Copyright: Migrate ©V Communications, Inc., 2002
Citation: ©V Communications, Inc., 2002


Migrate to Web Easy 4.x

This document explains the issues and implications for upgrading your Web Easy 1.0  – 1.4 program to the new and much more powerful Web Easy 4.x.

Introduction to Web Easy 4.x

New Features

The install program provides three options:

1.	Uninstall 1.x and install 4.x

2.	Migrate from 1.x to 4.x

3.	Keep 1.x and install 4.x

The following pages provide detailed instructions about migration implications:

How to migrate from Web Easy (1.0 - 1.4) to Web Easy 4.x

How to fix old Web Sites after migrating to Web Easy 4.x

How to create an archive from a Web Site document

Tips & Troubleshooting

How to obtain support

How to contact V Communications, Inc.


Introduction

Congratulations!  With the new Web Easy 4.x, web site creation has become even easier, with powerful new features and an intuitive software interface.

Web Easy 4.x reflects all the best features of the older program, while careful attention to Internet specialists and customer feedback has eliminated weaknesses, resulting in a powerful new product incorporating many new Internet technologies which have emerged since the release of Web Easy 1.

Web Easy 4.x is

•	easy to use

•	fast and creative

•	made as a complete studio for rich Web Site development

•	feature-rich, adopting new Internet technologies

•	stable across browser platforms, generating compatible HTML code for IE and Netscape

Typical Internet users will find their knowledge of the Internet and its technologies increasing as they use Web Easy, while advanced Web designers will find most of their requirements met using some of the more powerful features of the program.

Web Easy expands the horizons of Internet  technology by promoting the use of HTML documents on Intranets, creating powerful presentations which can be used in a similar way to several well known proprietary programs, but at a fraction of their cost.

While the first impression of Web Easy 4.x is the simplicity of the interface, suiting the special needs of families, the product is sufficiently powerful and flexible to support the requirements of small businesses on the Internet.


New Features in Version 4.x

Version 4.x introduces many improvements and exciting new features, including:

1	Task based interface

The interface is a continuation of the previous user-friendly design.

The Task Bar on the left pane provides a set of intuitive icons which cover all the steps required to complete the task of Web site creation:

•	 creating the document

•	 generating Internet Sites

•	 publishing on Internet

Advanced features and procedures are accessed in dedicated sections or available through the Right Mouse Button Menu.

2	Task sensitive Tool Bar

The Editing procedure has been divided into functions so that appropriate tools are available on the toolbar for each task. Functions which were not easily accessible in the previous version are now available with just a mouse click, for example, re-editing the text.

3	Powerful Dialogs

New dialog windows have been introduced to support more complicated operations, for example, cropping the image.

4	Texture and gradient

All shapes (boxes and ovals, etc) or text letters can now be filled with rotatable color gradients or textures from other images for highly creative graphic designs.

5	Horizontal and vertical text aligning

Powerful alignment, fit and spacing options allow text items to be fitted accurately to available space for proper display by the Internet Browser.

6	Shadows

(only available in Web Easy Professional and later)

Applying the shadow effect to text or other objects adds a fantastic 3-D relief to an otherwise flat design.

7	Free image rotate

Images can be rotated to any angle. This effect is generally not recommended for Web Design but Post Cards can look great with appropriate combinations of straight and rotated images.

8	Page Title

Each page can have a separate title. The title text will be visible in the Internet Browser, and may be accessed by Search engines after the site is published. The page title can now be used as a link destination, rather than using the page number, preserving links when other pages in the document are added or removed. Previous versions had hard-coded links to page number. This could cause problems if pages were added or removed. Web Easy 4.x provides relative links to the destination page title, so that links will be preserved, for example when pages are arranged in a different order.

9	Insert Shape

(only available in Web Easy Professional and later)

Insert Shape is a powerful tool that allows you to place on the page one or more objects, already arranged and even equipped with effects or a script. The user can easily extend the list of available shapes by saving an album as a template and placing frequently used elements on the page by one click.

The categories list also contains dynamic shapes, which define elements such as links to all pages or HTML Forms elements.

10	Locking for editing

This procedure allows selected objects to be locked to prevent accidental changes during later editing. It is especially useful for creating templates where some objects will be used consistently without change and other elements (text or images) will be added to the page as the design requires.

