I Don't Mean To Be A Pain, But....

[Winterchase]

Sorry if I ask too many questions, but how's a feller gonna learn?

Anyway, I've signed a few guest books, attaching my URL, only to have my comments turn up on the web later. Now I've got questions about that.

I take it that signing them produces credits for me by the crawlers, but, if I put one on my site for people to sign, what will it do for my site's ranking? "What'll it do for me?" (Man, that sounds so double zeros.)

Two, where do I find one to put up? I'm dyin' to know who's lookin' and maybe that way they'll tell me.

 

[SiteExpress]

Many times there will be a guestbook included in your hosting package. You would just have to access your "Control Panel" and install it.

I have never used this one, but it has good ratings, and it is free.

http://www.hotscripts.com/Detailed/52367.html

www.hotscripts.com has lots of things like that.

 

[Winterchase]

Uh?

Many times there will be a guestbook included in your hosting package. You would just have to access your "Control Panel" and install it.

I have never used this one, but it has good ratings, and it is free.

http://www.hotscripts.com/Detailed/52367.html

www.hotscripts.com has lots of things like that.

Ain't got no "hosting package," just a little 5MB home page that comes free with my account. My ISP is one of only two available. The other ISP is AhHell (AllTel), which, well, I won't say anything about because there might be bad language filters on the forum. I tell you this because I live in the boonies of North Georgia, and professional webmasters are hard to come by around here, and advice is extremely unreliable (and often just flat wrong). That's one reason I depend on you guys.

I tried the URL you suggested. The one that looked great is not taking new applications. The other one, Cool Guestbook, told me to paste HTML code on my site but when I did - I moved the site to the HTML mode before I did it - all it did was show the code, not the counter or other stuff. Trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong (on this, among other things). I'm using FrontPage.

P.S. There is a third ISP, but if they don't like what you're looking at, they cut you off. They reportedly read e-mails too, and there again they'll terminate your account.

 

[SiteExpress]

The problem may be with your host. There are certain things that have to be in installed on a server for most things to work properly. Example: If FrontPage extensions are not installed, many of the features of FrontPage will not work. Other things installed on servers help database programs function and so on. So, there may just be a problem like that on your "Free" host that will prevent you from using a lot of programs.

FrontPage has a guestbook in its default templates. If you have FrontPage extensions installed on your host, you can use it to make your guestbook. Here are the instructions.

1. On the File menu, click New.
2. In the New task pane, under New page, click More page templates.
3. On the General tab, double-click the Guest Book template.

The template inserts a form-based text area where visitors can type text.

4. Right-click the text area, and then click Form Field Properties.
5. In the TextArea Box Properties dialog box, modify the values to meet your requirements

Then upload.

**Note* This will not work if your using the ftp feature of FrontPage.


Hope it helps.

 

[StephanieCordray]

As a last resort alternative, you can use free services like Bravenet to host your guestbook. The reason I call it last resort is because they often require that you allow them to post ads on your site... ads for which they collect the revenues and it's at their discretion what kind of ads they are. Typically they lend a very unprofessional air to your site. Personally, I would go so far as to say that I'd rather not have one if that is my only option.

Most likely you won't have database capability with your 5MB space which will by default reduce your options significantly. SiteExpress has suggested the Frontpage guestbook which might be your best option if your site is allowed Frontpage extensions. That is not necessarily a given either. Check with your ISP before you invest in Frontpage, unless you already have it.

There are some cgi scripts available but I haven't dealt with those type scripts in a long while so I would have to dig hard to find some that would suit you. I have found php much easier to deal with. Others might have some suggestions. Good luck.

 

[SiteExpress]

Most php scripts are going to require you to have a database though. Odds are, you are probably out of luck with you current hosting situation.

You could always switch to an actual host

 

[StephanieCordray]

Most php scripts are going to require you to have a database though. Odds are, you are probably out of luck with you current hosting situation.

You could always switch to an actual host

Well, SE, there again not every hosting service will have databases available as a standard service. I do pro bono web design and maintenance for an organization who has hosting with another company who does not offer even one database with their most basic plans... still trying to convince them to move away from that host because they are definitely not getting value for their money but they don't see it as problems because they don't "need" those services. Perhaps they'll move when this subscription is up. They didn't know us very well before the last renewal since I had just inherited the site from Doc. But winterchase does have a better chance of having those things he wants if he opts for such a move, .

 

[Winterchase]

Amazing!

The problem may be with your host. There are certain things that have to be in installed on a server for most things to work properly. Example: If FrontPage extensions are not installed, many of the features of FrontPage will not work. Other things installed on servers help database programs function and so on. So, there may just be a problem like that on your "Free" host that will prevent you from using a lot of programs.

FrontPage has a guestbook in its default templates. If you have FrontPage extensions installed on your host, you can use it to make your guestbook. Here are the instructions.

1. On the File menu, click New.
2. In the New task pane, under New page, click More page templates.
3. On the General tab, double-click the Guest Book template.

The template inserts a form-based text area where visitors can type text.

4. Right-click the text area, and then click Form Field Properties.
5. In the TextArea Box Properties dialog box, modify the values to meet your requirements

Then upload.

**Note* This will not work if your using the ftp feature of FrontPage.


Hope it helps.

How do you guys know all this stuff? It's amazing, but not especially coming from someone who if he needs a fact, simply makes one up.

I'm looking at the FrontPage Guest Book "thing" on my lappy right now. It was there all the time. How about that? All I did was follow your instructions. But, now what do I do with it?

