This program includes a Publisher with an FTP client that will convert your project to HTML or SVG and then copy it to either a local directory on your computer or transfer it directly to your Web site host computer. The Publisher also includes a Gather Option that will create the appropriate paths to any referenced files such as images or audio and then transfer them to the destination directory.
If you are not familiar with FTP (File Transfer Protocol), setting this up for the first time may seem complex. Fortunately you should only need to do this once. The program will save your settings so that you can simply press the Publish button to update your site once the correct information has been entered. Web Engine and SiteSpinner also include the ability to create multiple Publish profiles for users with more than one web site or Publishing requirements.
To understand the Publishing process you must appreciate that a Web Page is located on a Host computer that can be located anywhere in the World. This Host may not belong to you and must be protected from unauthorized access. In order to transfer your files to this computer you must be able to identify its location and prove that you have permission to access it. To compound the problem, not all Hosts use the same operating system or server software.
Setting up the Web Engine and SiteSpinner Publisher
Open the Publisher by selecting the Publish button above the Red Arrow or by selecting the "Publish Project" command in the File Menu. Select the Profile Dialog and create a new Profile with a unique descriptive name. Select the FTP button in the Export Destination section if you wish to publish directly to your web site. Select the Copy to Disk option if you wish to publish to a directory on your local computer.
The Publish Format is used to Export HTML or SVG with different levels of JavaScript support. The selection will default to match the format on the Preview Bar. You can change this to a different format if you wish. Auto HTML or Auto SVG is recommended to select the most appropriate HTML or SVG format for each page in your project.
Select the Pages Dialog and set the range of pages you wish to Publish in the Page Range section.
The File Names and Extensions drop boxes above will display the names of each page with extension that will be created. You can enter a different name for each page and select a different extension if you wish.
The Local Publish Directory is used to select a local directory for the published project. When you are publishing to your local computer this is the directory that the project will be exported to. If you are FTP’ing to a remote server, the published files will then be FTP’d from this directory.
The Path Options section is used to select Relative or Gather mode. Gather mode will transfer all referenced files including Images and Audio to the destination publish directory. Gather mode is recommended to minimize the possibility of missing files. Select the Help button in the Publisher for information on Relative mode.
Gather: This option will Gather all referenced source files such as images, audio and Scripts to the publish directory and FTP them to the remote server if necessary. This is the safest option with the least risk of missing resources or files. Since source files will not include a directory path it is possible to maintain the integrity of the published project when moving it to another directory or computer provided that all files that have been Gathered are also moved.
Publishing to a local Directory
If you have selected the "Copy to Disk" destination you can now press the Publish button to export your project. to the local directory. If you wish to move or FTP the exported files yourself we suggest that you use an empty directory. After publishing this directory will then contain all the files related to the project.
Publishing to your Web Server
In order to FTP directly to your web site you will need to know the permissions and procedures that your hosting company expects you to use. Most professional ISP (Internet Service Providers) will expect you to enter a User Name and a Password. You will also need to know the IP address for the server and the directory that your files must be put into. This information varies from host to host. Some free hosting sites may not allow you to FTP directly to your web site or may require that you use their specialized procedures to upload your files. If you do not already know the procedure or have the required FTP information, please contact your hosting company technical support.
Select the FTP dialog in the Publisher. If the page is grayed out you will need to return to the Profile page and select the "FTP to Internet Server" destination.
Leave the Remote Publish directory for now and enter the Host Name or IP Address. A Host Name is a unique identifier for a server on the Internet and is typically a main level domain name such as www.VirtualMechanics.com. An IP address also identifies an unique domain and takes the form of four numbers separated by ". such as "216.245.125.55". Some web hosts require an IP address, others require a domain name and many will accept either. If you are not sure, contact your host technical support department.
Enter your User Name. This is the name you enter to Log On to your server. This name is provided by your Host unless you are using an Anonymous Login.
Enter the password provided by your host in order to FTP files to the server. Anonymous Logins usually require that you use your e-mail address.
You should now be able to access your web site. Be sure you are connected to the Internet and select the Browse button next to the "Remote Publish Directory" box. If everything is set up correctly you should see an FTP dialog with your Remote Directory and a list of the files within it. If the dialog is blank it probably failed to connect. Check your settings and connection. Contact your Host support if necessary.
On some hosts the directory that you are connected to may not be the correct directory you need to publish your project to. You can explore the remote host by selecting folders or the red Up arrow in the FTP dialog. Once you have found the correct directory close the FTP dialog. The directory path will automatically be transferred to the "Publish Directory" edit box in the Publisher. If you know the path you can enter it directly into the Edit Box but keep in mind that some hosts are CaSe sensitive.
You should now be ready to export your project by pressing the Publish button. The name of each file that is being FTP'd will be displayed in a transfer dialog. A Putfile Error indicates that for some reason, such as a lost connection, a read protected file or a write protected remote directory, the file was not transferred. Check your connection, permissions and settings.
Your Home Page
A home page is the page a visitor will first see when visiting your site by entering your URL. On most sites this page will be called "index.html", "index.htm", "default.html" or "default.htm". Some sites may use a different name but most sites will allow you to use any one of these or other default names.
The programs will generate simple names for the pages in your project. This will be Page1 in Web Dwarf and PageX in Web Engine V2 and SiteSpinner V2 where X is the number of each page in the project. You can change these names to any name you like by entering the new name into the Page Name edit box. To create a Home page for your site change the name in the Page edit box (without the file extension) to the most appropriate default name for you host.
More Help
The Publish Help button in the Publisher will provide you with additional information about setting up the Publisher. Also visit the Publishing your Project FAQ .
The Publisher is used to convert your Project to HTML or SVG and to transfer it to a local directory or FTP it directly to your webhost.
