Web Design HTML Editor

Learn More about WebDesign with these FAQs

The following is a list of the most frequently asked questions by our users. It is a good idea to read the list of questions to see if they can answer your question before sending an email to Rage Software. This ensures that you are able to get an answer to your question as quickly as possible. If you can not find an answer here, send an email to Rage Software support at support@ragesw.com for a prompt reply.

General Questions Getting Started Using WebDesign Working with Web Pages Purchasing Information Upgrading From Version 1.x-2.x

General Questions

What is WebDesign?

WebDesign is a professional web authoring package offering a powerful and easy to use text editor combined with a fully featured Site Manager to help keep your web sites up to date and organized. WebDesign includes built in support for HTML, XHTML, Cascading Style Sheets, PHP, JavaScript, ASP, XML and VBScript. WebDesign was designed with flexibility in mind with its extensibility plug-in architecture. There are already dozens of free add-ons available for WebDesign users on the WebDesign Resources Web Site.

Edit files locally or remotely using WebDesign's built in FTP Client. Keep your web sites up to date and organized with WebDesign's Site Manager. Use WebDesign Includes to allow customization of an entire site by editing one file.

WebDesign's text editor includes many unique features making web authoring a whole lot easier. Including full customizable syntax coloring to make writing code so much easier. Line numbers, auto indenting, soft wrapping options and more allow web developers to keep there code error free, organized and readable.

When you're finished developing or editing your web page, run it through WebDesign's HTML syntax checker and optimizer to get the best performance out of your HTML code. Preview your web site in any browser, check your spelling then upload it to your FTP server all from within WebDesign.

What Operating System is WebDesign compatible with?

WebDesign is built for Mac OS X 10.2 and Mac OS X 10.3. It may be compatible with Mac OS X 10.1 but it is not tested.

The classic version of WebDesign is built for Mac OS 9.x. It may be compatible with OS X 8.6 but it has not been fully tested.

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Getting Started

Do I need to know HTML to use WebDesign?

When you begin to use WebDesign, it is not necessary to be fully familiar with the HTML standards. The WebDesign Manual provides a brief overview of HTML and the document structure. It also provides links for further reading so that you can begin to become familiar with all the HTML tags and attributes.

WebDesign's built in HTML wizards and attribute editor reduce the amount of HTML knowledge that you need to know to begin developing web pages. These features will help you generate HTML tags without knowing the specific syntax.

Will WebDesign help me learn HTML?

As you work with HTML documents you will most definitely begin to pick up on the HTML language. WebDesign allows you to learn from the generated code provided by the HTML wizards as well as provides an attribute editor which will help you quickly become familiar with the attributes that belong to specific HTML tags.

As you use WebDesign, you will quickly pick up on the HTML document structure and how web browsers render your web pages using WebDesign's preview features.

Where can I learn to write HTML code?

WebDesign's user manual provides a brief overview of HTML and it's document structure. It will help get you started on creating your first home page. The WebDesign user manual also provides links to Internet resources which explain in more detail how to write HTML code and what each HTML tag and tag attribute is used for. You can also access these Internet resources by going to the Help menu within WebDesign.

Rage Software has partnered with westciv to provide WebDesign users with a complete, hands on tutorial to help you get started with HTML, XHTML and more specifically add appealing styles to your web site with Cascading Style Sheets.

You can view a sample of the tutorial at http://www.westciv.com.

Separately, WebDesign along with the HTML, XHTML and CSS tutorial would cost $59.95 US. You can purchase both WebDesign and the hands on tutorial for just $49.95 US a 20% savings. Visit the secure Rage Software store to purchase the bundle online, by mail, email, check or cash.

What is XHTML?

HTML is the most common language used today to develop web sites. Although for the most part, it is sufficient enough for most web developers and will display correctly in the most popular browsers, HTML does have its share of drawbacks. XHTML (Extensible Hyper Text Markup Language) was developed to correct everything that is wrong with HTML. XHTML is set out to replace HTML and be used as the default language for developing web sites.

As the internet expands, people are able to access web sites from handheld devices such as PDA's and cell phones. These devices do not have the resources to render documents using bad HTML. Therefore XHTML is a stricter and cleaner version of HTML which allows web browsers to more easily render web pages since they must follow specific rules. XHTML is almost identical to HTML 4.01 as it uses the same tags and attributes but many syntax rules apply to XHTML documents which you do not have to worry about when writing HTML code.

XHTML was designed to be backwards compatible so that you can begin to write all your web sites in XHTML and have them work in both new devices as well as older web browsers.

Can I import web pages created in another html editor?

Since all HTML files are regular text documents, you can not only open HTML files created by third party HTML editors, you can also open files created in WebDesign within other HTML editors.

