How to extend Frontpage - DTCs? Bots? IWCs? Add-ins? Wizards?

[Ignacio Renuncio]

Hi everybody,

I've downloaded and taken a look to the FP2002 SDK (to my knowledge,
the only available) looking for ways to extend Frontpage. After
reading it, I don't clearly see what is the best method of extending
FP to suit my needs.

The situation is:

- A group of teachers need to create SCORM exercises but I haven't
found any application that can extend Frontpage to this extent.

- The SCORM exercises skeleton will be written in Javascript or Flash
and will have their internal information stored in a XML file.

I've looked in the SDK and it seems to be a lot of methods to extend
FP:

a.- Create a COM Add-in that uses FP through the object model
b.- Create a DTC (design-time control)
c.- Create a Frontpage Web Component
d.- Create a Frontpage component (bot)
e.- Create a Wizard
f.- Use VBA macros that exploit the FP object model

Does anybody have a clue concerning which ones to use and which ones
not?

Hints:

1.- I only want the control to exist in the authoring environment
2.- I don't want to have a cliente-side ActiveX that needs to be
downloaded
3.- I don't want to use Frontpage extensions at the server
4.- I want to use a VB-like (RAD) language to create these extensions,
not scripting, not HTML. I want a rich and dynamic interface.

In short, what I want is to extend FP in a way that an author can
create complex content locally and edit it through a window or wizard
in Frontpage, without knowing anything of the real code (he/she will
only see/edit XML contents through a friendly interface). He/she won't
need even a web server at all. All of the contents will work in a
client-only environment (IE6).

My guess about each of the options are:

a.- Is possible but there are probably better options. I see it more
of a way of integrating FP it with other applications and such.
b.- May be the best option. Is it used in the real world?
c.- Is not powerful enough because the interface is really HTML pages
and this way all of the XML handling and the complex UI should be in
HTML (improductive).
d.- Usually needs server-side components and/or FP Server Extensions.
The client-only approach for FP Components seems to be deprecated -
use DTC instead?
e.- Possible but I don't know if easier to build and maintain than 'a'
or 'b'
f.- Scripting? No thanks.

Could anybody help me? Which option would you use to extend FP?

Thanks a million.

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Hi Ignacio,

It sounds like you might benefit from using Microsoft InfoPath, which is an
Office System 2003 product. See:

http://office.microsoft.com/home/office.aspx?assetid=FX01085792&CTT=6&Origin=ES790020011033

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.

 

[Ignacio Renuncio]

Hi Kevin,

I'm not interested in InfoPath because the XML use is not the core of
the problem, I may have some "dumb" components. I'm also using a MS
Toolkit for creating SCORM manifests that works in Frontpage, so the
modules should be built in Frontpage to take advantage of it.

My main candidate now is the DTC (desing-time control) because can be
edited and its properties changed in the authoring environment, but
only generates what you want (js, dhtml, etc) and does not need FP
Server Extensions nor any type of server configuration. Indeed, it
doesn't seem to need a server at all.

Do you have any advice on this (add-ins / iwcs / bots / dtcs /
wizards) ??

Thank you.

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Do you have any advice on this (add-ins / iwcs / bots / dtcs /

wizards) ??

I'm afraid I do not. However, there are several people here who manufacture
add-ins for FrontPage. Hopefully, one of them will pick up this thread!

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.

 

[Jim Cheshire]

You could use an add-in, a Web component, or a FrontPage component for this.
A save-time Web component would probably be the most robust option.

--
Jim Cheshire
Jimco
http://www.jimcoaddins.com
================================
Author of Special Edition
Using Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003
5 Stars on Amazon and B&N
================================
The opinions expressed by me in the
newsgroups are my own opinions and
are in no way associated with my
employer or any other party. Jimco is
not associated in any way with any other
entity.

 

[Ignacio Renuncio]

Hi Jim,

Thank you very much for your answer. It's clear that you are the one
who knows Frontpage best!!

Is it true? What I'm looking for is a way of wrapping code in a
component that enables its use by non technical people, without using
FPSE, embedded objects to download, etc.

--

You could use an add-in, a Web component, or a FrontPage component for this.
A save-time Web component would probably be the most robust option.

The main problem of the web component is that, to my knowledge, it's
made of HTML so a complex interface, XML parsing, etc. becomes a
nightmare if I have to do it all in Javascript, doesn't it?

