StartGen 3.0 - Page Property Settings Help

StartGen 3.0 - Page Property Settings Help

Each page you set up in StartGen has the following structure:

    Categories
        Subjects
            Links
                Single
                Multiple
                Search Form

Once defined, each page can be published either as a start page or as a directory for use by others. Both types of pages can contain all three types of links (single, multiple, form). The 'Switch Types' button on the page property form allows you to switch page type at any time. The settings marked with an * may increase the time it takes StartGen to regenerate your a page and for your browser to load it. If you want to speed things up, these are the options to experiment with. A share module is included that makes it easy for you to exchange page components with others via email.

Bug Alert
When creating a directory page, create it in your StartGen directory. The supporting frame pages are created in your StartGen directory regardless of where the main page is created. Otherwise, you will get "File not found" errors when you try to view the page in your browser.

Basic Page Settings
(apply to both page types)

Page Title Title of page. Shows up in dropdown list and optionally at the top of your start page.

File name File to contain the generated start page.

Include page name* Checking this box adds the page title at the top of the generated start page.

Fill in Title tag When the mouse pointer hovers over a link, the description will appear as a tooltip. (Uses the Title tag currently only supported by IE4)

List multiple link details in a separate table Adds a second table of links listing each link included in the multiple-url links.

Underline Links Adds underlining to each link on your start page. There is no reason to underline links on a start page since you know they are all links. Omitting the underlining gives your start page a cleaner look. This is done by including a style sheet in the generated page. Check this box if you want the underlines added back.

Show Visited Links in Diff Color Links that you have already visited will show up red. Recommended that you leave this unchecked.

IE4 Only: Generate popup menus for multiple URL links An arrow will appear to the right of each multiple-url link. When you click this arrow a popup menu will appear allowing you to open the detail links individually. Clicking the link itself will still open all of the multiple-url's links.

Open popup menu links in a new window Whether links in the popup menus should be opened in the current browser instance or in a new one.

Table Cell Padding Determines how much blank space appears around the links in the table. A setting of 3 makes the links easier to read but expands the size of the table. Click the up and down arrows to the right of the text box to change this setting.

Border Width Determines the width of the border lines surrounding the links on your start page. Click the up and down arrows to the right of the text box to change this setting.

Background Color The background color for the generated page can be yellow or white. To change the background color of individual categories, select the "Edit" button above the list of categories on the main StartGen form.

Directory Page Settings
(apply only to the Directory page type. * indicates optional.)

*Home Page URL If you place a URL in this field, StartGen will use it to add a "Home" link in the upper right corner of the toolbar frame.

*HEAD Metatags Many search engines refer to META tags when indexing Web sites. Here's an example of what you can enter in this field for this purpose: name="description" content="BD Online: Work Smarter, Learn Faster...". Click here for further search engine guidelines.

*Other Top Frame HTML Any other HTML you would like added to the top frame. The original reason this field was included was to easiliy accomodate banner advertising.

*Height of Top Frame Fill this in if you need to override the default frame height, which is 40 pixels without the timer and 50 with the timer. To specify a percentage, just add a percent sign (%) after the number.

Include Timer in Toolbar Places a javascript driven timer in the top frame. This allows visitors to be reminded after they have spent a certain amount of time browsing the links in the directory. See the wc.htm file in your StartGen directory for an example of this feature. Due to a bug in this version, you need to do the following: Select the "Inspirational Webcasts" option from the dropdown list in StartGen's toolbar. Doubleclick any category, subject or link to open it in edit mode. Then click the "OK" button without making any changes. StartGen will regenerate the web page including the timer feature. Select the "Page in Browser" option from the "View" menu to see the Webcast page with the timer feature.

*Timer Alarm Audio File If you check the Include Timer box, this is the audio file that will play to notify you that the designated number of minutes has passed. The tada.ram and tada.rm RealAudio files are included with StartGen and thus tada.ram is suggested as the default file name. If you use the default "tada" files, the are automatically copied to the directory containing the other html files for the current directory of links.

Additional File Names Used in Frames (doubleClick filename to open it in browser)

Toolbar This is the top frame. Checking the 'Customized' box to it's right tells StartGen not to overwrite this file when it regenerates the pages. This allows you to totally customize the first three files.

Cat/Sub FrameSet This file defines a frameset containing the list of categories and subjects along the left side of the screen, and the individual links in the right frame.

