There are many instances that arise where a FrontPage user would like to create a website without utilizing the powerful FrontPage Server Extensions (FPSE). Users do this when creating a website on their hard drive to upload to the system at a later date. Other reasons could be a lack of support from the server or the server is not available during the website development process.
Luckily, this task can easily be accomplished and the use of the excellent development features will still be functional. Unfortunately, some of the server-side features will be affected. These include:
- Hit counters
- Search functions
- Form to e-mail
FPSE’s are various small programs that are created to work alongside a web server in conjunction with FrontPage’s powerful software. Many of the extensions are installed during the FrontPage installation process without the user ever knowing. There are customization options so the user can remove those extensions they don’t wish to have.
There are a few primary tips to consider when using FrontPage without the extensions. These include:
- FPSE’s make publishing easier
- There may be limits
- Use the “Preview in Browser” feature
- Utilize FrontPage’s publishing feature
The first thing to remember is that FPSE’s were developed to make creating, publishing and maintaining a website a much easier task. By not including the extensions, you may be losing out on valuable services. There are plenty of web hosting providers that offer a package that includes FrontPage extension support for a reasonable price.
Also, those web servers that do not support FPSE’s may also have a few other limits that can affect your website. This is a good question to ask before signing up with a new hosting provider. Plan your website around their response as it can be frustrating to have an incompatible website.
Another important tip is to use the “Preview in Browser” feature found in all FrontPage software variants. This is a useful method for detecting compatibility problems. If the site appears as it should, then it will work on most servers. Finally, FrontPage’s publishing feature is extremely powerful. It can handle any type of technique used to develop the website.
There are many resources available with FrontPage support. Taking consideration on these four important points will help to decrease compatibility issues while still allowing you to publish a high quality website without FrontPage server extensions.
