Designing web site using Publisher

[TEster]

Hi, I'm attempting to create a manual in the form of a website. I'm hoping
to be able to print out multiple pages of the manual from the browser. Am I
heading down the wrong path by using Publisher 2000 as the web tools
available in this product are limited? Should I be using a product like
Front Page and do most of the coding myself?

Please advise,

TEster

 

[DavidF]

If you have FrontPage and understand how to use it, then that would in most
cases always be a better choice for building a website. If you don't have
FP, then using Pub 2000 to build the site would depend on how big the manual
is. Large sites are hard to manage with Publisher.

I would suggest that if you want to use Publisher, then first create your
manual as a print publication in Publisher, convert it to a PDF file, and
upload and link to that file from a basic Publisher website. I would think
that a PDF format would always be a better choice for a manual and for
printing. In most cases people will have the adobe reader plugin installed
in their browser, and when they "download" the file, it will automatically
open in the browser.

www.primopdf.com is a source for a free pdf tool.

DavidF

 

[TEster]

Thanks for your prompt reply.

I have coded in html before, but if I use FP, is it an easy process to set
up the manual so as to have the option to print multilple pages?

Otherwise, if I was to start the manual as a print publication in publisher,
doesn't that mean that I wouldn't be able to include links between pages?
The manual wouldn't be outright contiguous as there will be links, for
example, from diagrams to a description on another page.

Thanks again,

TEster

 

[DavidF]

I don't think that you can print more than one page at a time from a
website, so if your goal is to print a range of pages or the whole manual,
than converting it to a website is not going to give you what you want.

And no, if you use primopdf to convert your Pub print publication to a PDF
then links will not survive the conversion. You will have to use a different
pdf tool, and probably one that you will have to pay for. Don Schmidt uses
one that is relatively inexpensive...less than $50. And the paid version of
primopdf will also probably work...haven't tried it. Alternatively Pub 2007
has a PDF add on that allows you to link to other pages and specific places
on other pages. However, the links to an email address does not work
correctly...a bug. And, there are other downsides to Pub 2007 vs. Pub 2000,
so if you do buy it and install it, I would suggest that you do a custom
install, and not overwrite your copy of Pub 2000. You may decide that you
prefer that version for some things.

So once again, I think getting a pdf tool that allows hyperlinks is probably
your best choice. Hopefully Don will see this post and tell you which pdf
tool he is using. Ask him if you can link to a specific place on a specific
page...using anchors.

DavidF

 

[TEster]

Thanks. I have already begun looking into your suggestions. As a matter of
fact, I forgot that I have adobe software that allows me print directly to
pdf. I tried it in Publisher and that worked fine sans hyperlinks.

What I'm going to attempt to do is create the website using Publisher and
make a pdf of the same site by converting to a print publication and printing
to pdf.

Either that or use a 3rd party software to convert from the finished website
to a pdf document.

--TEster

 

[Mike Koewler]

I have Acro 5 and I can create a hyperlink in it by selecting the text.
Not sure if it will work to basically an anchor -
http://www.mysite.com/mypdf.pdf#page10

Well, just tried, but I don't have the anchor correct. The link opens in
Page 1.

Mike

 

[DavidF]

TEster,

Sounds like a plan.

If you actually have Adobe Acrobat, I have been told that you can redo the
hyperlinks with it.

You might also keep in mind that web formatted pages and print formatted
pages are two different media. Test out your ideas with a few pages in both
the print document and the web document before you complete either one.
There are things that won't convert to html from print.

Good luck and thanks for posting back.

DavidF