However, if you are opening files that were transfered from other operating systems, make sure you have the 'Convert Unix Returns to Mac' and 'Convert Windows Returns to Mac' options enabled under the 'Document' tab in the Preferences window. Other operating systems use different characters to separate lines. These options will convert these characters to their equivalent on the Mac so that they can be displayed correctly.

How does WebDesign compare with Dreamweaver and Golive or other WYSIWYG HTML Editors?

WebDesign is not like Dreamweaver or Golive in the sense that it will let you visually build an entire web site without touching the HTML source code. WebDesign gives you access to your source code so that you have full control of your web site, while providing Code Wizards to help you generate the necessary code for different HTML elements. You can add images, links, forms and even image maps without writing any HTML, but you do need to have an understanding of the HTML syntax to use WebDesign. Fortunately WebDesign makes this really easy with its Integrated HTML references, Attribute Editor and live side by side page previews. See WebDesign in action to see how it works before downloading.

See why WebDesign is so much better than Auto HTML generators like GoLive, Dreamweaver and any other WYSIWYG HTML Editor and how it can help you create standard based, fast loading web sites that are compatible with all web browsers and operating systems.

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Using WebDesign

Can I change the way webdesign colors my code?

WebDesign's syntax coloring is fully customizable. WebDesign works with Document Modes. There is a separate Document Mode for each supported language. That is, one for HTML, one for XHTML, on for PHP and so on. Each Document Mode contains its own editor settings so that working with each language is convenient (default Document Modes are set based on the file extension of the file your are opening. They can be switched between while editing). Each Document Mode contains it's own syntax file which defines how WebDesign colors your code when using the particular Document Mode. The Syntax Files are xml documents stored in the Support Folder->Syntax Files. They can be edited in WebDesign by double clicking them in the Finder. The WebDesign user manual describes their format in detail and how to properly edit them.

How come after changing the settings in the preferences dialog, my current documents don't update?

The editor settings in the preferences dialog will only affect newly created or opened documents after the settings are saved. If you would like to change the settings for an already opened document, open the 'Document Settings' dialog under the Edit menu or use the Editor Options (the button with the A icon) button at the top of the editor window.

How come enabling tabs in WebDesign's editor turns show invisible characters off?

Currently tabs and show invisible characters can not be enabled at the same time. This is a known issue and we are working on resolving it for a future release of WebDesign.

Why does the FTP client report an error when connecting or not even connect at all?

WebDesign's FTP Client is compatible with almost all standard FTP servers. However, some servers may not be fully compatible with WebDesign's FTP Client. With the release of WebDesign 2.6, the FTP client now supports many more servers. If you encounter a problem when connecting, make sure your login information is correct including your server, login name and password.

If you are still having problems connecting, check the "use passive mode" option in the 'Internet' tab of the Preferences and insure that your internet connection is working and is not being interfered with by other applications or appliances such as a phone if you are on a dialup connection.

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Working with Web Pages

How come characters such as È don't show up properly in some browsers?

When using special characters with an ascii value greater the 127, they may not show up correctly in different browsers or on different operating systems. This is why it is recommended to convert these special characters to their HTML entity value. WebDesign provides many features to reduce the amount of memorization required to remember the entity values for different characters as well as makes it very easy to enter characters with high ascii values.

WebDesign's HTML Entities window will list all available special characters that can be used in your web page. They can be entered using their entity name, entity decimal value or entity hexadecimal value by selecting the input method from the pop up window. The Entities window can be accessed under the 'Windows Menu'.

WebDesign can automatically convert special characters when they are typed in your document to their entity name, entity decimal value or entity hexadecimal value. You can use this feature by enabling it under the 'Application' tab in the Preferences window.

WebDesign can convert your entire document from regular text to HTML Entities and to IS0-8859-1 and back. You can access these conversion features in the 'Text' menu under the Convert submenu.

How can I see what my web site look likes while working on it?

Before being able to preview your documents you must add browsers to the Open In Applications list. Open the preferences window and click the 'Internet' Tab. Then click the 'Add' button to add web browsers to the list. Save your preferences and you are now ready to start previewing your documents.

While working with your web site you may click the 'Preview' button (third button from the top with the globe icon) or go to File->Open In and select the web browser you want to preview your page in. If you select 'WebDesign Preview' your document can be previewed with WebDesign's preview features. In Mac OS X 10.2 or later you can have side by side previews. In OS 10.1 and OS 9, WebDesign will switch to preview mode within the main editor window.

(note: WebDesign's preview feature uses Apple's HTMLRenderingLib on OS 9 and OS X 10.1 which does not support the latest in web technologies. Some pages may not show up correctly in WebDesign's preview mode. However, in OS X 10.2 and later it used the exact same rendering as Safari.)