11	Animation by path

Any path, any animation! No scripting required. Timeline tables (which can be confusing for first time users) are not required. The method uses easy to understand numbers and predefined paths.

12	Object transition

Most Internet browsers support mouse actions (such as rollovers) on images and text. Web Easy can generate the Java Script to access all these features in the Internet browser (no programming required!).

13	Generating Animated GIF

(only available in Web Easy Professional and later)

These popular components used on many Web Sites on the Internet can be now generated from Web Easy by one click. Of course the user has to provide the images and design but the process of creating the multi-page document for animation is NOT DIFFERENT to creating a Web Site.

14	DHTML in use

No more problems with overlapped images and text! All objects are exported to the appropriate format (such as DHTML) to avoid conversion of text to images. There are also other reasons for using DHTML. See the On-line Help system for further information

15	Cascading Style Sheets

Export into DHTML using CSS to generate the HTML code makes pages easy to maintain, with many new features available.

16	Frames in DHTML export

Modern Web Sites often use Frames for split pages or to simplify extensive navigation within a site. Web Easy now supports a very easy way to build frames-based sites without the user even knowing about it. Simply choose the style: split with the last page or center on the screen.

17	Support of HTML Forms

Web Easy can help developers to create Web sites using forms. These advanced web site elements are essential for corporate sites, but can also be used for simpler requirements, as shown by examples from the Web Easy template.

18	VRML fun

(only available in Web Easy Professional and later)

Web site design does not necessarily have to be serious! Exporting documents to VRML code allows the user to explore this very exciting Internet technology. Create a Virtual Reality World using Web Easy with minimum knowledge and effort.

19	Cue Cards

First time users will appreciate this now-common feature—concise Help and advice focussed on the current selected operation. Even experienced users may find it useful. You may turn the Cue Card function off when you no longer require assistance.

20	Tutorial

The Tutorial has been re-designed for version 4.x. It is no longer simply a reproduction of the existing menu in graphical form (a requirement which is well represented by the Taskbar), but actually shows the first time user how to use the product step by step.

21	Building high quality presentations

There are demonstrations of the features of each of the three types of output that Web Easy provides (standard HTML, Dynamic HTML and VRML). To learn about this feature, use “Help/Tutorial/Learn…”. Web Easy is now able to generate high quality tutorials or presentations and the original documents are included to prove it! You will think of other uses for this feature, from training to point-of-sale presentations.

22	Capture sound assistant

Internet speed is increasing all the time and 56 k modems are now common, so it is possible to use larger files, say 50–300 kB (like audio) attached to the page. Adding voice or music is one of the possibilities to make your Web site more interesting. Web Easy now offers the tool to do this in place. You should be aware of bandwidth limitations when attaching large files. Making a presentation on CD-ROM has no such file-size limits, and is an even better vehicle for your multi-media presentation.

23	Scripting Assistant

(only available in Web Easy Professional and later)

For advanced users Web Easy now supports the process of expanding output code by user-scripting of the HTML tags. Border around the image? - no problem - just add "BORDER=2" to the script for the selected image and the appropriate HTML tag will be inserted correctly

Script Assistant also allows you to add automation using the endless variety of events controlled by Java Script (write your own, or download them from other sources). Java Script is also used in the process of creating HTML Forms, making a Site even more dynamic.

Finally, the highest level of the Scripting Assistant allows the user to replace objects by completely private HTML definitions in the reserved space.

24	Multimedia browser.

A new generation of the image, sound and movie browser is introduced with Web Easy 4.x. The browser is also an integral part of the Media Easy application using exactly the same thumbnail database, settings and interface.

25	Hide/Show objects.

Selected using the Right Mouse Button. In a really complicated design, such as for DHTML or VRML, where many objects are placed at the same position or overlapping, the Hide option allows you to temporarily remove from the design the objects that are not the subject of editing.

26	Dynamic Links

There are many companies on the Internet offering ready-to-use web site components such as:

•	news,

•	reports,

•	dynamic elements, gadgets, advertisements, etc

•	an affiliated program to sell products and services on the user's web site for a commission

•	building e-commerce solutions for small and medium size companies or even home users.

Web Easy now provides an easy way to include these services in personal or business web sites.


