** 2 page review / 1444 words **
** Don't panic - suggest using preceding GEMTrade 0.5 page for
** either the prize draw or to start the article... **

WebPage.Wizard v3.10

Joe Connor gets whizzy with it...

Wizards on other platforms are programs which lead users through complex tasks step-by-step and provide an alternative to printed manuals and hypertext help files. WebPage.Wizard's approach means anyone can create a web page following simple step-by-step instructions. Web.Wizard is supplied in an A5 plastic wallet featuring a product overview and two HD floppy disks which include:

** UL **
* WebPage Wizard: Simple HTML document assembler
* Frame.Wizard: Frame based HTML document creator
* Table.Wizard: The point and click way to create tables
* Collection of Royalty free images
* A-Z of HTML 3.2 commands
* HTML Stripper/Link Ripper
** /UL **

After launching Web.Wizard and entering your name and keycode details the General page of the tabbed dialog is displayed. A popup invites the user to select their level of expertise but because all the screens are equally easy to understand I've promoted you all to Experts for the following tutorial!

Web.Wizard Tutorial

Before you run Web.Wizard decide what you'd like to display on your home page. You'll probably want to include some text so save this ready to load in ASCII format. Similarly any images should be prepared using GIF format for any images containing up to 256 colours and JPEG format for everything else.

Once you have the raw materials prepared you should be able to assemble your first web page in less five minutes. Don't worry about making mistakes because you can step forwards and backwards through each step and, after saving your efforts to a WZD project file, you can go back and make changes later.

** WW_GEN.GIF
Run Web.Wizard, select Expert mode, and if you'd like to learn more about HTML format, activate the Include comments in HTML source option -  you can always delete them later.

** WW_TITLE.GIF
Fill in the options - nothing untoward will happen if you leave them all blank but it's worth thinking up a sensible title for your pages and the help file gives you some sensible pointers.

** WW_COLOR.GIF
The default colour settings are fine but the choice is yours. Don't be put off by the pre-defined hexadecimal settings, the popups include a selection of standard colours and there's also a nice RGB colour mixing dialog to generate custom colours and take care of the maths. If you have pre-prepared a suitable background image click on the editable field and select it using the file selector. Alternatively you can set the background to any desired colour.

** WW_HEADG.GIF
Most web pages display headlines, sub-headings and body text in different heights and this screen takes care of this structure. If you'd like to enter some headings enter some suitable text and select its height relative to the body text.

** WW_TEXT.GIF
Although some web pages can be entirely graphics-based they are much slower to load so most people prefer to include textual content where possible. If you're prepared some text earlier select it using the file selector. Body text can be styled, justified and optionally split across two columns. It's normal for HTML documents to look slightly different in each of the various browsers. One way to minimise this difference between browsers is to specify a font which, if the font is available, will be used in preference to the default browers settings.

** WW_IMAGE.GIF
This is the most complex screen - but you can skip it if you don't want to display an image. Click on the upper editable line to select an image using the file selector then, optionally, enter some text into the Alternative text field. This text will only be visible if your page is browsed in text only mode.
The Height and Width fields set the size of the image on the page in pixels. Entering pixel sizes larger or smaller than the actual image size distorts the image which can be used to good effect to create thumbnails or special effects. If these fields are left empty the image is displayed at full size.
If the image is a thumbnail or a hypertext link to another page/image it's customary to add a border to the image as a prompt for the reader and the border thickness in pixels and associated URL can be entered in the relevant fields.
The image position relative to the body text is selected using the radio buttons. I found it hard to visualise the final result from the descriptiosn but it's easy enough to try several options by saving the file and previewing it in a browser until you get a result you're happy with.

** WW_LINKS.GIF
Web.Wizard is geared up to produce single HTML pages but most websites consist of multiple pages. Use this screen to add links to other local pages or remote URL addresses online. If you plan to construct a multi-page website it's worth sketching a site map on paper to establish sensible hyperlinks between pages.

