WebSite

Installing WebSite

Before starting installation, complete the WebSite Installation Requirements checklist. You'll need to collect some information about your hardware, software, connectivity, and other options before you can begin to install WebSite. If your system and network are properly configured, installing WebSite is a fairly simple job handled by the setup program.

Installing WebSite takes a few minutes. Following installation, you must test the server. These tests include making sure the server is running and testing the server from both the local computer and a remote computer. Running these tests is important to ensure that the server is installed correctly and operating properly.

During installation, WebSite uses the information you provide as well as information from your Windows 95 or Windows NT system Registry and configuration files to set the basic parameters for the server. This general information is recorded in the General property sheet page of Server Admin. We'll look at this information and show you how to make changes to it.

We'll also show you how to activate the WebSite Administrator's account and how to run WebSite as a service.

This chapter begins with a quick start summary, followed by detailed installation instructions for both a new installation and an upgrade to WebSite 1.1 for Windows 95 and Windows NT. Next, we walk through the server tests and the general information included in Server Admin. Finally, we tell you how to activate the administrator's account, install WebSite as a service, and where to find help.

Quick Start Summary

Take the following steps to install and test WebSite. These steps are explained fully in the next sections.
  1. Read the README file on Disk 1 of the installation disks. This file contains important, late-breaking information about WebSite.

  2. Complete the WebSite Installation Requirements checklist. You may need to ask your network administrator for information about the Connectivity section.

  3. Make backup copies of your original diskettes and keep them in a safe place.

  4. If you are upgrading from a previous version of WebSite, make backup copies of the DENNY and EIT Registry keys.

  5. If you are running other Windows applications, close them before starting installation.

  6. Start the WebSite Setup program by selecting Run from the File menu in Windows NT, or by double-clicking on the Setup icon in the Windows Explorer in Windows 95.

  7. Enter your name and company information to personalize your copy of WebSite.

  8. Choose the destination directory for the WebSite software.

  9. If you have an existing web document structure, provide the full pathname for the existing document root.

  10. Choose the server run mode (Windows NT only).

  11. Enter the Fully Qualified Domain Name for the server.

  12. Enter the Administrator's email address.

  13. Test the server's operation from the local computer.

  14. Test the server's operation from a remote computer.

  15. Review the General property sheet page of Server Admin.

  16. Activate the WebSite server administrator account.

  17. Fill out and send in the registration card.

  18. Run the server self-test.

Installing the WebSite Software

WebSite comes on four 3.5" disks, which include the WebSite Server and Server Admin software; the WebSite applications Map This! Image Map Editor, WebView, and WebIndex; a copy of Spyglass Mosaic; HotDog Web Editor; and the WebSite self-test and other web documents. These components are installed by the WebSite Setup program.
NOTE
You must have installed TCP/IP as a network protocol in order for WebSite to operate, even if you don't plan to allow Internet access. For more information on installing TCP/IP in Windows NT or Windows 95, see your Windows documentation.

Windows NT: Service or Desktop Application?

If you are installing WebSite 1.1 as a service on a Windows NT system, you should be well-acquainted with the subject of Windows NT ``identity.''

If you run it as a desktop application, WebSite assumes the identity of the person currently logged on. As a service, it assumes a separate identity, which by default is the system account, configurable by the control panel.

If you encounter any problems when you finish the installation and run the server self-test, the most likely cause is running WebSite as a service with an identity problem. We recommend installing WebSite 1.1 as a desktop application unless you are familiar with the concept of identity in Windows NT.

For information on services versus desktop applications, NT identity, and rights and privileges, see your Windows NT documentation.

Performing a New Installation

The following procedures will install the WebSite software. Read each installation screen for instructions and information. Some of the steps listed are specific to a Windows NT or Windows 95 installation.

To install WebSite, complete these steps:

  1. Start your computer and log on to Windows NT or Windows 95. If you are installing WebSite as a Windows NT service or desktop application, you must be the Administrator or have Administrator privileges.