It is recommended that you save your document before previewing so that images and other code using relative paths show up correctly. WebDesign can automatically save your document before previewing by setting this option in the 'Application' tab in the Preferences.

How do I get my web site online?

The first step to getting your web site online is to register a domain name such as http://www.ragesw.com. The first thing to do when deciding on a domain name is to visit a web site such as http://www.checkdomain.com to make sure that your domain name is available.

Once you have decided on a domain name that is available to use, you must purchase the rights to it. Most commonly, domain names are purchased for 1 or more years. Prices for domain names can vary from $15US-$30US or more depending on the type of domain you want (.com, .org .net). To register a domain name you can visit http://www.infinityws.com which offers both domain name registration and many other features which are required to get your web site online.

Once your domain name is registered you must still find an appropriate hosting company to get your web site online. A hosting company such as http://www.infinityws.com, offer many services and features to getting your web site online quickly and easily. Typically you should be spending $10US-$30US or more per month depending on the amount of features you need. Fortunately, with your purchase of WebDesign you get ONE YEAR FREE of web hosting with http://www.infinityws.com, so you do not even have to worry about these costs. Visit http://www.infinityws.com to learn more about the services offered as well as discounts available to WebDesign users.

Your Internet provider may provide you with a hosting plan. You can check with them to see what they offer

Once you have a hosting company, you will be provided with login information for your FTP Server from your hosting provider. With the login information that you are provided you can use WebDesign's FTP Client to upload your web pages to your server.

Why doesn't the syntax checker find all errors?

WebDesign's syntax checker is not a fully featured syntax checker. It will only report illegal HTML Tags, attributes and attribute values as well as tags with two many quotes and that contain illegal characters.

You should use the HTML/XHTML validator at http://validator.w3.org/ for a more complete check.

I have many FTP accounts. Can WebDesign store my login details for me?

WebDesign can store login information for as many FTP servers as you want so that you do not need to re-enter this information each time you want to connect to one of your servers.

To add, remove, or edit FTP servers go to the 'Internet' tab in the Preferences dialog and click the 'Edit Bookmarks' button. You can also edit your FTP bookmarks within the FTP Client.

Why can't I change the default extension for my document when saving?

In Mac OS X Apple now recommends using file extensions to specify the type of file a document is. When using WebDesign, your file extension will be automatically set for your document depending on the current editor mode you are using (configurable in the 'Edit Modes' tab of the Preferences). Unfortunately, due to the way Mac OS X is designed, you can not change the file extension in the Save As dialog.

WebDesign does, however, provide a few workarounds for this problem. If you are working in text mode, WebDesign will not give your document a file extension so you will be able to add an extension when you save the file. It also lets you specify the default extension for documents when working in each mode. You can change the default extensions used in the 'Edit Modes' of the Preferences window. If you leave one of the fields blank, no extension will be used and you will be able to specify a file extension each time you save your document.

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Purchasing Information

Who should purchase WebDesign?

WebDesign is suitable for the beginner working on their first homepage and wanting to learn about HTML and web development all the way up to the professional web master in need of direct access to their web site code and an organized site management tool.

WebDesign was built with extensibility in mind. Therefore users can always expand and add features of their own including customized syntax coloring, plug-ins and Language Extensions. In fact, you can find dozens of free add-ons and enhancements on the WebDesign Resources Website.

Adding functionality to WebDesign is easy with the visual plug-in development environment. No prior programming skills are necessary.

If you want to make sure WebDesign will suite your needs you can download the 21 launch, fully functional trial version.

How much does webdesign cost?

A single user license for WebDesign costs $29.95US. You can order a license safely and securely online at http://www.ragesw.com/onlinestore.php.

We also offer competitive upgrade offers from other Mac OS X HTML Editor for just $20.95 US. Volume and academic discount are also available. Visit the Rage Software online store for further details.

Do you offer academic pricing?

Yes. You can purchase a single license to WebDesign for $20.95 US if you meet the following criteria below. Volume academic prices are also available from the Rage Software Online Store at http://www.ragesw.com/onlinestore.php. The following discounts are available at the following rates;

Please note: in order to enhance the learning experience of students, Rage Software offers packages to help fit school budgets. Email sales@ragesw.com for more information.

Students, faculty members and staff members of accredited educational institutions qualify for academic discounts. Proof of academic status is required in any of the following forms:

If you are providing proof using your email address, your email address must also clearly show your name. When purchasing an academic license, you may not use WebDesign to create commercial web sites or web sites for profit. Volume discounts are available for academic licenses.

