the left panel reflects the current folders to be used on your local system and the right panel reflects the current folders to be used on the remote system.

Figure 4: Selecting the file on the remote server to be downloaded using WS_FTP

• Highlight by clicking on the web page(s) that you want to download from the remote site, "Club Events.htm" for example.
• Click on the left pointing arrow in the middle panel to save the selected file to your local system. The file will be saved to the open folder indicated in the left hand panel. Any files with the same name on the local system will be replaced. A "Transfer Complete" message will appear in the bottom left of the control panel.
• Now you are ready to use your HTML editor to update the page.

2. Edit:

• Start your HTML editing software.
• Open the folder on your local system containing the web site you want to modify (file open file "navigate to find the folder").
• Highlight the file you want to edit.
• Verify that the changes you made appear the way you want by viewing the modified file with an internet browser (Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer for example.)
• The displayed page on your local system might not show the images unless you choose to save all the images locally in the root directory as well as in the images folder.
• Make and save additional modifications as required.

3. Publish:

• Publish the modified pages using your FTP software again.
• Click Connect at the bottom of the page to display the "Session Properties" screen.
• Select the session profile name for this remote site from the pull down menu if necessary.

Figure 5: Connecting to the remote server using WS_FTP

• Click OK to link to the remote site.
• Highlight by clicking on the web page(s) that you want to publish from the local system, "Club Events.htm" for example.

Figure 5: Publishing a web page using WS_FTP

• Click on the right pointing arrow in the middle panel to save the selected file to the remote site. The file will be saved to the open folder indicated in the right hand panel. Any files with the same name on the local system will be replaced.
• A "Transfer Complete" message will appear in the bottom left of the control panel.
• Note: some FTP software requires you to connect to the remote site where your web site is hosted before publishing. Some software does the connection and publishing in one step. In either case use the FTP information provided by the people who host your web site.

4. Test:

• View the modified site (http://forum.johnson.cornell.edu/alumni/bayarea/ for example) using an internet browser (Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer for example) to ensure the web site appears the way you expected and that all links are functioning properly.
Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 to make additional modifications. All files must be kept up to date. The Johnson School reserves the right to remove dated materials from the web site.