I’ve just read the “using Freeway 5” manual and am ready to start the development of a Mac User Group website. Before I start, I have 6 questions;
I previously did a few pages for the site using iWeb. Is it possible to import or copy the page into Freeway Pro and have it remain the same operationally?
Do you recommend I buy a copy of the “Reference” Manual?
I have never created a website and wonder if there are any online videos that would assist me in this regard, especially using Freeway.
Can you recommend any pre-designed templates that would be good for a Mac User Group?
Any recommendations on doing the proper organizing of such a site?
Is there anything I should avoid in the site if I host it on a dot Mac account? I’ve been told some things don’t work in the dot Mac hosting.
More than enough for now - sorry for asking for too much - excited about taking on this challenge. Any assistance and/or thoughts and recommendations will be greatly appreciated.
Bill
You seem to have been ignored! I do not think I will be too much help directly but this post may trigger other better informed Freeway user once its back at the top of the pile.
Can’t help you with 1 except to say it is probably better to start over with a Freeway page from scratch. I think the question has been posed before in this forum so try a search for a more informed answer. 2 You can download the Reference Manual for free and it is an important, nay, essential, reference. http://www.softpress.com/support/usermanuals/ 3 Softpress have posted some videos, some as podcasts available on iTunes. http://www.softpress.com/support/tutorials/ So has Dan J. http://www.danjasker.com/ 4. Probably not but I wait for a denial. 5 Check the reference guide on this but also search this forum. ThatKeith has a good intro to the programme. Freeway introduction 6 No idea but would be interested to know if this is so.
Once you get started you will have more questions which some one here will answer - or has already been answered. Searching this forum has taught me a lot without needing to post a request too often
Good catch Richard - I’ve been immersed in my own learning curve and too busy to see the original post. LOL
Is it possible to import or copy the page into Freeway Pro and have it remain the same operationally?
No, AFIK Freeway cannot import any other web designs - however it is a very simple layout based application which you can reconstruct other site designs within…so if you wanted to copy a site all you would need are the elements and text.
Do you recommend I buy a copy of the “Reference” Manual?
No - it’s a free PDF download from Softpress!
I have never created a website and wonder if there are any online videos that would assist me in this regard, especially using Freeway. 4. Can you recommend any pre-designed templates that would be good for a Mac User Group?
Richard answered the first part. I too looked for templates when I first started. There are a few on the Softpress site (very old), but much has changed since the earlier versions, and building your own site in Freeway has become much simpler than it used to be. The templates might even confuse a beginner now!
Any recommendations on doing the proper organizing of such a site?
Map it out - what you want - and then build a main menu structure around it to start, as well as the overall look and feel of the site. This will all be contained on your “Master” page. All extra pages you add can have the exact same links and appearance without having to do it all over again on each page. Add pages as you need from there!
Is there anything I should avoid in the site if I host it on a dot Mac account? I’ve been told some things don’t work in the dot Mac hosting.
Assuming you already have the .Mac account then you can use it to build your site, test and see. I’m not aware of limitations, however keep in mind that having your own domain (name like YOU.com) and hosting for such a site could cost less than $50 a year.
If you choose them drop my site name as a referral and I’ll get a cookie. LOL there are a zillion other choices out there as well. Welcome to the forum and have fun!
DotMac or MobileMe cannot host PHP or other “dynamic programming”
sites, nor can it host any databases. If you are using the iWeb
blogging widgets in iWeb, you will not be able to duplicate that
functionality within another application like Freeway as long as you
host on DotMac. (The application and hosting are tightly keyed to one
another.)
But if you host elsewhere, you can find an incredible range of options
in the dynamic end of the pool, with lots to learn but lots of cool
things you can do that go way beyond the small box of crayons that is
iWeb.
Don’t get me wrong – I like iWeb for what it is – but it’s amazingly
good at a vanishingly tiny part of what the Web is about and what you
can otherwise do with it.
Walter
On Feb 22, 2010, at 5:31 PM, igirl wrote:
Is there anything I should avoid in the site if I host it on a
dot Mac account? I’ve been told some things don’t work in the dot
Mac hosting.
Assuming you already have the .Mac account then you can use it to
build your site, test and see. I’m not aware of limitations,
however keep in mind that having your own domain (name like YOU.com)
and hosting for such a site could cost less than $50 a year.
Not a real big tip, but use the Media folder that Freeway makes. Put all your art and photos in their that you plan on using with your site.
The first few sites we did we accessed files from all over and it became a big mess. The sites a re pretty big (media wise) and I couldn’t imagine trying to fix it all at this point.
And I wish I had! - I’ve just had to update a 3 year old site with
links to archived images dating back to 2003!
Luckily, the “intelligence” of ‘Edit > Resources…’ quickly helped me
find all but two original images (thank you, Softpress) and as soon as
I find those, it will be “Save Archive…” for this job.
Colin
On 23 Feb 2010, at 14:30, Robert B wrote:
Not a real big tip, but use the Media folder that Freeway makes. Put
all your art and photos in their that you plan on using with your
site.
The first few sites we did we accessed files from all over and it
became a big mess. The sites a re pretty big (media wise) and I
couldn’t imagine trying to fix it all at this point.
Wow, thanks for all your assistance - A special thanks to Richard for getting me “on top of the pile.”
Your suggestions are most helpful. Several have peaked my interest in some things you have on your sites and thus more questions. However, I think at this point, I need to start the development process and then ask specific questions. Glad to be part of such a group.
Bill