About the FP component (bot), I think it should be client-side if I
don't want to upgrade the sever, am I wrong? Microsoft says this about
client-side components in the FP2002 SDK:

"The preferred method of developing client-side components is to
develop them as Design Time Controls."

So I think the Web Component and the client-side bot are not what I
need, but I'm still not sure. What do you think?

--

Regarding DTCs vs add-ins:

Both of them seem to be able to do similar tasks. I would need to
insert some JS files programatically, read/modify an external XML,
etc. Can I do this with DTCs? With add-ins?

What I don't know is the difference between them... what I suppose is:

The add-in can access the FP object model (I think) and this way it
can interact with the page, but it seems that it lacks the
"activation/context" mechanism that I think is built into the DTC.

If I want to insert some code and forget about it, I can probably use
an add-in or a DTC, but how can I "activate" the inserted code to
modify its properties? Does the add-in have a way to do it, or it's by
hand?

Also, the DTC seems to include the outer HTML comments automatically,
but I don't know if the add-in does it too (I'm afraid all of this is
by hand).


I know the post is a bit large but my questions are deep.

I hope you can answer some of them.

Thanks a million.-

 

[Jim Cheshire]

Inline...

--
Jim Cheshire
Jimco
http://www.jimcoaddins.com
================================
Author of Special Edition
Using Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003
5 Stars on Amazon and B&N
================================
The opinions expressed by me in the
newsgroups are my own opinions and
are in no way associated with my
employer or any other party. Jimco is
not associated in any way with any other
entity.

Hi Jim,

Thank you very much for your answer. It's clear that you are the one
who knows Frontpage best!!

I certainly wouldn't say that! I just happen to have some experience in
this area.

Is it true? What I'm looking for is a way of wrapping code in a
component that enables its use by non technical people, without using
FPSE, embedded objects to download, etc.

--

That's true, but almost no one uses DTCs. In my opinion, not the best
option at all.

The main problem of the web component is that, to my knowledge, it's
made of HTML so a complex interface, XML parsing, etc. becomes a
nightmare if I have to do it all in Javascript, doesn't it?

A Web component, yes. The problem with it is that it has no automatic
mechanism for state management.

About the FP component (bot), I think it should be client-side if I
don't want to upgrade the sever, am I wrong? Microsoft says this about
client-side components in the FP2002 SDK:

"The preferred method of developing client-side components is to
develop them as Design Time Controls."

So I think the Web Component and the client-side bot are not what I
need, but I'm still not sure. What do you think?

I think a save-time FrontPage component (sorry, didn't mean Web component)
would be the best option by far. FrontPage already includes several such
components, and they do not require FrontPage Server Extensions or a Web
server at browse-time.

--

Regarding DTCs vs add-ins:

Both of them seem to be able to do similar tasks. I would need to
insert some JS files programatically, read/modify an external XML,
etc. Can I do this with DTCs? With add-ins?

Yes, because both can easily access the FrontPage object models.

What I don't know is the difference between them... what I suppose is:

The add-in can access the FP object model (I think) and this way it
can interact with the page, but it seems that it lacks the
"activation/context" mechanism that I think is built into the DTC.

That's not the difference. They are different technologies. An add-in is a
COM DLL that extends FrontPage. I'm not familiar enough with DTCs to offer
any advice. They are just not used in my experience.

If I want to insert some code and forget about it, I can probably use
an add-in or a DTC, but how can I "activate" the inserted code to
modify its properties? Does the add-in have a way to do it, or it's by
hand?

You can't with an add-in. You need to use a FrontPage component if you want
it to be automatic.

Also, the DTC seems to include the outer HTML comments automatically,
but I don't know if the add-in does it too (I'm afraid all of this is
by hand).

You would even use the comments with an add-in. The beauty of an add-in in
some areas (such as my Spawn add-in) is that the user can modify the code as
they wish and it won't be changed back. That's one of the frustrations
people have with FrontPage components.

 

[Ignacio Renuncio]

Hi again Jim,

The problem is becoming clearer:

Discarding the other options because of being inadequate, I can use
the usual "bots" or DTCs. The difference is that DTCs are special
ActiveX controls for design-time, and they are not exclusive for FP,
instead they can be shared or embedded in other authoring
environments.

