MS FrontPage

How to Use a Template

Of course, FrontPage makes using a template easythat's the whole point. To get started with one of these templates or wizards, launch it select File » New, click More Page (or Site) Templates, then double-click the template in the Templates dialog boxand fill out any prompts that follow. After that, you can add content to your site. In many cases, that means replacing FrontPage's generic text with your own information.


If you realize, after creating a site, that you've answered one or more questions incorrectly, FrontPage doesn't give you an easy way to instantly change all the template-generated info on your site. Your best option is to just delete the Web site and start the wizard again.

Other Options

Microsoft's a great software company, but it's not likely to win any design awards in this millennium. If you really like the idea of using a template but find these Microsoft designs unattractive, unsuitable, or just too limited for what you want your site to say, the Internet is teeming with additional templates. Many independent vendors design FrontPage templates and sell them online. The files usually come in a package that installs the template right in your FrontPage templates directory, so you can select them as you would any other template. Shop around and check out all your options.

Creating a Site Manually

Since the dawn of the Web, authors have built Web sites one page at a time. They start with a home page, then create other pages, and add links to connect those pages. This page-by-page process is still the way most Web professionals work, since it offers the greatest flexibility and control.

If you want to start from scratch, creating and designing pages on your own, you don't need to use FrontPage's templates. However, (in a Microsoftian twist of logic) you still need to begin in the Templates dialog box. Select File » New, and within the New task pane, click More Web Site Templates. Instead of using a template that contains content, select Empty Web Site or One Page Web Site.

FrontPage presents you with a sparkling brand-new site that includes no intrusive elements. Use the tools you've already read about to create, design, and link pages as you wish.