WebMatic 98 Lite from INTEREZ COMMUNICATIONS

Thank you for your interest in WebMatic 98 Lite from Interez Communications. 

This Readme file will help you get started in setting up your website.  
You may want to print this document to have it handy before beginning to 
use WebMatic 98.  

There is a more detailed set of instructions for the WebMatic 98 Lite
located at http://www.interez.com/section_two/lite_instructions.html.

Use of this "lite version" means you agree to use WebMatic 98 templates
to make web pages which include advertising banners and links to Interez Website.
Removal of the banner HTML code violates the license agreement... plus the
program won't use any other templates other than the ones generated with 
WebMatic 98 Template Designer.

Included in the WebMatic 98 is a collection of public domain images in each 
of the WebMatic 98 image directories to get you started  There are more images
available at http://help.interez.com.

The images were custom created for use with WebMatic 98 or collected 
from "public domain libraries".  If a copyrighted image was unintentinally 
included in this library is owned by third party and ownership can be 
proven, contact Interez Communications at webservices@interez.com for 
its immediate removal from our libraries.

Each one of the WebMatic 98 Lite programs includes full help files that will 
guide you through all the steps of creating your website.  Basically you 
setup your website, create templates with Template Designer, fill in the 
backbone of your website with Home-Sub Page Designer and create single 
webpages with Individual Page Designer.

The begin using WebMatic 98 Lite, follow these 5 steps:

	[1] Setup WebMatic 98 Sections with the CONTROL PANEL
	[2] Design Templates with WebMatic 98 TEMPLATE DESIGNER
	[3] Create Content with WebMatic 98 HOME-SUB PAGE DESIGNER
	[4] Create Individual Pages with INDIVIDUAL PAGE DESIGNER
	[5] Copy Files To Your Internet Provider's Web Server


There is a step by step tutorial of how to use WebMatic 98 at
http://help.interez.com.

For questions and help... send email to techhelp@interez.com

The WebMatic 98 suite of programs are designed to allow you the ability to 
experiment with how your webpages will look before you generate the final 
version.  

You should read the rest of this readme file to get a better grasp on how 
the programs are tied into each other.

 OVERVIEW

WebMatic 98 is an easy to use complete package of tools designed specifically for Microsoft Windows 95.  WebMatic 98 provides everything you need to create, edit, preview, publish and automate a World Wide Web Site.

With WebMatic 98, you do not need to learn HTML used to create web pages.  WebMatic 98 gives you "word-processor" style commands to build web pages hiding all HTML code is hidden from you allowing you to concentrate on the maintenance of your website.

To use WebMatic 98, it is recommended that you already having an active account with an Internet Provider and a web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.   You need this to check the "online" version of your website because the internal preview window cannot access the Internet to look at your website.  Without an Internet connection, you cannot publish your website on the World Wide Web.


   GETTING STARTED

Before you get started in cranking out web pages, you need to understand the basics of creating a website PLANNING, DESIGNING, CONTENT and PUBLISHING.  The key to creating a successful website is planning out in advance what information you wish to publish.  This information needs to be catalogued into sections of your website so that both you and your visitors can find the information they need.  Although great steps have been taken to make the WebMatic 98 interface easy to follow and understand, certain restrictions in HTML won't allow WebMatic 98 to take on the complete appearance of a word processor.

The underlying theory of operation of WebMatic 98 is the separation of the design of your website from the information you want to publish.  By using templates that you design with or without WebMatic 98 Template Design and entering content separately gives you great time-saving abilities.  Here is an example, you have created 20 web pages using just one template and you wish to alter the "look" of your entire website.  With most other web design packages, you have to open every single page and manually change all 20 pages taking at least all day long.  With WebMatic 98, all you have to do is apply the template and regenerate the 20 pages manually in just 15 minutes or automatically at any given time all by itself.

WebMatic 98 allows you to make any kind of page you wish without having to know the behind the scenes HTML coding.  As you create web pages, your "objects" such as text and images, are placed inside a larger container that allow you to work with groups of information as a single element.  You do have complete control over all of the little objects inside the container.  Add the fact that all content placed are web pages are set using a start and end date, gives you specific control to which content appears on which days allowing you to work ahead on your website if you desire.

Placing your web page online requires that you have a web hosting account with an Internet Provider.  There are many providers out there that do web hosting, the only question you need to ask is if they will allow you to FTP (File Transfer Protocol) your files.  WebMatic 98 does not need to have direct FTP access, but it does give you that much more control over your website allowing you to make changes when you need to.  If your Internet Provider does not allow you direct FTP access, it might be in your best interest to find another web hoster.  

AT NO TIME DOES WebMatic 98 TRANSFER YOUR USER NAME, PASSWORD OR ACCOUNT INFORMATION TO ANYONE OTHER THAN YOUR APPROVED INTERNET PROVIDER.  

  UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Before you begin using WebMatic 98, it might be good to get a little background of the World Wide Web.  This information is provided to gain a practical, not technical, understanding of the web.

What is the World Wide Web?