My best guess at the moment is to name it something (Guest Book, something very original) and save it (as a web page) in the file with all the others (such as the script pages or Good Friends, Good People) that the main page links to, then add in a slug line like "Guest Book" to the main page and link that to the new Guest Book page.

Then, the important step; go get a stiff drink to celebrate, if it works?

This is great. Thanks.

Drat! Even before I send this, I see trouble. All the saved page says is "Form Results Inserted Here." Methinks I'm gonna have to come up with a form?

 

[StephanieCordray]

How do you guys know all this stuff? It's amazing, but not especially coming from someone who if he needs a fact, simply makes one up.

Experience? School of hard knocks of web design? Trolling forums such as this one?

Yes, you will have to come up with a form. You will also have to make a space where those form results will be saved... on your website... One good thing about Frontpage is it does have pretty decent help files that will walk you through the things you'll need to do. It will probably come up with a window that says you'll have to save the page to your website before it will work properly, too. If your isp doesn't support frontpage extensions, you will have to ftp load those pages before you can test them but they can still be used, .

 

[SiteExpress]

If your host does not support FrontPage extensions, the built in guestbook from FrontPage will not work at all.


BTW Steph,

All of my hosting packages come with databases already built in, along with guestbooks, forums, and lots more. Just click and install it from cpanel.

Winter,

Just like Steph said. I learned just like you are learning now. No formal education or anything. I just picked up the software, and started finding tutorials online, along with trial and error. Also, spending lots of time in forums like this. I do not claim to be a pro, by any standards. Not even close! However, I continue to learn more every day, and every time I work on a project, I learn even more.

keep chugging away at it, and you will be surprised how something seems so difficult, then all of the sudden you find the answer.

 

[Winterchase]

Flag pole

Okay, I'm gonna run it up the flag pole this evening and see if someone salutes it. If the have the FrontPage extensions and a data base, well, I'll find out.

What I've done is add a "Sign My Guest Book" blurb to my main page and link it to the example/page/template I cut from FrontPage and established in a new file in the folder where I'm keeping all my other junk that I know works.

If it doesn't work, I hope I can get back to what's there now. Ah, never let it be said that not knowing what I'm doing ever stopped me.

 

[Winterchase]

Nobody saluted

I got it uploaded. The message is on the main page and it links to the FP message guestbook, it can be written to BUT, when it's send, the message says the site is unavailable.

Does this have something to do with no database? When I call the ISP tomorrow morning, what'll I ask for?

 

[SiteExpress]

Well, it looks like no FP extensions are installed.

Notice the "Nortbots" on the end of the address that it tries to send you to?

That is because when you publish a file or FP component that requires Sharepoint Services or FP extensions, FP will also publish the nortbots.htm page.

If no extensions are there, FP will not publish that page, therefore leaving you the page not found error.


Sorry for the bad news. You can try to call the ISP, but I have a hunch your out of luck.

 

[Winterchase]

Maybe

Well, it looks like no FP extensions are installed.

Notice the "Nortbots" on the end of the address that it tries to send you to?

That is because when you publish a file or FP component that requires Sharepoint Services or FP extensions, FP will also publish the nortbots.htm page.

If no extensions are there, FP will not publish that page, therefore leaving you the page not found error.


Sorry for the bad news. You can try to call the ISP, but I have a hunch your out of luck.

I'll know tomorrow when they call me! In the meantime, what could my ISP do to help me with this problem (which I don't understand)? If I'm going to complain (meaning rant and rage like a prima donna, which I ain't, but they don't know that), I'd better have a solution.

 

[StephanieCordray]

If your host does not support FrontPage extensions, the built in guestbook from FrontPage will not work at all.


BTW Steph,

All of my hosting packages come with databases already built in, along with guestbooks, forums, and lots more. Just click and install it from cpanel.

We offer cpanel hosting with databases also but that doesn't mean every hosting service offering hosting services does. The databases aren't built in per se... you can't build something like that in. You can allow for the site owner to build or set them up for whatever the datebase(s) is required. To have them built in implies that you are omniscient about what a particular customer needs. I would be doing winterchase a disservice to state otherwise.

 

[StephanieCordray]

Winterchase ask your isp if they allow cgi scripts or if there are limitations as to what cgi scripts are allowed.

 

[SiteExpress]

I guess I should clarify about the "built in" databases on my hosting plans.

In cpanel, if you to install one of the "scripts" that require a databse, that are available with your hosting, all you do is name the "script", click "Install", and it will create and populate a MySQL database for you. No need to even do anything with the database. cpanel creates it for you when you install one of the scripts.

Your right. Not all hosting companies offer databases. That is one of those "Perks" they try to gouge you on when you need to upgrade to get a database. It really is a shame that they do that considering, they really have no added cost involved in giving up a couple databases.

 

[Winterchase]

Done

Winterchase ask your isp if they allow cgi scripts or if there are limitations as to what cgi scripts are allowed.

I've asked. BTW, what's a cgi script?

And, I got two e-mails this morning advising that my guest book doesn't work. Weird. I understand there are people and programs out there that search for them and "sign" them to improve their rankings, I guess, and others looking to do ugly things. I just hope I'm not opening a bag of worms with this guest book thing.

 

[StephanieCordray]

well, the name means: common gateway interface. I know that doesn't mean a whole lot to you, lol... cgi scripts are written in a variety of languages, perl, c/c++, basic, etc... which is why i said to ask if your isp allows them and if they have limitations on what kind are allowed. there are cgi scripts for guestbooks as well as other tools. knowing would help to know what to recommend.