Some old links (dated 1997!!) regarding DTCs:
http://www.microsoft.com/mind/0397/preview0397.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/mind/0697/designtime/designtime.asp

The main problem here is that DTCs remain almost completely unused,
although it seems to be an evolution of the Bot model. The only
environment that used them extensively was Visual InterDev (and it
does not exist nowadays).

....So I think I'll use the old "bot" mechanism to write the
components.

I think a save-time FrontPage component (sorry, didn't mean Web component)
would be the best option by far. FrontPage already includes several such
components, and they do not require FrontPage Server Extensions or a Web
server at browse-time.

Now about bots:

I've tried a client-side bot with BTL but the MS documentation is not
very clear. It has a sample on how to build a bot using VC++5.0 but
I'd like to use VB6 or .NET for the task.

It doesn't clarify HOW can be created a bot that needs no
client-dll-download nor FPSE. My clues take me to the INF file:

[info]
list=Cvk1
clientarchitectures=All
vendor=Coverlink
contact=http://www.coverlink.com
version=0.3
clientbinding=BTL
clientmodule=cvk1.btl

[Cvk1]
name=Componente Cvk1
description=Componente Cvk1 de prueba
type=insert

It seems that a client-only component will have no server binding,
only client binding, but I can only specify a DLL as the client
module, so I have to choose between a BTL and a DLL. Is it true?

Choosing the BTL works and I can activate the bot and change its
parameters, but I don't know how to generate HTML output using them.
Where do I put that code?? Am I restricted to HTML and Javascript
using the BTL?

If I use a DLL... I've found a sample in the FPSDK called vbbot that
seems to implement a bot that hooks to ActiveX components developed in
VB. Is it what I need?


Thank you very much (again).

 

[Jim Cheshire]

Yes, you need the vbbot sample. If memory serves, that sample explains why
you cannot natively create a bot without using VC++. There is no ability to
create bots with any Common Language Runtime language.

FWIW, InterDev did have a few DTCs, but I've not encountered anyone serious
about their work who used them. The architecture is antiquated.

--
Jim Cheshire
Jimco
http://www.jimcoaddins.com
================================
Author of Special Edition
Using Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003
5 Stars on Amazon and B&N
================================
The opinions expressed by me in the
newsgroups are my own opinions and
are in no way associated with my
employer or any other party. Jimco is
not associated in any way with any other
entity.

Hi again Jim,

The problem is becoming clearer:

Discarding the other options because of being inadequate, I can use
the usual "bots" or DTCs. The difference is that DTCs are special
ActiveX controls for design-time, and they are not exclusive for FP,
instead they can be shared or embedded in other authoring
environments.

Some old links (dated 1997!!) regarding DTCs:
http://www.microsoft.com/mind/0397/preview0397.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/mind/0697/designtime/designtime.asp

The main problem here is that DTCs remain almost completely unused,
although it seems to be an evolution of the Bot model. The only
environment that used them extensively was Visual InterDev (and it
does not exist nowadays).

...So I think I'll use the old "bot" mechanism to write the
components.

I think a save-time FrontPage component (sorry, didn't mean Web component)
would be the best option by far. FrontPage already includes several such
components, and they do not require FrontPage Server Extensions or a Web
server at browse-time.

Now about bots:

I've tried a client-side bot with BTL but the MS documentation is not
very clear. It has a sample on how to build a bot using VC++5.0 but
I'd like to use VB6 or .NET for the task.

It doesn't clarify HOW can be created a bot that needs no
client-dll-download nor FPSE. My clues take me to the INF file:

[info]
list=Cvk1
clientarchitectures=All
vendor=Coverlink
contact=http://www.coverlink.com
version=0.3
clientbinding=BTL
clientmodule=cvk1.btl

[Cvk1]
name=Componente Cvk1
description=Componente Cvk1 de prueba
type=insert

It seems that a client-only component will have no server binding,
only client binding, but I can only specify a DLL as the client
module, so I have to choose between a BTL and a DLL. Is it true?

Choosing the BTL works and I can activate the bot and change its
parameters, but I don't know how to generate HTML output using them.
Where do I put that code?? Am I restricted to HTML and Javascript
using the BTL?

If I use a DLL... I've found a sample in the FPSDK called vbbot that
seems to implement a bot that hooks to ActiveX components developed in
VB. Is it what I need?


Thank you very much (again).