  2. Insert Disk 1 into the first 3.5" drive (A or B) on your system.

  3. If using Windows NT, highlight SETUP.EXE in File Manager, and then choose Run from the File menu. If using Windows 95, double click on the Setup icon in Windows Explorer.

  4. The WebSite Setup program displays the welcome screen. Click Next to begin installation.

  5. In the Registration window, enter your name and company information. This personalizes your copy of WebSite, but does not register the software. Click Next to continue. (See Figure 3-1.)

    Figure 3-1: WebSite Registration Screen

    (IMAGE)

  6. WebSite asks you to confirm this information. Choose Yes to continue, or No to reenter the information.

  7. Choose the installation directory for the WebSite software. The default is \WEBSITE, but you can install the software in another directory. Click Next to accept the default, or click Browse to choose another directory.

  8. Next, WebSite asks you to select the components to install. There are three options: Server, Essential Tools, and Samples; Enhanced Mosaic Browser; and HotDog HTML Editor. Select the items you want to install. You can change the installation directory if you want. The Select Components dialog box displays the amount of disk space required for installation and the amount of disk space available. To change the installation drive, click on the Disk Space button. Choose Next when you are finished.

  9. If you don't have an existing web on your computer, accept the defaults for the document root and home page in the Existing Web dialog box. (See Figure 3-2.) If you do have an existing web, type the root directory of your web documents and the name of your index document.

    Figure 3-2: Existing Web dialog box

    (IMAGE)

  10. If installing under Windows NT, choose how you want the WebSite server to run in the Server Run Mode dialog box (Figure 3-3). You can choose one of the following:

    Figure 3-3: Server Run Mode Dialog Box (Windows NT)

    (IMAGE)

    If installing under Windows 95, choose Manual Start to start the server when you double-click on its icon, or choose Automatic Start to have the program added to your Startup Group.

    NOTE
    With Windows NT, WebSite is installed as a service (icon visible) as the default. It starts the service automatically when installation is complete. You must go to the Control Panel to change the Startup mode.
  11. Enter the host's fully qualified domain name in the Host's Domain Name dialog box and then click Next (Figure 3-4). Typically, this is the name that ``pinging'' localhost resolves.

    Figure 3-4: Host's Domain Name dialog box

    (IMAGE)

  12. Enter an email address that WebSite will use for ``mailto": URLs in the Administrator's Email Address dialog box. This address can be at your site or at another site. For example, your website might be comp-bear.com but your email might be received at tech.comp-bear.com. Use the address at which email is received, and then click Next. (Figure 3-5).

    Figure 3-5: Type the full email address of your website's administrator

    (IMAGE)

  13. If installing under Windows NT, the Setup program displays the Program Group Selection dialog box (Figure 3-6). You can accept the default, ``WebSite 1.1,'' type a new name, or select one from the existing list. After you have made your selection, click Next.
    Figure 3-6: Program Group Selection dialog box

    (IMAGE)

The WebSite Setup program installs the selected files on your system. The program displays progress indicators and tells you which files are being installed. Setup also adds information to your Windows Registry.

You will have to take the following additional steps if you're installing WebSite under Windows NT.

  1. When installing for use with Windows NT, the Setup program displays additional items. If you chose to run WebSite as a Windows NT service the Setup program first displays the Service Startup dialog box (Figure 3-7).

    Figure 3-7: Windows NT Service Startup dialog box

    (IMAGE)

    NOTE
    By default, the service identity is System Account. If you are going to make any changes, be sure you are familiar with ``identity'' under Windows NT.
  2. Next, Setup displays information about the Windows NT Performance Monitor (Figure 3-8). The Performance Monitor gives you information about the performance of your system and selected programs and services. For more information about using the Performance Monitor, see your Windows NT documentation and Chapter 13, Logging, in this book.

    Figure 3-8: Windows NT Performance Monitor information

    (IMAGE)

  3. When complete, Setup displays the WebSite Setup Complete dialog box (Figure 3-9). You can view the README file and start WebSite. Click Finish to close the Setup program.
    Figure 3-9: WebSite Setup is complete

    (IMAGE)

You're now ready to begin testing the installation. Before moving on to testing, take a few minutes to fill out and mail your registration card. When you register your WebSite software, you have access to product support.