** WW_AUTHR.GIF
As this final screen explains you can add your contact details and the date the pages were last modified here if you like. Finally click on the Save button to save your web page in HTML format using the file selector. Any image and sound files used are copied to the same destination as the HTML file along with a WZD format project file and it makes sense to save these to a dedicated folder. The WZD format file can be reloaded to modify your page as desired or to use as the template for another page.

** WW_CAB.GIF
** Caption **
Here's the result of my efforts which took less than five minutes to assemble using Web.Wizard
** /caption **

** WW_SOURC.GIF
** Caption **
The HTML source code produced by Web.Wizard with the Include comments in HTML source option enabled - very informative for anyone new to HTML coding
** /caption **

Conclusions

WebPage.Wizard should appeal to anyone new to web page design and offers a gentle introduction to HTML coding. I'd like to see the individual programs integrated so they can all be accessed from a single application and, with the addition of OLGA support, the ability to view your work on-the-fly. Happily WebPage.Wizard development is headed in this direction.

** boxout 1 **
Frame.Wizard

** FRAMEWIZ.GIF here **

Some web pages divide the screen into separate areas called frames. Each frame contains a separate HTML document. Frame.Wizard includes a selection of templates and a point and click interface which supports up to six separate frames ready to fill with HTML content.
** /boxout 1 **

** boxout 2 **
Table.Wizard

** TABLEWIZ.GIF here **

Apart from creating tables with visible rows and columns of data many web designers use tables without borders to invisibly sub-divide the screen into areas. This method of working is similar to the frames concept pioneered by DTP applications such as Calamus and Timeworks, however, HTML tables are more limited. For example, although individual table cells can be any size they always remain rectangular and cannot overlap each other. Naturally Table.Wizard understands these rules and can effortlessly create table structures containing up to 144 cells.
** /boxout 2 **

** product boxout **
Web.Wizard v3.10

Publisher: Cadenza Software
49 Douglas Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 7RZ, England
Email: cadenza@cyberstrider.org
http://www.cadenza.cyberstrider.org

Distributor: CyberSTrider
PO Box 2023, Wickford SS12 9RX, England
Email: denesh@cyberstrider.org
http://www.cyberstrider.org/
Fax: +44 (0)171-681-1307

There's an Italian version available now with German, Polish, Spanish and Dutch versions under development.

Cost:
œ15 + Post and Packing (UK œ3, ROW œ5)
On-line purchase now available via the CyberSTrider web pages.

System requirements
Any Atari or TOS running 640x400x2 (ST-high) or above, 1Mb recommended.

Pros: Looks great, offers good value for money, actively under development

Cons: No OLGA support (planned for v4), no integration between programs, limited scope with just a single image and three links per page, skimpy documentation.

77%
** /product boxout **

---
WebPage.Wizard FREE Prize Draw

** WWLOGO.IMG here **
** WW_ICON.GIF here **

Cadenza Software has kindly donated three copies of WebPage.Wizard v3.10 for us to give away. If you'd like to enter this FREE prize draw send your name and address on a postcard to:

"WebPage.Wizard FREE prize draw"
65 Mill Road
Colchester
Essex, CO4 5LJ
England

Alternatively you can bring your postcard along to ACC'99 on Saturday November 13th and hand it to us before 3pm.

The Rules

** Titchy font if you like **

Only one entry per subscriber allowed - multiple entries will be disqualified. Postal entries must be received before Thursday November 11th. Entries may also be handed to us at ACC'99 on Saturday November 13th before 3pm, after which the draw will take place.

Renegade Publishing Ltd accepts no responsibility for entries delayed, lost in the post or with no return address and no correspondence will be entered into. Atari Computing contributors, their families and pets are not eligible to participate and the editor's decision is final. Because AC#16 will be produced before the draw takes place the winning entries will be posted on our web pages at:

http://www.ataricomputing.com