	The web is giant collection of computers on a network providing information to anyone with a computer and Internet access.  What makes the World Wide Web so cool is the actual HTML language itself.  HTML allows text, images, other programs and links to other places providing a very interactive interface.  The greatest advantage of the web is anyone can access your information at any time with or without you having to be there.

How does the Web work?

The web is made up of thousands of computers, routers and network connections all with individual addresses so one computer can talk directly with another.  When you access another's website online you are in physical contact with the remote computer not going through a central repository of information.  The URL (Universal Resource Locator) is a alphanumeric (letters and numbers) way of letting you remember website locations.  When you access Interez's website at www.interez.com, you are really access Internet address 198.081.225.12.  When you type in an URL, the browser accesses a central database and translates the real web address (198.081.225.12) from the URL (www.interez.com).

A website is really setup the same way that your hard drive is with directories holding files like your hard drive.  If you had a file named "C:\interez\images\back.gif", on the Internet, it would be placed in "interez/images/back.gif".  It's basically the same directory structure allowing you generate web pages on your local hard drive and then transfer those files to your remote website.

How do images work on the Web?

Many websites use images to provide a better look for the web page.  The main image formats for the web are GIF and JPEG.  Only these formats are supported with WebMatic 98.  If you are curious in which format to use where, remember one simple rule.  If the image is photo-realistic use JPEG, all other images should be GIFs.
  GETTING HELP WITH WebMatic 98 

	In addition to this printed manual, there is also online help by clicking any of the Help buttons in any of the WebMatic 98 programs.  There is also a Tip of the Day help system accessed by the Help menu item.

	Using the online help files, you can search for keywords for items you need help with.  To access the search feature, start the online help and click the Search button.

	Also, if you do not know what a particular button or box does, simply hold the mouse cursor still over a button and a small Tool Tip window will appear explaining what the item does.

 We also have a website dedicated to providing Tutorials, Frequently Asked Questions and Feedback forms to talk to our technical support team.  This website is located at http://help.interez.com.  
 
 SETTING UP WEBMATIC 98 

To setup WebMatic 98 to run your website, you'll need to enter some information to be used the creation and maintenance of your website.  These values are inputed and accessed through Program Defaults in the WebMatic 98 Control Panel.  In fact, you might want to have the Control Panel running on your computer while you enter this information to help you understand the information.

	The first value you need to enter is your website name.  This is usually your company name but can be whatever you want to call your website.  The Use Website Name As Default box should be checked.  You can read more about this option later in the manual.

	Next, WebMatic 98 needs to know the Internet address of your website, like www.interez.com.  This information is used to make sure all of your images and pages maintain their relationship to each other.  You do not need to put the http:// in front of your web address, WebMatic 98 does it for you.

	The Default Item Length is used in WebMatic 98 Home-Sub Page Designer to automatically calculate how many days an item will appear on your page.  The default value for this is 30 but you can change it to any number of days you want.  You can override this setting when you are entering new items.  This "number of days" setting is there to save you time.

	There are more settings on this page that will help you save time and maximize your web pages while you use WebMatic 98 which you can read about later in this manual.
 	Before you begin designing templates and adding content for your website, you need to take a minute to think about the structure of the website.  Below is a illustration showing the basic structure of the pages on your website.


 THE SECTIONS OF YOUR WEBSITE

To use a file cabinet as an example to describe your website, you have a file cabinet with 10 drawers that contains all of the documents(web pages) of your website.  The file cabinet is there to make it easier for both you and your web-visitors to navigate your website.  There are two types of pages that make up your website.  The MAIN HOME PAGE is the page that is first displayed when they come to your website, the SUB PAGE leads them into the sections of your website and the INDIVIDUAL PAGE contains the actual information they are looking for.

On the top of the file cabinet is a single page that your visitors will see first when they first try to look into your file cabinet.  This main page is called your Home Page.  Your home page can say anything you want it to say, but it is usually is kind of a table of contents for the parts of your website. 

Each one of the 10 drawers of your file cabinet is a section of your website.  On the outside of each drawer of your file cabinet is a section or Sub Page that lists all of the individual web pages that are in that cabinet drawer or section of your website. With WebMatic 98, the names your choose for your sections will be used as menu items on your pages to make navigation easier.

Inside each drawer are the individual pages of your website that are the "meat" of your website.  Note:  The Main Home Page and each Sub Page is actually named index.html on your hard drive and on the Internet.

Lets use a pro golf shop as an example the owner, Bob, wants to use his website to promote not only his custom fitted golf clubs, but also his golf carts, hard to find designer clothes and super "Go-Far" golf balls.  

Instead of having to remember "section 1" or "section 8", WebMatic 98 allows you to name the sections anything you want to make cataloging and navigation easier. You need to think carefully and decide what you are going to name your sections because you cannot easily change to the section names after you have started creating web pages.  In Bob's case, he names his sections CUSTOM GOLF CLUBS, GOLF CARTS, DESIGNER CLOTHES and GO-FAR GOLF BALLS. 


The next stpe is to create TEMPLATES with the WebMatic 98 TEMPLATE DESIGNER. 