Upgrading from a Previous Version of WebSite

If you are upgrading from a previous version of WebSite, you need to perform the following actions: After you've completed the actions in the above list, perform these steps:
  1. Start your computer and log on to Windows NT or Windows 95. If you are installing WebSite as a Windows NT service or desktop application, you must be the Administrator or have Administrator privileges.

  2. Insert Disk 1 into the first 3.5" drive (A or B) on your system.

  3. If using Windows NT, highlight SETUP.EXE in File Manager, and then choose Run from the File menu. If using Windows 95, double-click on the Setup icon in Windows Explorer.

  4. The WebSite Setup program displays the welcome screen. Click Next to begin installation.

  5. In the Registration window, enter your name and company information to personalize your copy of WebSite and click Next.

  6. WebSite asks you to confirm this information. Choose Yes to continue, or No to reenter the information.

  7. The Setup program displays the Updating Existing Installation dialog box (Figure 3-10). This dialog box shows the location of the existing WebSite software, and warns you that the WebFind index format has changed. You'll need to rebuild your indexes after installing this update.

    Figure 3-10: Updating Existing Installation dialog box

    (IMAGE)

  8. Next, WebSite asks you to select the components to install. There are three options: Server, Essential Tools, and Samples; Enhanced Mosaic Browser; and HotDog HTML Editor. Select the items you want to install. You can change the installation directory if you want. The Select Components dialog box displays the amount of disk space required for installation and the amount of disk space available. To change the installation drive, click on the Disk Space button. Choose Next when you are finished.

  9. If installing under Windows NT, the Setup program displays the Program Group Selection dialog box. You can accept the default, ``WebSite 1.1,'' type a new name, or select one from the existing list. Click Next.

  10. When installing for use with Windows NT, the setup program displays additional items. First, it displays the Service Startup dialog box, if you chose to run WebSite as a Windows NT service. Next, it displays information about the Windows NT Performance Monitor. The Performance Monitor gives you information about the performance of your system and selected programs and services. For more information about using the Performance Monitor, see your Windows NT documentation.

  11. The WebSite Setup program installs the selected files on your system. The program displays progress indicators and tells you which files are being installed. Setup also adds information to your Windows Registry.

  12. The setup program displays the Windows CGI Update dialog box (Figure 3-11). For more information about CGI programming, see Section 4 of this book.

    Figure 3-11: Windows CGI Update information

    (IMAGE)

  13. When complete, Setup displays the WebSite Setup Complete dialog box (Figure 3-12). You can view the README file and start WebSite. Click Finish to close the Setup program.
    Figure 3-12: WebSite Setup is complete

    (IMAGE)

You're now ready to begin testing the installation. Before moving on to testing, take a few minutes to fill out and mail your registration card. When you register your WebSite software, you have access to product support.

NOTE
Remember to rebuild your indexes with the new version of WebIndex. For information on using WebIndex, see Chapter 6, Indexing and Searching Your Documents.

Testing the WebSite Server

After installing WebSite, you must test the server to verify that it is installed and operating properly. The verification test has four parts:

Is the Server Running?

When you finish WebSite Setup, the first test is to make sure the WebSite server starts and stays running. If you asked Setup to start WebSite when it finished, the server should be running. Depending on how you chose to run WebSite during setup, the server icon should appear on your screen if the server started with no problems. If you can see the icon on your screen, then the server has passed the first test-it's running. The icon title indicates the server's status as idle or busy.

If the icon doesn't appear and you asked Setup to start the server, then you may have elected to run the server as a service with no desktop icon (under Windows NT only). To check that the server is running, open the Services settings in the Control Panel. Scroll through the list of services until you see Web Server and check the status. If it says ``started,'' the server is running and has passed the first test.

