FrontPage Tips

Uploading With FrontPage

FrontPage can upload a site from your computer to your host site using two protocols: HTTP and FTP. HTTP can only be used if you have FrontPage extensions installed on your site but this is a minor problem because even most $6.00 a month hosts provide the extensions. The HTTP method allows FrontPage to connect to your site just like a browser. Of course you must enter your site address as you would in a browser and you will need to enter your User Name and Password before your are allowed access to your site. FrontPage 2000 does not remember these values for you, which can be good or bad. FrontPage 2002 will remember the site’s User Name and Password as most FTP programs do.

Using The HTTP Method
Using HTTP is safer than using FTP because FrontPage keeps track of the directories and files on the site and compares them with the files on your local computer. This way as you make changes, including adding and deleting pages and images, FrontPage will only transfer the updated and new files if that option is checked. This is helpful because as you make changes to a fairly large site, it is easy to forget all the little changes. FrontPage compares the file dates and names, simplifying the site update task.

FrontPage extensions do use more disk space because of the data it keeps on all site files and images. This usually doesn’t cause a problem unless you have a very large site or very limited disk space. I believe FrontPage extensions uses approximately 35 to 45 percent more disk space than the site files alone. This means that if your site requires 10 Mb, you will need at least 15 Mb (20 to 25 would be better) to allow for the extensions.

Another problem with FrontPage is that if a site is completely uploaded with FrontPage HTTP it can and sometimes does place write restrictions on the files. This means that you cannot delete or overwrite these files with an FTP program but must use FrontPage to update the site or at least those files. So before using FrontPage to upload your site, make sure you intend to be consistent in using FrontPage for all site updates. I have used an FTP program to upload to FrontPage sites without trashing the extensions or causing page display problems. Yes, I have had a few problems but I’m not sure if the problem was me or the site. If you have a specific question on this subject, please e-mail me and I will try to help.

Using The FTP Method
If your site doesn’t have FrontPage extensions, you can still use FrontPage to upload your site. While this method requires you to watch the messages FrontPage displays during upload, it works very well. The first difficulty is you must point FrontPage to the exact directory as you would do with any FTP program. The means that instead of typing: www.mysite.com, you may need to type www.mysite.com/web (as an example). Another problem is FrontPage does not allow you to look at the contents on your site or in any directory as any FTP program will. (FrontPage 2002 allows this.)

However, FrontPage will create all directories and upload all files and images in very good time, even on a dial-up connection. Because FrontPage compares your local site to the host site, it wants to make the host site identical to your local site. This can be a problem if you have other directories such as logs, cgi, or other site administration files and directories. Be very careful so you don’t delete a file or directory that could trash your site even if all your uploaded files are there. I also suggest you keep on-hand a good FTP program just in case.

Comments
I have used FrontPage to create web pages and to upload those pages in both the HTTP and the FTP modes and had very few problems that my inattention didn’t create. In several cases I uploaded the entire site using an FTP program and then used FrontPage to activate multiple forms on the sites. This can be done even on framed sites if proper care is used; however, I do not recommend doing this unless there is a very good reason. My reasons at the time were because it was easier and because the previous webmaster had used FrontPage plug ins I didn’t have. So it was easier and cheaper to just fix the pages that needed updating rather than all site pages.