Web Master Advanced CSS and Templating Questions

Q Can Abila provide me 'testing area' where I can design the netFORUM templates and create my new pages while leaving my current Web site active?

A. Our clients have the ability to purchase a Sand Box Site for a fee in order to perform testing of this kind. However, you may just wish to create your pages through an external editor and then cut/paste them into the Content Editor of the Web Site Editor in The Web Site Module once finished with your editing instead. Since our site is not a ”r;hosted” Web Site, there is no folder/file-manager structure that can be used in this way.

Q. I see that I can upload a CSS style sheet to define the netFORUM pages. If I set-up a new page and a staff member wants to edit its content when they use the WYSIWYG Web Site Editor, will they see the list of styles to choose from, or will they have to work at the HTML level?

A. CSS files can be uploaded, however there can only be one CSS per Client Web Site uploaded through the Web Site Editor. The list of Themes that can be chosen in the Themes tab will only display our baseline Theme Templates. Any custom CSS will not show as additional Themes in this list. Our clients need to be sure that when working in the Web Site Editor, they have selected the theme that will be further adjusted by the CSS file that is uploaded. Changing the Theme in the Theme tab of the Web Site Editor will change the look and feel of the Web Site, per the Theme chosen.

Q. I have designed my site with a table-based template. Can that entire template be uploaded to define the Netforum pages, or am I limited to the choices in your layout and theme tabs?

A. Once again, because the site that is created is through the netFORUM Pro applications and is not hosted, Custom Templates cannot be uploaded. The Web Site is limited to the baseline Themes and any adjustments made to them through the CSS and JS files that are uploaded. The Custom CSS and Custom JS files can assist with creating the same look and feel to the Customer Web Site.

Q. Is there a place where I can view the actual files of my site in their entirety -- such as c-panel?

A. There is no ”r;File-Manager” area in the application to view the entire files. The Web Site Editor does have a Content Editor which will list all of the different sections and pages within the Customer Web Site for each entity, however this does not give full access to the entire file for each page. In the Content Area, clients can edit the content of the pages listed, however, any forms that are built into these pages cannot be edited. Also, any pages listed in Grey instead of Black are locked and cannot be edited at all.

Q. What DOCTYPE does netFORUM use?

A. eWeb <!DOCTYPE html> has been changed from HTML4 to HTML5. HTML5 improves interoperability and reduces development costs by making precise rules on how to handle all HTML elements and how to recover from errors. For more information on HTML5 and the differences between 4 and 5, visit the following links:

HTML5 Tag Reference
HTML5 Differences from HTML4

Q. What is the difference between Div Tag and Table Formatting?

A. eWeb now supports Div Tag formatting vs. Table Formatting. Corresponding themes may be picked that support each type. Each type of formatting will have its own advantages and disadvantages that your Web designer must choose between. For example, some designers may prefer Div Tag formatting for the ease of placing components inside of blocks/components that are controlled through style sheets without the need to modify the actual HTML whereas sites with many lists may prefer table formatting where content is very fixed.

The themes that are supported by each format type are not compatible with each other. When a format type is selected, only those themes available for that type of layout will be available to prevent such conflicts. Currently, only three new themes are available for Div Tag formatting. They are:

New Red
New Blue
New Grey Green

The new Div Tag based layouts also take advantage of the newest standards in Web development - HTML5 and CSS3. However, this also means they are also only compatible with the newest Web browsers with regard to some functionality such as rounded corners and drop corners. The older browsers should render your site on the whole just fine however.

Q. What is jQuery?

A. The JavaScript library jQuery has been added to eWeb. jQuery is a fast and concise JavaScript library that simplifies HTML document traversing, event handling, animating, and, further, provides Ajax interactions for rapid Web development. jQuery provides functionality to netFORUM that does not currently exist from simple improvements, such as correct field highlights on eWeb forms, to more difficult functionality updates. For more information, view http://jquery.com/

Q. Is there training available for the Web Site Editor?

A. It is recommended that all clients that are going to begin working with the Web Site Editor for their Customer Web Site watch the Web Site Editor video. This video is a one-hour walkthrough of the Web Site Editor and will give a better idea of the capabilities and limitations that they will be working with when a Customer Web Site is created through the netFORUM Pro applications.

To access the video:

Navigate Web Site > Overview > Training Videos.
Click the Website Application Use tab.
On the tab, click on Web Site - Web Editor Functionality.