If you didn't ask Setup to start the server, you must do so now. To start the WebSite server under Windows 95, locate the program on the Start Menu or program list and click on it. Under Windows NT, locate the program item (identified by the server icon) and double-click on it (if you have the newest Windows NT interface, follow the Windows 95 instruction). The server should start and minimize to an icon on the desktop.

If the server does not start, check the server log (in the logs directory of WebSite) for possible reasons. The most common is that TCP/IP is not configured properly.

Can You View a WebSite Document from the Local Computer?

The easiest way to test if your computer and WebSite are set up correctly is with a web browser. Use Spyglass Mosaic, the browser that came with WebSite and follow these steps:
  1. Make sure your TCP/IP connection is open. If you are on a TCP/IP network or have a dedicated connection to the Internet, this is probably transparent to you. If you are on a standalone computer and get your TCP/IP connectivity with a dial-up SLIP or PPP account, make sure that the connection is up and clear. The WebSite server and browser require an open TCP/IP socket to work.

  2. Make sure your WebSite server is running (as described in the preceding section).

  3. Launch Mosaic from the Program Listing or Program Group. Select Open URL from the File menu and type in: 
    file:///C:/WebSite/htdocs/index.html
    (Use the drive letter and WebSite directory appropriate for your installation.) The browser displays the server's default home page file, as shown in Figure 3-13. However, displaying this document does not verify that the server is working because the browser did not find it by contacting the server. (You can view local files in a browser without using the server.)

  4. Click on the hypertext link Home Page. The link is for the URL 
    http://localhost/
    The browser sends out the request for this URL, which is interpreted by the browser and server as the home page document on the local computer. (Note that using localhost in a URL won't work when you try to reach your server from another computer.)

    If the server and computer are set up correctly, the server's default home page again appears in the browser window, as shown in Figure 3-13. This time, however, the browser contacted the server and the server returned the document. The URL field shows the URL http://localhost/.

    Figure 3-13: WebSite home page file

    (IMAGE)

  5. Next, test the server using the IP address. Select Open URL from the Mosaic File menu. Type in the URL for your server, using the following format: 
    http://server.IP.address/
    where server.IP.address is the IP address of your server, such as 123.234.29.1. Don't forget the final slash. The browser should display the same document as shown in Figure 3-13, except that the URL field displays the URL with the server's IP address.

  6. If your server's domain name is registered with DNS, test the server using the domain name. Select Open URL from the File menu and type in the URL for your server, using the following format: 
    http://your.server.name/
    where your.server.name is the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of your server, such as www.comp-bear.com. The browser should display the document shown in Figure 3-13, except that the URL field displays the URL with the server's name.

Can You View a WebSite Document from Another Computer?

The next step in testing the server is to view a document on your WebSite server from a different computer, either one on your internal network or one connected to the Internet. This test is essentially the same as the previous one, only from a different location. To complete this test you must have access to another computer that has a working Web browser.

To test the WebSite server from another computer, follow these steps:

  1. Make sure your WebSite server is running.

  2. From the other computer, launch a Web browser such as Mosaic.

  3. Specify the URL for your server, using the following format: 
    http://server.IP.address/
    where server.IP.address is the IP address of your server. Don't forget the final slash. The browser uses the URL to locate your WebSite server. If everything is set up correctly, you will see the WebSite default home page (Figure 3-13).

  4. If your server's domain name is registered with DNS, test the server by specifying the URL again, using the following format: 
    http://your.server.name/
    where your.server.name is the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of your server. Don't forget the final slash. If everything is set up correctly, you will see the WebSite default home page (Figure 3-13), with the domain name in the URL field.
If you performed this test from a computer on your local network and it does not work, make sure the server is running and then check the TCP/IP configuration of the computer and the network. If you continue to have difficulties, consult your network or system administrator.

If you conducted this test from a computer connected to the Internet and it failed, try again. Sometimes heavy traffic on the Internet can cause connections to timeout. If after several tries you still cannot reach the server, recheck the TCP/IP connections on both computers. Also make sure your server's name is a fully qualified domain name and that it is registered with DNS. If you continue to have difficulties, consult your Internet service provider.

