What Features or Capabilities do Frontpage Extensions Enable?

[ProfessorSax]

I use Frontpage 2003. I've just come upon a quandry. I need to download
results from a user query of a list of products into a page. To do this I
need a server-side script language like php (my choice) or Java (too much
learning curve) My site uses Frontpage Server Extensions (FPSE) for various
capabilities that I'm aware of: linkbars, hitcounter, guestbook and general
form handling. Without FPSE, I'll have to do a lot of redevelopment to
replace these features (Will I even be able to use forms?) What other
capabilities are in FPSE?

I read an article
(http://www.webworkshop.org/frontpage/working_with_php.htm) that talked about
how to enclose a php script in a script tag in FP2000, but it involves
reconfiguring the editor in a way no longer available in FP2003.
Furthermore, the php script is quite lengthy, so linking to it is much more
practical.

Finally, is asp.net or Expression Web a better option than FP, or should I
go whole-hog with something like Dreamweaver?

 

[Ronx]

If you intend to use PHP then in my opinion you should move to Expression
Web (EW). Version 2 and 3 of EW have limited support for FrontPage
components such as guestbook etc., and both versions support PHP. A trial
for EW 3 is available at
http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Web_SysRequirements.aspx
Check the system requirements on the page first.
asp.NET is a processing technology (required for Expression Web on your PC),
not a web editor.

Forms with asp.NET or PHP are not a problem, and much more flexible than
with FrontPage extensions - provided your host supports the technology.
Most hosts support PHP, most Windows hosts support asp.NET

Components requiring FP extensions
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281532/


--
Ron Symonds
Microsoft MVP (Expression Web)
http://www.rxs-enterprises.org/fp

Reply only to group - emails will be deleted unread.

 

[ProfessorSax]

One more thing I forgot to ask about in my original post: I am seriously
concerned about cross-browser compatability. I know that certain
technologies, like ActiveX, and non-standard HTML tags (background sound) are
specific to IE. Are there any issues with Expression Web and cross-browser
compatability?

 

[Ronx]

Expression Web produces cross browser, standards compliant code. However,
FrontPAge webbots tend to over-rule that and produce non-standard code.
For anything not in a webbot, EW will point out (with yellow highlight
and/or red wavy underline in code view) any code that does not comply with
the standard being worked to. A !doctype is required on every page to set
the standard.
However, what goes into some tags (such as the <object> tag) cannot be
checked. It is up to the user to know what will work in any particular
browser - any editor (FrontPage, Expression Web, Dreamweaver, notepad ... )
is just a tool in the hands of an expert or novice (or inbetween), as the
case may be.
--
Ron Symonds
Microsoft MVP (Expression Web)
http://www.rxs-enterprises.org/fp

Reply only to group - emails will be deleted unread.