FrontLook.com Newsletter Tip
Volume 3 - Issue 7 - October 2003
Converting your Shared Border
or Super Themes web to a DWT-based Web
Attaching a DWT to
your web for the first time
(Requires FrontPage 2003 and
the DWT Browser)
This is a shortened version of the
full DWT tutorial.
Step 1: Backup your web
As with any global operation, we recommend that you backup your web
before starting this process, it is always easier to restore the web from a
backup than to undo the global changes to a web.
If you would rather experiment with DWTs on a sample web,
create new Super Theme Template web on
your hard drive using the Super Theme Sampler product from your
downloads page.
Step 2: Bring up the destination web in FrontPage and
Prepare the Web for a DWT
Bring up the Super Theme Web in FrontPage.
Because the content area in a shared border web is clearly
defined, it is easy to attach a DWT to a shared border web. To remove the
shared borders from your web select the "Format->Shared Borders..." menu
items and the Shared Border dialog will appear. Uncheck all the items, set
the "Apply to:" radio buttons to "All pages" and then press the "OK" button.
this will remove the shared borders.
Shared Borders dialog
Warning: This step will remove all the shared borders
from your entire web. If you plan on applying the DWT to just a couple of
pages in your web, then remove the borders of those pages only by bringing
up one of these pages, set the "Apply to:" radio buttons to "Current page"
and then press the "OK" button.
Note: The Shared Border menu maybe disabled in
FrontPage 2003. Enable the Shared Borders menu by selecting the "Tools->Page
Options..." menu. Then press the "Authoring" tab and check the "Shared
Borders" checkbox.
Step 3: Use the DWT Manager / Browser to select and
copy the DWT to your web
Bring up the DWT Manager / Browser by selecting the "Format->Dynamic Web
Templates->Browse/Copy Dynamic Web Template to Web..." menu.
The DWT Manager / Browser will appear.
DWT Manager / Browser Window
Click on the items in the DWT list to preview
that DWT in the Preview area. You can also press the Dynamic Web Templates
Online... button to download a couple more FREE DWTs from
DynamicWebTemplates.com.
Press the OK button to copy the DWT to your
web
Step 4: Attach the DWT to a single
page in the web
To attach the DWT to a page in the web, bring up a page in the Web. Then
select the "Format->Dynamic Web Templates->Attach Dynamic Web Template..."
menu item. The Attach Dynamic Web Template dialog will appear. Browse the "dwts"
folder and locate a .dwt file to attach. Press the OK button and the "Choose
Editable Regions for Content" dialog will appear.
Now select the only item in the Editable
Regions List and then press the Modify button. The "Choose Editable Region
for Content" dialog will appear.
Choose Editable Regions for Content dialog
Now align the "Body" with the "body1" region
by selecting the "body1" in the "New Region" popup menu. This will copy all
the "Body" information to the "body1" editable region when the DWT is
attached. Press the "OK" to make the region assignment.
Choose Editable Region for Content dialog
Press the "OK" to make the region assignment
and then press the "OK" button again to attach the DWT to the page. Now take
a look at the page with the attached DWT. Press Control-Z to undo the DWT
attach if you wish.
Step 5: Attach the DWT to other pages in
the web
To attach the DWT to pages in the web, select one or more pages in the
"Folders List" using a control click operation. Then select the
"Format->Dynamic Web Templates->Attach Dynamic Web Template..." menu item.
Perform the same Region mapping operation in Step 3 and then press the "OK"
button to attach the DWT to the Pages.
Step 6: Edit the DWT and edit the page
specific editable regions
After the DWT is attached to the page or pages, you can bring up the DWT in
FrontPage and edit the common or non-editable regions. You can also bring up
the pages in the web to edit the editable region for page specific
information. You may need to set the navigation structure and some text in
any common editable regions on various pages as well.
Step 7: Switch the DWT
To attach a different DWT bring up the page in the FrontPage editor. Then
select the "Format->Dynamic Web Templates->Attach Dynamic Web Template..."
menu item. The Attach Dynamic Web Template dialog will appear. Select a
new .dwt file to attach and press the OK button. The page will now be
refreshed with the new DWT. And That's It! |