Running the Server Self-Test and Demonstration

So far you have tested that the server is running, that it can serve documents locally, and that the IP address and/or hostname is resolving correctly. Now it's time to put the server through its paces by running the server self-test. This last test has two primary benefits: first, it tests that the server is configured correctly and that all the features are working; second, it introduces you to the server's many capabilities.

Depending on what you plan to do with your WebSite server, the self-test can provide valuable examples and plentiful ideas. Note that some of the items in the server self-test are quite advanced. Don't worry if you don't understand them at first. The rest of this book is dedicated to explaining WebSite's features and how (and why!) you use them.

NOTE
Since you will want to run the self-test and demonstration more than once (for example, whenever you make major configuration changes to your web or to collect data for troubleshooting problems), we created a checklist that includes all the server's features tested. You can find the checklist in Appendix A; we recommend you photocopy it, date it, and then complete it as you work through the self-test.
To start the WebSite self-test and demonstration, do one of the following: Note the checklist near the beginning of the self-test. If you are not currently able to meet all these requirements (for example, you may not have all the viewers or programming languages installed), we still recommend you complete the self-test. Just note that some features will not work correctly. For example, if your browser is not configured for sound, you will receive an error message when you test the audio link. Such an error is not a server problem, it only indicates that your browser could be configured differently.

Remember to record the server's responses to each item in the self-test on a copy of the checklist from Appendix A. If you encounter too many errors, please read the troubleshooting tips. If you are unable to correct the problems, contact technical support.

Using the Server's Control Menu

Although powerful and fully-featured, the server requires very little attention from you. In fact, it has very few commands available to you directly, since all server configuration is done through the Server Admin application. The server's Control menu lists only three items: Properties, Pause, and Exit. You can display the server's Control menu by maximizing the server's icon or by single-clicking on the minimized server icon with the right mouse button (Windows 95) or the left mouse button (Windows NT).

The three Control menu items include:

Properties
Displays the server's property sheet. You can change the server's configuration on the property sheet (also called the Server Admin application). The server's general properties are covered in the following section of this chapter; the other properties are covered thoroughly in Section 3 of this book.

Pause
Lets you pause the server without exiting it. Pausing the server is useful for quick updates to your web or for server maintenance. When you pause the server, a dialog box pops up in which you can enter a message that users requesting documents from your web will see. (Note that some browsers replace this message with their own error message.) This message lets the user know that the server is only temporarily offline.

If you are running WebSite as a service under Windows NT, the Pause item is not available from the WebSite Control menu. You must use the Services Control Panel or the utility wsctl. See Running WebSite as a Windows NT Service, later in this chapter.

Exit
Stops the server and closes the application. Once the server exits, users receive no messages when they request documents.

Reviewing WebSite's General Properties

During installation, WebSite puts specific information about your server in the Windows 95 or Windows NT Registry. This configuration information is used by many of the WebSite applications, including Server Admin, which you use to administer the server. We will deal with Server Admin in great detail in Section 3 of this book, but for now, let's take a look at the most general information included there. You may need to make changes to the general setup at some point and this will acquaint you with the particulars. Also, if you choose to change whether WebSite runs as a service or a desktop application under Windows NT, you need to make that change here.

To view the general information, launch Server Admin from the WebSite program list or group. The General page is displayed, as shown in Figure 3-14. The top of the page provides information about your WebSite server:

Figure 3-14: Server Admin General page

(IMAGE)

Working Directory
Indicates where WebSite is installed. This directory is also called the server root. We discuss this concept in detail in Chapter 9, Mapping. Do not change this entry unless you move WebSite to a new location.

CGI Temporary Directory
Indicates the temporary location Common Gateway Interface (CGI) programs use. CGI programs are discussed in detail in Section 4. You can change this directory if necessary by typing in a new one.

Administrator Address
Shows the complete email address of the WebSite server administrator. Notice that the address is the Internet address you entered during setup. You can change the address here by typing in a new one.

