Expression Web Forum

I want to convert my web from frames to dynamic Web template. I made a template from my frame page. It has all the contents that I need for a template. When I try to apply the template, Expression Webs closes and restarts again without doing anything. What am I doing wrong?

Generally when you create a DWT these would be the steps.

Create the DWT page itself giving it editable and non-editable regions.

Open a new blank page and attach the DWT page to it.

After attaching you can then add content ot copy and paste text etc..into the editable regions of the new page that has the DWT attached to it.

Is that the way you are doing it?

What I did was this. I took the menu page from my frame site, saved it as a DWT and added a editable region to it. The menu portion is the non-editable region. I saved the page. I got this from a book but, maybe, I did something wrong. I can't attach a page without FP/EP/EP2 crashing. I wonder if the mane buttons are at fault. I used FP interactive buttons for my menu. 

OK I am unsure about what you mentioned here:

"I can't attach a page without FP/EP/EP2 crashing"

It may just be the way you worded it..but it might also be a problem in the way you are doing it as well. You wouldn't attach a page to the DWT..but rather attach the DWT to a new blank page..is that what you are doing?

Something to test..try creating a new .dwt page..keep it very simple..maybe only throw in a few lines of text. After you save it as a .dwt..then create a new blank page..and see if you can attach that new .dwt to it.

I worded it wrong. I tried to attach the DWT to one of my other web pages and the program crashed. I couldn't attach it to any of my other web pages. I will try again and see if I can work that problem out.

Please also try creating a test .dwt (very simplified) and after saving try attaching that to a new blank page..as well. That may point out whether it is a problem with the program itself..or simply a problem with the original .dwt

I created a very simple test.dwt page and I was able to load my other web pages to it. Now, I'm going to add elements to it and see how far I can go before i run into trouble. I discovered that the backgrounds of my other pages were disabled and the background of the dwt page was placed on these pages. So, I added my common backgrown to my test.dwt page and this background was added on to all my pages that i attached to this test.dwt page. I have one page which dose not have the common background so, I guess, That will be a page by itself. I think the interactive buttons that were on the original dwt page did not work as a dwt page (too much code?). I need to fine a way to make buttons to replace the interactive ones and I don't know how to do that with EW or EW2.

That very well might be the problem..the interactive buttons are very nice but they do create a lot of code..maybe this would work better. Try going here:

http://www.buttongenerator.com/index.php

There you can produce some buttons that might work better. It would be worth a try.

Happy 4th of July! 

This might help in the long run.

Expression Web Dynamic Web Templates Ebook
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/ebooks/expression-web-dwt-ebook.htm

 I would use includes within the dwt in an editable area for the menus

Design Time Includes
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/tutorials/insert-include-pages.htm

 When wanting to do this type of thing, the best thing to do with your template is to make sure it validates and works correctly before making it a dwt and using it.

 You might want to use the following too...pick which ever version you have

Free Setting up Expression Web 2.0 Ebook  (NEW)
Free Setting up Expression Web 1.0 Ebook   (Revised)
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/ebooks/setting-up-expression-web-ebook.htm

 When your ready for a critique and help with the new template come back and let us know.

 In making over your site.... apart from making the template then making it a dwt.....what did you do next? I am interested in how people are migrating from fp to ew and the methods they are using. How big is your site, how many pages does it have?

Tina

I made a test dwt page. I made it from scratch. I kept adding elements to it till it failed. I was able to load the dwt to any web page until I added EW buttons. I got rid of the buttons and tried to add java scrip buttons. It would not work. What good is a aviation page without buttons?