Cat/Sub Left Frame A listing of subjects by category. Clicking a subject or category takes you to its links.

Cat/Sub Right Frame All the links for the page sorted by category and subject. Note that you can include all three types of links in this frame: single-url, multiple-url and search form.

Listing Sorted By Date All links for the page sorted by date. You can change this date by opening the link in Edit mode either by selecting it and clicking the Edit button below, or by doubleclicking it.

Contents Readme Register BD Online About StartGen

Page Title	Title of page. Shows up in dropdown list and optionally at the top of your start page.
File name	File to contain the generated start page.
Include page name*	Checking this box adds the page title at the top of the generated start page.
Fill in Title tag	When the mouse pointer hovers over a link, the description will appear as a tooltip. (Uses the Title tag currently only supported by IE4)
List multiple link details in a separate table	Adds a second table of links listing each link included in the multiple-url links.
Underline Links	Adds underlining to each link on your start page. There is no reason to underline links on a start page since you know they are all links. Omitting the underlining gives your start page a cleaner look. This is done by including a style sheet in the generated page. Check this box if you want the underlines added back.
Show Visited Links in Diff Color	Links that you have already visited will show up red. Recommended that you leave this unchecked.
IE4 Only: Generate popup menus for multiple URL links	An arrow will appear to the right of each multiple-url link. When you click this arrow a popup menu will appear allowing you to open the detail links individually. Clicking the link itself will still open all of the multiple-url's links.
Open popup menu links in a new window	Whether links in the popup menus should be opened in the current browser instance or in a new one.
Table Cell Padding	Determines how much blank space appears around the links in the table. A setting of 3 makes the links easier to read but expands the size of the table. Click the up and down arrows to the right of the text box to change this setting.
Border Width	Determines the width of the border lines surrounding the links on your start page. Click the up and down arrows to the right of the text box to change this setting.
Background Color	The background color for the generated page can be yellow or white. To change the background color of individual categories, select the "Edit" button above the list of categories on the main StartGen form.

*Home Page URL	If you place a URL in this field, StartGen will use it to add a "Home" link in the upper right corner of the toolbar frame.
*HEAD Metatags	Many search engines refer to META tags when indexing Web sites. Here's an example of what you can enter in this field for this purpose: name="description" content="BD Online: Work Smarter, Learn Faster...". Click here for further search engine guidelines.
*Other Top Frame HTML	Any other HTML you would like added to the top frame. The original reason this field was included was to easiliy accomodate banner advertising.
*Height of Top Frame	Fill this in if you need to override the default frame height, which is 40 pixels without the timer and 50 with the timer. To specify a percentage, just add a percent sign (%) after the number.
Include Timer in Toolbar	Places a javascript driven timer in the top frame. This allows visitors to be reminded after they have spent a certain amount of time browsing the links in the directory. See the wc.htm file in your StartGen directory for an example of this feature. Due to a bug in this version, you need to do the following: Select the "Inspirational Webcasts" option from the dropdown list in StartGen's toolbar. Doubleclick any category, subject or link to open it in edit mode. Then click the "OK" button without making any changes. StartGen will regenerate the web page including the timer feature. Select the "Page in Browser" option from the "View" menu to see the Webcast page with the timer feature.
*Timer Alarm Audio File	If you check the Include Timer box, this is the audio file that will play to notify you that the designated number of minutes has passed. The tada.ram and tada.rm RealAudio files are included with StartGen and thus tada.ram is suggested as the default file name. If you use the default "tada" files, the are automatically copied to the directory containing the other html files for the current directory of links.
Additional File Names Used in Frames (doubleClick filename to open it in browser)
Toolbar	This is the top frame. Checking the 'Customized' box to it's right tells StartGen not to overwrite this file when it regenerates the pages. This allows you to totally customize the first three files.
Cat/Sub FrameSet	This file defines a frameset containing the list of categories and subjects along the left side of the screen, and the individual links in the right frame.
Cat/Sub Left Frame	A listing of subjects by category. Clicking a subject or category takes you to its links.
Cat/Sub Right Frame	All the links for the page sorted by category and subject. Note that you can include all three types of links in this frame: single-url, multiple-url and search form.
Listing Sorted By Date	All links for the page sorted by date. You can change this date by opening the link in Edit mode either by selecting it and clicking the Edit button below, or by doubleclicking it.