Run Mode
Specifies how WebSite will run the next time it is started. Under Windows 95 there is only one run mode: desktop application. Under Windows NT, the pulldown list has three choices: desktop application, system service with icon, and system service without icon. If you want to run WebSite as a service, you must first select a new run mode here and then restart the server as a service. Running WebSite as an NT Service is discussed later in this chapter.
The rest of the page provides information about your WebSite server's network connections:
TCP/IP Port
Tells the server what port number to use. The standard TCP/IP port is 80. Unless you know what you are doing, don't change this number.

Timeouts (Receive and Send)
Fairly standard settings. You may need to increase the timeouts if you are on a slow line, or if users complain that your server seems ``slow'' or ``cuts off'' documents. Increase the timeouts to 180 seconds for a PPP/SLIP connection.

Maximum Connects
Limits the number of simultaneous connections. You may need to adjust this for your line speed, to guarantee a minimum level of service. For example, if you have a 28.8 line and 10 simultaneous connections, each user sees only a 2800 baud line, which is very slow for Web traffic. In this case, you would want to decrease the number of maximum connects. If you are on a high-speed line (ISDN, T1, or T3) or running on an internal network, the number can be higher.

Winsock Vendor Information
Lists the valid Winsock programs detected on your system. WebSite uses Microsoft's Winsock Version 1.1. You cannot change this field.
As you can see, much of the information on this page is rarely changed. However, if you have a problem with the server, technical support may ask you to change some of the values on this screen.
NOTE
When you make a change to Server Admin, it does not take effect until you close the program. A few seconds after you close it, you will hear the computer beep, indicating that the server's configuration has been updated. The server waits until it is idle to make the update. You may want to pause the server to force the update immediately. If the server is not running, you will not hear a beep, but the configuration is in effect the next time you start the server.

Activating the Administrator Account

WebSite comes with a default user account called Admin. This account is dormant, meaning it has no password and belongs to no groups. To activate the account you must assign a password and add it to at least one group. The Admin account is useful for restricting certain URLs and server functions to a single account and for remotely administering WebSite. (To learn about restricting access to URLs on your web, see Chapter 12, Controlling Access to Your Web; for instructions on remote administration, see Chapter 14, Remote Administration.)

To activate the administrator account, you must first select a password. Then complete these steps:

  1. Launch Server Admin from the WebSite program list or program group and click on the tab for the Users page (Figure 3-15).

    Figure 3-15: Server Admin Users page

    (IMAGE)

  2. In the Users field, select the user Admin from the pulldown list (as shown) and click on the Password button. The Change Password dialog appears.

  3. Since there is no old password, put the cursor in the New Password field and type in the new password. Press TAB and type in the new password again. The password is hidden. Press OK when finished.

  4. In the Group Membership section of the Users page, highlight Administrators in the Available Groups list and press Add. The group name moves to the Member Of list. Repeat for the group name Users. (You can accomplish the same task by double-clicking on the group name.) Figure 3-16 shows this section with the group memberships assigned.

    Figure 3-16: Adding users to group

    (IMAGE)

  5. Press OK to update the server and finish the activation. If the server is running, wait for it to beep before trying to use the new account.

Running WebSite as a Windows NT Service

Under Windows NT, you can elect to run WebSite as a service rather than a desktop application. The advantage of running WebSite as a service is that it runs even when no one is logged on to the computer, a helpful feature if you run your server 24 hours a day and don't want to leave an open account on an unattended computer. In addition, running WebSite as a service allows it to restart automatically when the operating system reboots. In this section, we show you how to set up WebSite as a service and how to start, stop, pause, and continue the service with a simple utility program.

Setting up the Service

To change WebSite from a desktop application to a system service requires only a few quick steps. All the information the operating system needs is in place---you simply have to shut down the server as an application, make one change in Server Admin, and start it up again as a service as described in these steps:
  1. Exit the WebSite server if it is running.