How to migrate from Version 1.x to 4.x

The installation procedure will ask the user to uninstall the old Web Easy 1.0–1.4 version. This is the recommended procedure, which can save about 80 MB of disk space If disk space is an issue, this may be the only choice in order to install the new version (about 60 MB). The old Web Sites can be maintained using the new program.

When the old version is uninstalled:

•	all old Web Site documents (*.WEB) from “\Sites” folder are moved into the Documents folder (“\Documents”)

•	all other files (especially images created by the user) will be moved into a new folder called “Old Web Easy Content” in the new version.

•	All previously copied (by installation) files are deleted—this is standard procedure for MS Windows® applications.

The user will see all old documents (Web Sites) in the new version when the “Open Document” dialog is opened by Menu/File/Open… (or Task Bar/Create/Open), together with the demonstration documents from the new version of the Web Easy 4.x.

A problem that can appear when using the old Web Sites is that some of the images may be missing when loaded into the new version of Web Easy. The reason is that the document is not self contained, so all resources such as images or sound files are kept on the user’s hard disk and only links to them are stored in the documents (in a similar manner to the way HTML documents have source definitions).

There is no problem when the image definition has a hard coded path (and the image still exists). This will be the case for images or other files created by the user for inclusion in previous documents. However, when the path is relative to the Web Easy folder—(which is the case for documents created from templates or using images supplied with the old version), the links must be re-established because these files will have been moved to a new location. This can be done automatically, or manually (see How to fix old Web Sites, below).

The format of the documents (previously called Web Sites) has not changed, but the preferable file extension now is .ALB (previously .WEB). Any previous document can be loaded into Web Easy 4.x and all definitions from the old design will work under the new version.

Information about the major differences:

OLD	NEW

Web Site design	Web Site (*.WEB)	Document (*.ALB)

Document’s Location	\Sites	\Documents

Texture’s Location	\Bakgrnds	\Textures

General Folder names	max 8 letters	no limits

Animation path	only straight line	free path


How to fix old web sites after upgrading

Once the old version has been uninstalled, and version 4.x has been installed, previous Web Sites may be re-loaded, edited and re-published.

When an old Web Site is loaded into the new version for the first time, it is necessary to update links to the images. The reason for this is that all previously installed files were removed by the uninstall process and all user files (images created by the user were moved into the new “Old Web Easy Content” folder and all old Web Site documents into the “Documents” folder. See How to migrate from version 1.x to 4.x

When an old (.WEB) document is opened the following Auto Repair message will be presented:

Some files required by your web site document are missing. Web Easy can automatically search for these files for you and repair your web site document.

Do you wish Web Easy to automatically repair your web site document?

Click Yes to auto repair your document  (Recommended).

Click No if you wish to manually find all missing files.

Click Cancel to open your document without repairing the missing files.

If you select YES the following locations are searched for the missing files:

(a) System folder of the new version of Web Easy (together with “Old Web Easy Content” but excluding specific folders such as \Documents, \Templates, \Hthm, \Vrml, \Temp

(b) CDROM (assuming you have the original disk 1.0 – 4.x)

\ixlaWE\System

\ixlaWE\typical

\Clipart

\Clipart1

If the file is still not found the following message appears:

Web Easy was not able to locate all missing files.

Do you wish to use Advanced Search to find these files?

If you select  “Yes” then the  “Find File” dialog will be opened to help you to locate the missing files. (This facility can be used whether or not the previous version has been upgraded).

Files may be missing (i.e., not found in the location indicated by the links in the document) because:

•	you have uninstalled the old version, which means deletion of the files that have been installed by old version (Demo Web Sites, Templates, photos, clipart, audio etc. 80-100Mb)

•	remaining files (those added by the user, such as Web Sites, imported photos, new clipart etc.) have been moved (all Web Sites to …\Documents and the rest into …\“Old Web Easy Content”)

•	files may have been deleted by the user.

To use the Find File dialog to locate your missing files:

•	choose the locations (check on):
 All Web Easy folders + Old Web Easy Content
 CD-ROM\System files on Web Easy Disk (new version recommended but the old one can also be used)

•	click on “Repair All”

The procedure will take no more than 2 minutes for a typical Web Site.

The Find File routine will search for an exact match to the file name specified and re-link the Web Site document. If you know of another folder containing the source files you should add this folder in the third check box.

The search commences from the top folder and continues through all sub-folders (recursion) so if an entire disc must be searched (for example “C:”) there is no reason to keep the first check box selected (because it will be visited twice).

