8 of 10 pages missing at Website

[Thomboy]

I was checking our HOA website at GoDaddy in July, and 8 of the 10 pages
uploaded to the site (www.lcn-hoa.com) back in May of 2009 are missing. Only
the main page, and one that has a link to a page with activities is still at
the website. I waited to ask about what may caused this until I returned to
my home in Arizona, and am ready to put my rebuilt PC online.

I am baffled as to what caused this?

The main PC that I created this website with using the publisher software
was taken offline in June of 2009, then rebuilt this summer, and remains
offline.

Could that have anything to do with all the missing pages?

Thanks, Thomboy

 

[Spike]

Thomboy

It may be related to the IE 8 issue as I don’t see any nav bar

If you are using Publisher 2003 or earlier

Create a web site with nav bars etc.
Saved web site as "My web site.pub"
With the pub page open
Ctrl a (selects all)

Arrange > Ungroup

This insures that all groups are ungrouped
This must be done on ALL pages individually
Re-Saved using Save As "My web site NBUG.pub"
I take the step to "Save As" so that when I shut down publisher and I get a
prompt to save my changes I do NOT overwrite the master file "My web
site.pub" accidentally.
Publish to the web
FTP to the server
Web site works using IE 8

If a change, update is required or a page is added
Open with "My web site.pub"
Make changes
Follow the above suggestions
BTW NBUG = "Nav Bars Un Grouped"

If you are using Publisher 2007 try installing SP3

Spike

 

[DavidF]

Thomboy,

If memory serves you have had extended conversations with both Spike and
myself about how you have your web files on your computers and on the
server. I remember getting very confused by it all. My guess is that you
simply accidentally deleted the files off the server thinking it was off
your computer. I notice now that all the pages are there so who knows...

DavidF

 

[Thomboy]

Hi David:

Good memory!! I am using my wife's laptop to view the website, and she is
using IE8, and Win XP.

When I created the website, I may have used IE7, but my desktop, not in
service yet, was using Vista Ultimate as my operating system. My good friend
at Microsoft will ship me Windows 7 Professional one week after the rollout
on October 22.

If you can see all the pages, and I cannot, maybe it is an WinXP or IE8
issue, becuase I can still see ONLY the home page, without links to each of
the 10 pages, and one additional page for the activities.

Sorry to repeat myself, but it has been awhile since I was at the website,
or have used my publisher software and my desktop PC to view the website.

BTW, I am going to build another website for a bicycle club in Tucson, and
plan to use Publisher, which goes against others who have been on this ride
with me when I created the website for our community HOA.

Many, many thanks for the reply, and maybe I can figure out what is causing
the problem once I get my Desktop up and running and all the software
downloaded (FileZilla, Publisher, etc).

Thomboy

 

[Thomboy]

Spike, I just sent a message to David, who like you once helped me when I was
struggling with my website, and was using my desktop PC. That PC has
undergone a major update, complete with motherboard, etc.

I was using VISTA Ultimate when I built this website, and I am almost sure I
was also using IE8, but itmight have been IE7?

I will try to use your advice when I get my PC back next Wednesday, October
14, and get all the necessary software downloaded -Filezilla, etc.

Please be patient, and give me a chance to get my PC up and running.

Best, and many thanks, Thomboy

 

[DavidF]

As you describe the issue now, I agree that it is the problem with IE8 that
Spike describes. If you are running Publisher 2007 then install the Office
SP3 and that should fix the problem. You can also scan the last couple weeks
of posts in the newsgroup to see my boilerplate answer for the IE8
compatibility issue if you want to read more.

DavidF

 

[Thomboy]

David:

Thanks, and another question:

I now this sounds foolish, but I want to use Publisher software to build
more websites, maybe three or four (3 - 4).

Can you give me some advide on the steps I should take to become even more
familiar with the ideosyncracies of Publisher and all the related information
I need to do this?

Please, and I know how busy you and Spike are, and that you are helping
hundreds of souls trying to make Publisher work, only answer me when the
folks with more important problems are resolved.

I guess what it gets down to is, either I buy DreamWeaver for $2,000, which
I can't afford, or justify, or I really learn Publisher well enough to
accomplish my goal (3 - 4 more websites) and maybe even be some help to
others at this website who are also in need of solutions.

Thanks for any help you can send my way, and I don't expect an immediate
reply, but only when time permits.

Thomboy

P.S. I would love to hear from Spike too!!!

 

[DavidF]

Thomboy,

Probably the best way to learn the idiosyncrasies of Publisher webs is
simply to read the posts in this newsgroup. If you read the last several
month's worth of posts then you will probably be aware of the majority of
the issues. You can read the information on the MSFT website, or the info
that David Bartosik posted before he went inactive but that information
while still helpful is not complete or current. Just be sure to test your
site in both IE and FireFox as you build it and in general that will insure
that your sites are cross browser compatible.

As per paying $2,000 for Dreamweaver, I think you are 'dreaming'. Neither it
nor MSFT Expression Web cost nearly that much money. Both represent full
fledged web editors that are targeted for developing full standard compliant
webs. Both require a steep learning curve and learning both basic html
coding, php etc. Whether these programs are necessary depends upon the scope
of what you are wanting to do...how sophisticated of site. Serious,
professional web designers are not going to use Publisher to build webs.
Publisher is best used for simple, small, static sites. It may be time for
you to move on.

