Migrating to FrontPage 2002

  • Thread starter Thread starter Latitude
  • Start date Start date
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Latitude

Background:
Our web site [www.folkart.com] has 450 folder (subdirectories) and over
18,000 files (graphics and web pages). Our entire web site was created using
only a fraction of FrontPage's capabilities. None of our web site was
'published' by FrontPage; our web pages were created in FrontPage and then
FTP'd to the Unix Server operated by our ISP.

Now we want to start the process of utilizing more of the management
capabilities of FrontPage 2002 and we intend to adopt FrontPage 2003
completely when it becomes available later this year. Our ISP installed the
FrontPage Extension onto our virtual private server last month , so we're
ready to begin using more of the FrontPage functionality. I should point out
the we are not programmers or IT-types; we love art and love promoting art.
FrontPage has allowed us non-technical people to do 99% of web site
creation.

With the above as background, we have the following question:

What's the recommended process of getting our entire site into FrontPage? We
believe the process involves the following steps:

Step one: Import the existing web site from the unix server into FrontPage
on our 'development' computer. [this step gets the entire web site as it
currently appears into FrontPage].

Step two: begin to apply the FrontPage functionality (such as Themes). Save
within FrontPage.

Step three: 'publish' (rather than FTP) the entire web site back to the unix
server.

Step four: continue to use FrontPage for the management, and maintenance,
and additions to the web site.


We're hoping someone can provide detailed instructions. In the 4 steps
outlined above we are migrating the entire web site, lock stock and barrel.
But should we do this in more 'chewable' bits? For example, should we move a
few subdirectories at a time? Can we import part of the web pages that are
currently on the server back to FrontPage on our development PC (a Dell D800
laptop) and leave other directories in place to be moved later? Or must we
move all of the existing web site into FrontPage? [obviously we don't want
to have our web site down for any length of time].

Are there any do's or don'ts based on experience of migrating an entire
(existing & relatively large) web site into FrontPage?

Thanks, Cecil:)
 
1. If you already have the site on your local machine in a FP web, then you
do not need to import or do anything as far as that is concerned.

2. Personally, I would suggest that you avoid themes, but look into using
the FP Include Page component to share common functions, such as navigation,
etc. between all or groups of pages.

3. Create subwebs for files such as your art images, that don't change
often.

4. Look into using a server-side scripting and a database to reduce the
number of pages and to speed up the site updating process.

--

==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WEBMASTER Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, Forums, WebCircle,
MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================


Latitude said:
Background:
Our web site [www.folkart.com] has 450 folder (subdirectories) and over
18,000 files (graphics and web pages). Our entire web site was created using
only a fraction of FrontPage's capabilities. None of our web site was
'published' by FrontPage; our web pages were created in FrontPage and then
FTP'd to the Unix Server operated by our ISP.

Now we want to start the process of utilizing more of the management
capabilities of FrontPage 2002 and we intend to adopt FrontPage 2003
completely when it becomes available later this year. Our ISP installed the
FrontPage Extension onto our virtual private server last month , so we're
ready to begin using more of the FrontPage functionality. I should point out
the we are not programmers or IT-types; we love art and love promoting art.
FrontPage has allowed us non-technical people to do 99% of web site
creation.

With the above as background, we have the following question:

What's the recommended process of getting our entire site into FrontPage? We
believe the process involves the following steps:

Step one: Import the existing web site from the unix server into FrontPage
on our 'development' computer. [this step gets the entire web site as it
currently appears into FrontPage].

Step two: begin to apply the FrontPage functionality (such as Themes). Save
within FrontPage.

Step three: 'publish' (rather than FTP) the entire web site back to the unix
server.

Step four: continue to use FrontPage for the management, and maintenance,
and additions to the web site.


We're hoping someone can provide detailed instructions. In the 4 steps
outlined above we are migrating the entire web site, lock stock and barrel.
But should we do this in more 'chewable' bits? For example, should we move a
few subdirectories at a time? Can we import part of the web pages that are
currently on the server back to FrontPage on our development PC (a Dell D800
laptop) and leave other directories in place to be moved later? Or must we
move all of the existing web site into FrontPage? [obviously we don't want
to have our web site down for any length of time].

Are there any do's or don'ts based on experience of migrating an entire
(existing & relatively large) web site into FrontPage?

Thanks, Cecil:)
Click to expand...
 
Could you expound a little more about why you (personally) would avoid using
themes? I have tried them out some, but still seem to have some kind of
trouble with them and shared-borders....
Tom
 
I like to have full control of my page layout and navigation, and using FP
themes, shared borders and/or navigation component, as well as the database
components leads to limitation when you need to work "out of the box".

--

==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WEBMASTER Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, Forums, WebCircle,
MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================
 
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