When the Web Site document is finally open, the user should check (page by page) that all the images found are the proper ones and save the document (either save as .ALB – deleting the old one as recommended or as .WEB).

A disadvantage of this solution is that if images are sourced from the CD, the CD will be required when editing this site. To place the files on the hard disk the Archive function is recommended (see below).

Remember, images can always be replaced by drag-and-drop from the Browser.

Note for advanced users:

The Auto Repair function makes the following assumptions about file locations:

c:\Program Files\ Web Easy

\Old Web Easy Content

\Photos etc....

r:\CD-ROM\System files on ixla Web Easy Disk

\ixlaWE

\Clipart

\Clipart1 etc.

The user has no control over this and in most cases will not require it. “Auto Repair” is intended to be a “one click” simplified function. To have manual control over file locations use the “Advanced” function.


How to create an archive from a Web Site document

For users who choose to keep the old version (1.x) of Web Easy:

•	load the Web Site from the old version into Web Easy 4.x

•	go through all pages to check that all images are available

•	re-link the missing images (if necessary)

•	Select Save As  and choose “Archive” from combo box

•	Make a new (empty) folder for example Archives and save the document there.

The Archive format collects all resources required for the document and saves them in one place, together with the document. It allows you to move the entire design into the new environment without losing the images. Note that in some cases this option may make many copies of the same image if it is used in more than one document, and all are saved to the same Archive folder. Images should all have unique names to avoid possible conflicts.

Repeat the Archive process for all Web Sites that you wish to keep and maintain in the new version. The previous version can then be uninstalled and all residual files deleted manually (if no longer required.)


Tips & Troubleshooting

1.	Take care of your valuable images. Back them up to removable media if possible. If you delete them they cannot be recovered.

2.	Missing images are represented on the document page by a rectangle crossed with blue lines. Click on the right mouse button to see the “info”. When the name of the image is selected the “Find File” dialog will be opened to search for the selected item.

3.	If you have selected “Repair All” but the found images are wrong (perhaps because images of the same name exist in different folders):
Solution: Don’t save the document, close it and open it again. In the “Find File” dialog use the “Locate File” option to find all same name images and choose the correct one, using the preview window. If necessary, narrow the search area so that the correct images are picked up by the search procedure.

4.	To restore images manually, load the document, then drag-and-drop the images from the Browser to replace the missing images.

5.	Users of the old version should regenerate their Web Sites under the new version if they wish to continue maintaining the web pages (the structure is now slightly different, see \Local under old version and \html due to the package definition, and the Publish Assistant now works differently).

The new version offers better classification of images, with a consistent location structure and unique filenames. In some cases we have changed the names, format or location of the image. Below is a short list of the possible conflicts, in case the user has difficulty finding certain files.