Another option to consider is Serif WebPlus. It is similar to Publisher but
has reportedly more capability. There is a forum you can read and you can go
to the web site to review the features. Expression Web and Dreamweaver also
have forums.

Once again depending on what your needs are and the scope of what you are
trying to do with the new sites, you could also consider blogging sites, or
perhaps software such as joomla http://www.joomla.org/.

Spend some time identifying your goals for the new site and then decide
whether to use Publisher or move on to other software that is not as
limiting. Here is a good site that might help you think through all of this:
http://www.webdesignfromscratch.com/ I like the articles about webdesign...

There are some random thoughts. Bottom line is that if you are going to get
real serious about building webs then it may be best that you move on to
software specifically designed for the task.

DavidF

 

[DavidF]

As I read my post again, I need to clarify something. I am not saying that
you cannot build a good looking, effective, professional website with
Publisher. I have seen many sites that fit that definition in my view, and I
have often defended the use of Publisher for building webs. I have also seen
bad sites built with Dreamweaver, Expression Web etc. I am just saying that
Publisher does have limitations and it may be that you should be considering
moving on to other software if you are going to get serious about web design
and development...

DavidF

 

[Thomboy]

OK, I am serious about building good websites, but you hit the nail right on
the head! Just how serious am I, or how much more learning do I want to
master to become HTML proficient again, and then to be able to master things
like streaming video, and frequent updates of the websites I build for
friends?

I was at BEST BUY and used a search engine to find Dreamweaver products, and
then answered a few questions to help the wizard point me to a version of
Dreamweaver that might be best suited for my needs, and the two products I
might need would cost between $1,200 and $1,800.

Forgive me for sounding lazy, but even learning Publisher has taken me time,
and I probably accumulated 120 pages of Publisher related guidelines that I
continue to use and read to keep focused.

It has been five years since I was a seriouis technology person, when I used
to help my students build electronic digital portfolios with video clips of
their employers talking about how they used five competencies -- leadership,
communication, teamwork, problem solving, and managing change. When one is
in the thick of anything, proficiency is at its best, but that was five years
ago when I retired from my full-time university employment.

Then, I used HTML, but I am rusty and do not know how much oil it will take
to lubricate those rusty parts to get them up to speed But having said
that, I am NOT sure I will build more than 3 or 4 more websites at most.

I like the idea of looking at the blogs for Serif WebPlus, Expression Web
and Dreamweaver to hear what the real website builders are saying.

I WILL read the last several months of posts right here at the Publisher
site to update myself on IE8 problems associated with Publisher, and
especially webdesignfromscratch.com. This may be exactly what the doctor
ordered to finally give me the knowledge to make in informed choice about
website design.

Like all things in life, one cannot be top notch in everything; a lesson I
learned a long time ago. What I do want now is to become proficient at using
Publisher, so I don't have to stick to the templates so closely

Thanks for your detailed and exemplary answer to my vague question.

Thomboy

 

[Thomboy]

theused my wife's laptop with Win XP as the operating system, then tried to
view the website using the correct address with IE as the browser. All I can
see is the home page, and none of the other 9 pages for the website.

Publisher is NOT installed on her laptop, nor have I never used it to change
or modify any pages of our website at GoDaddy with her laptop.

Can you see all the otyher pages with your browser? Website:
http://www.lcn-hoa.com

Thomboy

 

[DavidF]

You are welcome.

I forgot to mention that Expression Web has a 30 day trial, and even more
interesting MSFT Sharepoint designer is a free download.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointdesigner/FX100487631033.aspx
Try them...

DavidF

 

[DavidF]

I can see the navbar and the secondary pages viewing the site with IE7, but
unless you 'ungrouped' the navbar it will not render in IE8. Ungroup the
navbar in Publisher and republish. Here is my long version of what Spike
suggested:

There is a compatibility issue with IE8 and Publisher 2003 and 2007. Any
design elements that are 'grouped' together, which includes the Publisher
wizard built navbars, do not render when you view the web page in IE8 . The
fix in general is to ungroup the elements. There is both a manual fix to
these issues and a Service Patch that has been issued to fix it for Pub
2007.

Reference: Navigation bars and other content is missing from Publisher HTML
output in Internet Explorer 8: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969705

A manual method of fixing this grouping issue:

After making and saving any changes to your Pub file, and prior to uploading
new web files, make a copy of your publication by doing a 'File > Save As'
and in this copy go to each page > Edit > Select All > Arrange > Ungroup.
This will ungroup the Publisher built navbar and disconnect it from the
wizard, and the navbars will render correctly in IE8. 'Publish to the Web'
from this copy of your publication. When you want to make further changes in
your web, go back to the original Publisher file, make the corrections
there, save your changes, and again make a copy, ungroup the
navbars and produce new web files for uploading. The advantage of this
workflow is that you will not have to rebuild the navbar if you choose to
add a page to the navbar. If you do not need to add a page or section to
your site, you can leave the navbar ungrouped and skip the step of saving a
copy.

Publisher 2007 can be fixed manually or with the Office 2007 SP2:

Reference: Description of 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 2 (SP2)
and of Microsoft Office Language Pack 2007 SP2:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=953195

Some users have found SP2 breaks Publisher, and makes it impossible to open
existing Pub files...you know, break one thing to fix another, so there is a
hotfix for that:

Description of the Publisher 2007 hotfix package (Publisher.msp): June 30,
2009
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972566/

DavidF