Do you offer volume discounts?

Volume discount are available at the following rates;

I've already placed my order. Where is my serial number?

After placing your order you should receive a payment confirmation email shortly after. Your serial number is contained in the 'Order Summary' section of this email.

Where do I enter my serial number?

To enter your serial number go to the Apple Menu (OS 9) or the Application Menu (OS X) in the upper left corner and select 'Enter Registration Number'. A new dialog will open asking for your registration number. It is important to remember that if you did not receive a license code that you leave this field blank. It is only provided for users who were issued an old serial number.

My serial number is not being accepted.

Make sure that there are no extra characters including spaces in the serial number field. It is best to copy and paste the serial number to ensure that it is entered correctly. Make sure that if you did not receive a license code that you leave the license code field blank.

If you purchased an upgrade from version 1.x to 2.x, make sure you enter your version 1.x serial number correctly in the 1.x serial number field. Also, make sure your upgrade serial number is entered correctly in the appropriate field.

Does WebDesign ship on any physical media (i.e. CD-ROM)?

Not at this time. Currently, WebDesign, along with all of Rage Software's other products, can be downloaded from the products page at http://www.ragesw.com/products.php

What does the ONE YEAR FREE of Web Hosting include?

With your purchase of WebDesign you get ONE YEAR FREE of personal web hosting with infinity Web Services. You get 25MB of disk space, 500MB/month of bandwidth, 2 email addresses, 1 MySQL database, *PLUS* CPANEL 9 Control Panel for managing your entire web site with online email, web stats, raw access logs and so much more. You also get Spam filters, .htaccess, Custom Error pages, 30+ popular scripts FREE from Fantastico including message boards, blogs, mailing lists, and live customer support to name just a few. Infinity Web Services also offers a largely discounted upgrade package if you need a little more power for your web site which includes 125MB/month of disk space and 5000MB/month of data transfers. Visit http://www.infinity.com/freehosting.php for more details on what comes with your FREE package...

Got Any Questions? Post them on our FREE online discussion forum.

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Upgrading From Version 1.x to 2.x

Why do I have to pay for an upgrade from version 1.x to 2.x?

Since WebDesign 1.x was released in June of 2000, Rage Software has provided over a dozen free updates offering many new and exciting features including support for a variety of web languages, site management tools, better HTML tools and features to help work with code as well as many other features that have helped benefit all web developers.

To continue producing quality software to meet the needs of our consumers, Rage Software must generate a revenue through paid upgrades. Of course, you do not need to upgrade if you do not choose to, but Rage Software feels that the features and benefits of WebDesign 2.0 will surely convince you that the upgrade offer is reasonable and the enhancements added to WebDesign will greatly benefit all users.

Furthermore, Rage Software understands that not everybody got the full use of WebDesign since version 1.0. That is why a free upgrade period has been set up for users who purchased WebDesign 1.x after a certain date. See below for further details.

I just recently purchased WebDesign 1.x. Do you offer a grace period for short-term users?

Yes. If you placed your order for WebDesign after October 1, 2002, then you are entitled to a free upgrade from version 1.x to 2.x. If you purchased after this date, you should have received a free upgrade serial number to the email you supplied when you placed your order. If you did not receive a free upgrade serial number you can send an email to sales@ragesw.com for a prompt reply containing your free upgrade serial number.

Please remember that you must have a previously registered version of WebDesign 1.x on your computer to enter this upgrade serial number. If you do not have your 1.x serial number or you have misplaced it, please see the answer to question 6.4 below.

How come my upgrade serial number does not work?

Your upgrade serial number will only work if you have a previously registered version of WebDesign 1.x on your computer. If you do not, WebDesign 2.x will allow you to re-enter your 1.x serial number in the Register Dialog so that you do not need to actually have any previous version of WebDesign.

If a previous version is registered on your computer, WebDesign will fill in the necessary fields for you so that you only need to enter your email and upgrade serial number.

What if I do not have or lost my 1.x serial number?

It is a good idea to keep both a printed and electronic copy of your serial number somewhere on your computer. This insures that in the event that you must re-register WebDesign, you can quickly do so without any hassle.

However, in the case that you have misplaced your serial numbers there are a number of ways that you can obtain it before sending an email to Rage Software. This insures that you get your serial number instantly and do not have to wait for a reply from Rage.

If you placed your order through eSellerate.net, visit http://store.esellerate.net/support/ to get your registration number emailed to you immediately. Otherwise, if your order was placed through Kagi, visit http://info.kagi.com/.

If you still can not located your serial number you may send an email to sales@ragesw.com. Please provide as much information as possible including the Product Name, Name and Email used when purchasing and any other relevant information.

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