Web Easy 1.4	Web Easy 4.x
\Bakgrnds\soft\b10090.gif	\Textures\Smooth\b10090.gif
\Bakgrnds\vertical\b10090.gif	\Textures\Vertical\b10090.gif
\Clipart\dividers\blue.GIF	\Clipart\Dividers\blue.GIF
\Clipart\buttons\rectangl\Blue.gif	\Clipart\Buttons\3D\OvBlue.gif
\Clipart\misc\blue.jpg	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\circle\blue.PNG	Clipart\Buttons\Circle\SphereBlue2.PNG
\FRAMES\dropshad\blue.png	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\circle\blwhbtn1.GIF	\Clipart\Buttons\Circle\blwhbtn1.PNG
\Clipart\buttons\misc\button.PNG	only on CD
\Clipart\artsuply\c10021.PNG	\Clipart\ArtSupply\c10021.PNG
\Clipart\househld\c10021.PNG	\Clipart\ArtSupply\c10021.PNG
\Clipart\dividers\c10029.gif	\Clipart\Dividers\c10029.gif
\Clipart\misc\c10029.PNG	\Clipart\Images\c10029.PNG
\Clipart\textban\c10090.PNG	\Clipart\Headers\c10090.PNG
\Clipart\balloon\c10090.WMF	\Clipart\Balloons\c10090.WMF
\Clipart\textban\c10091.PNG	\Clipart\Headers\c10091.PNG
\Clipart\balloon\c10091.WMF	\Clipart\Balloons\c10091.WMF
\Clipart\textban\c10092.PNG	\Clipart\Headers\c10092.PNG
\Clipart\balloon\c10092.WMF	\Clipart\Balloons\c10092.WMF
\Clipart\artsuply\c10160.PNG	\Clipart\Images\c10160.PNG
\Clipart\misc\circle.GIF	\Clipart\Borders\circle.GIF
\Clipart\buttons\misc\contact.PNG	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\text\contact.GIF	only on CD
\Clipart\misc\cvface1.PNG	\Clipart\Images\cvface1.png
\Clipart\misc\dotyellow.bmp	\Clipart\Dots\DotYellow.PNG
\Clipart\buttons\misc\email.jpg	\Clipart\Buttons\Icons\PlanetEmail.png
\Clipart\buttons\text\news.GIF	\Clipart\Buttons\Icons\RecNews.GIF
\Clipart\buttons\misc\news.jpg	\Clipart\Buttons\Icons\PlanetNews.png
\Clipart\misc\fgallery.PNG	\Clipart\Buttons\Oval\L_fgallery.PNG
\Clipart\buttons\text\fgallery.PNG	\Clipart\Headers\fgallery.PNG
\Clipart\misc\fhome.PNG	\Clipart\Buttons\Oval\L_fhome.PNG
\Clipart\buttons\text\fhome.PNG	\Clipart\Headers\fhome.PNG
\Clipart\buttons\misc\gallery.PNG	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\circle\green.PNG	\Clipart\Buttons\Circle\SphereGreen2.PNG
\Clipart\cars\hill.BMP	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\text\home.GIF	\Clipart\buttons\Icons\RecHome.GIF
\Clipart\buttons\misc\Home.gif	\Clipart\Icons\Home.GIF
\Clipart\misc\icon.jpg	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\text\me.GIF	\Clipart\Headers\CmeMe.PNG
\Clipart\buttons\oval\Orange.gif	\Clipart\Buttons\Oval\O_orange.gif
\Clipart\buttons\misc\phone.GIF	\Clipart\Icons\phone.gif
\Clipart\buttons\misc\Phone.png	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\oval\Red.gif	\Clipart\Buttons\Oval\O_red.gif
\Bakgrnds\plain\red.JPG	\Textures\Plain\reg.JPG
\Clipart\MISC\redbanner.jpg	\Clipart\Pannels\blockred.jpg
\Clipart\buttons\misc\Square.gif	only on CD
\Clipart\cars\stereo.BMP	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\misc\Street.PNG	only on CD
\Bakgrnds\fullsize\welcom.bmp	\Textures\Fullsize\welcom.gif
\Clipart\textban\Welcome.gif	only on CD
\Clipart\buttons\rectangl\Yellow.gif	\Clipart\buttons\3D\OvYellow.gif
Format for photos has been changed from bitmap (*.bmp) in the old version to *.jpg in the new version:

\Photos\*.bmp	\Photos\*.jpg
Note: To change formats from .bmp to .jpg you must use the manual Find File dialog. See How to fix old web sites


How to obtain support

If you are having problems with Web Easy, obtain free Technical Support via the Internet at http://www.v-com.com/support

Other contact details


How to contact V Communications Inc

If you have enjoyed this VCOM software, please contact us at http://www.v-com.com to find out about our latest products.

To contact VCOM, write to:

2290 North First Street,
Suite 101,
San Jose, California 95131

USA

Thank you for taking the time to use this product— we hope that you enjoy it!

Copyright  © 2002 V Communications, Inc.  All rights reserved.

VCOM is a trademark of V Communications, Inc.  All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.


Uninstall 1.x and install 4.x

Use this option if you want to lose your previous version but keep all your user files (web sites and images) in their existing directories. All files from your previous version will be deleted.

Version 4x will be installed in a new directory.


Migrate from 1.x to 4.x

Use this option if you want to uninstall 1.x and install 4x in its place (in the same folder). User files (images) from the previous version will be re-located in a new sub-folder called "Old Web Easy Content". Old Web Site documents will be moved to the …\Documents folder under the new version.


Keep 1.x and install 4.x

Use this option if you want to continue to maintain existing web sites from version 1.x, but create new websites using version 4x.

You can later use the Archive function to migrate your old sites to version 4x, and then uninstall the old version at a later time.