  2. Launch Server Admin and make sure the General page is displayed.

  3. On the General page, from the Run Mode pulldown list select System Service, either with or without an icon (see Figure 3-14).

  4. In the Windows NT Control Panel, open Services.

  5. Scroll through the listed services until you come to Web Server, as shown in Figure 3-17.

    Figure 3-17: Windows NT Services window

    (IMAGE)

  6. Highlight Web Server and press Start. Services starts the WebSite server and, if you elected to run it with a desktop icon, the server icon appears on your screen.

  7. If you want WebSite to start automatically whenever the system starts, press Startup on the Services window and complete the necessary information. Refer to the operating system guide for more help in setting up services.
NOTE
To return WebSite to a desktop application, simply stop the service, reset the Run Mode in Server Admin, and launch the server as an application.

Starting, Stopping, Pausing, and Continuing the Service

As described in the previous section, you can start the WebSite service from the Services window of the Control Panel. Also, a utility program comes with WebSite that lets you start, stop, pause, and continue the server from the command line. The utility is called wsctrl and is located in the WebSite Support directory.

You can use wsctrl as a quick alternative to the Control Panel or as part of regularly scheduled maintenance activities. If you pause the server with wsctrl, the server sends a Service Unavailable message so that users know the server is only temporarily offline (this is the same effect as using the Pause control option when the server is running as a desktop application).

You run wsctrl from a Command Prompt (depending on how your path is set up, you may need to use the full pathname of the program or be in the WebSite\support directory). wsctrl requires one of the following four options:

If you forget these options, simply type wsctrl at the command prompt and the program displays usage information.

For More Help

Several sources of help are available to WebSite users, including:

Getting the Most out of This Book

Building Your Own WebSite provides comprehensive instructions for installing and using the various applications and tools that make up WebSite. This book takes a task-oriented approach, presenting as much procedural material as possible in a real-life, hands-on manner. The numerous tutorials give you an opportunity to practice the skills you need for building and maintaining a successful web. We encourage you to work through the tutorials and apply the steps to your own specific web.

In addition, we've included scenarios for how your web can be more practical and useful to others. Helpful hints, ideas for using the server, and notes for avoiding difficulties are scattered throughout the book. And don't overlook the appendixes, which include valuable reference and troubleshooting material. For example, if you're having problems with WebSite, first consult Appendix C, Troubleshooting Tips.

Using Online Help

Each WebSite application has online help available through either a menu item or a screen button. In addition, you can bring up the help system by pressing F1 in any window.

The WebSite online help gives definitions and specific procedures regarding the current application. As in online help for other Windows-based applications, WebSite help includes hyperlinks to associated topics and topic searching.

Participating in WebSite Central

Perhaps the most exciting and bountiful source of help and further information is WebSite Central, a web site maintained for WebSite users by the technical support staff of O'Reilly & Associates. WebSite Central provides product information, answers to frequently and infrequently asked questions (FAQs and IFAQs), troubleshooting help, advice for particular implementations of WebSite, ideas for new uses of WebSite, sample HTML files, helpful utility programs, and opportunities to interact with the technical support staff and other WebSite users.

Because WebSite Central is part of the World Wide Web, the information is constantly updated and enhanced. You will find the Tech Center helpful as you expand your web and add features to it. The WebSite-News mailing list keeps all registered users informed via email of WebSite news and events. The WebSite-Talk mailing list allows you to ask questions of other WebSite users and to gain from their experience.

Reaching WebSite Central is simple. On the default WebSite home page you saw when testing your server is a link to WebSite Central. The WebSite Central URL is http://website.ora.com/. You'll know you're at the right place when you see the WebSite Central logo (Figure 3-18).

Figure 3-18: WebSite Central home page

(IMAGE)

Contacting Technical Support

Demonstration versions do not include techincal support. The full WebSite product includes 90 days free technical support by email and phone.

Want to Read More?

For a full copy of Building Your Own WebSite and WebSite 1.1, see your local software vendor or contact O'Reilly & Associates customer service at website@ora.com or call 1-800-998-9938.