Microsoft FrontPage Questions

Answers to Questions you may have about using Microsoft's FrontPage on our UNIX Servers.

Note:
For specific information on how to use the FrontPage software, please consult the program's documentation or Microsoft Technical Support.

Support for FrontPage

We support Microsoft FrontPage in several ways:

• We configure your site for FrontPage by installing and maintaining the server extensions.
• We provide Technical Support to the functionality of the extensions.
• We point FrontPage users to resources that will help you solve problems, publish your FrontPage webs and learn techniques for getting the most from your FrontPage software.
• We DO NOT provide direct technical support to the use of your FrontPage software. User issues are referred to Microsoft's Technical Support Team.
  

Server Extensions

FrontPage extensions are CGI programs that provide the server side implementation of FrontPage. FrontPage communicates with the extensions via HTTP using a Remote Procedure Call (RPC). When the server sees the "POST" request addressed to the FrontPage server extensions it simply directs the request to the appropriate CGI program. The extensions implement authoring (uploading/downloading documents, ToDo lists), administration (setting end-user, author, and administrator privileges), and dynamic content (browse-time WebBot components).

Without the FrontPage server extensions you will not be able to take advantage of the WebBots that are available through FrontPage. Also, without the extensions you cannot author and administer your web using the tools provided as part of the FrontPage Editor/Explorer package.

Getting the extensions installed

New Accounts

Email support@host-host.com requesting that you want the FrontPage extensions. New domains that request the FrontPage extensions when the order is placed will have the extensions installed within two days of activation.

Existing Accounts

To have the FrontPage server extensions installed on your existing site, send an e-mail request to support with the following information:

• Your domain name
• Your userID
• Your request for FrontPage extensions.
• Confirmation that you have back-up of any Web pages currently on the site.
  

(In most cases it is not necessary to delete files currently on the site to install the extensions. However, if there are directories or files with special permissions (.htaccess) these will have to be removed. You can then re-establish permissions and password protection via the FrontPage Explorer.)

On existing sites, the installation will generally be done within 24 hours.

Charges

There is no charge for installing the server extensions. We will also reinstall corrupted extensions free of charge.

Bots

WebBots are the mechanism for invoking many of the interactive features built into FrontPage. These features are added to your web through the FrontPage Editor | Insert WebBot component

Some, such as "Include" and "Substitution" allow elements of the web to be entered once and included in any or all of the pages by inserting the Bot component referencing that element (e.g., a logo or navigation bar). Changes made to the 'master' element are made automatically to any page containing the referencing Bot.

Other Bots, such as Search, Table of Contents and Timestamp, control dynamic browse-time features. These Bots work behind the scenes to keep the web up-to-date for visitors.

The Page Counter Bot, which is available from the FrontPage CD-ROM or Microsoft Web site will not work on our UNIX servers.

For more information on using the Bots, see the documentation provided with FrontPage or contact Microsoft Technical Support.

Features

Since FrontPage was created for developing Web sites in the Windows environment, some features are only available when the site is hosted on an NT Server.

• Active Server Pages
• ODBC and MSSQL
• Database connections (Access, FoxPro)
• ActiveX
• VBScript SSL (Secure Socket Layer)
• Forms Processing (using the WebBot Save Results component)
• Other Resources
  

You may also find answers on many user issues at Microsoft's Web site, from newsgroups and, of course, in books on FrontPage.