TMC Website Manager

Msub Splitter

Version 0.3.6 adds a Split button to the msub grid view. Use this button to automatically divide a large msub into multiple msubs. Here's how it works:

• The splitter can only be used on msubs with subcategories. Select the msub you want to split, then press the Split button. If nothing happens, the msub either has no subcategories, or it is an msubmenu.
• The first dialog box asks if you want to create an msubmenu for the new msubs. If you answer yes, you will then be asked for a file name for the msubmenu.
• For each subcategory, enter a filename for the new msub.
• Remember that filenames do not include the leading msub or msubmenu, nor do they include the trailing .htm. Thus, "msubtest.htm" should be entered as "test", and "msubmenu1.htm" should be entered as "1".
• If a new msubmenu is not created, the new msubs will be assigned to the same parent as the original msub. That may be an msubmenu, or it may be mlibrary.

Some points to note:

• Once you start the process, you can't cancel.
• The original msub will be deleted, both the database entry and the HTML file.
• Each new msubmenu and msub will have the same meta tags and other descriptors as the original msub. Use the normal editing tools to modify these entries after splitting.
• I didn't put a lot of work into making sure update flags are set properly. You should double-check the list to make sure all appropriate files are selected before updating.
• I haven't tested this as thoroughly as I tested earlier releases. Back up your database and HTML files before splitting.

Development Update

With the advent of the site redesign and the online tools, I've pretty much stopped development of this program. But there are still a few reasons you might want to use it in the short term:

• Use the import function to test the "cleanliness" of your files. If my program can import your files, chances are the online tools will be able to. If my program can't import your files, you may want to clean them up.
• Update your meta tags for search engines. I've added some functions to clean up meta tags based on Marshall's recommendations.
• Suggest features for the online tools. I'm not saying my tool has the best interface, but it may give you some ideas for what you want to see in the online tools. I've been making suggestions to the developers, but I don't know how much they're listening to me. With more voices, though...

If you just want to try the tool, I've included a copy of my own database file. Just download it, unzip it, and overwrite the default website.mdb file (but keep a backup in case you decide to use the tool). You can use this sample database to play around with the different features and see how easy it is to update and maintain your site.

The current release includes some mbody controls for selecting and automatically rotating links. The controls work, but they don't create an mbody. I added these controls as a demo for the developers of the online tools.

Program Description

As the number of links in my msub files began to grow, it was becoming more and more difficult to manage them all. Changes in the template files also placed an extra burden on my time. I began to look for a better way to manage my site and easily modify file formats.

The result is a database program which I call The Website Manager, or TWM for short. It worked so well for my site that I decided to make it available to all Guides.

The main features of the program are:

• Read in existing mlibrary and msub files, so you don't have to reenter the information manually. Subcategories msubmenu files are supported.
• Easy moving of msubs between mlibrary and msubmenu pages.
• Copying and moving links among msub pages.
• Indexes or jump lists for files with subcategories.
• Tracking of of files that need updating.
• Tracking of "new", "best of net", and "from About" gifs.
• Automatic expiration of new gifs, with notification.
• Ignore leading punctuation, articles, and tags when alphebetizing.
• Removal of duplicate keywords.
• Drag and drop text entry from other programs.
• Plain text template files for writing *.htm files, which can be easily modified. Templates can be specified on a per-file basis.

About.com is developing an official NetLinks tool, to be used in conjunction with an online database. Because of that, I've stopped development of this program, except for bug fixes or features needed to meet design changes. If I learn that development of the official tool stops, then I'll consider restarting work on this one.

Even if you plan to wait for the official tool, you might want to try importing your files using this one. If this program can import your files, there's a better chance you won't have to make any manual changes when the official tool imports your files.

This program was originally distributed as shareware at an introductory price of US $35. Obviously, I can't ask for a payment now that an official tool is in the works. However, if you've used the program a lot, you might want to send something in. I spent a lot of time making the program work for other Guides, and I could have spent that time working on my site. Payments may be sent to the address shown in the help file.

This program requires Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0. I've switched my development machine to Windows 98, so I no longer test the program under 95. A minimum resolution of 800x600 is highly recommended.

Bug reports, questions, comments, and suggestions may be sent to Barry Berenberg at composite.guide@about.com.

Some screenshots follow the download instructions.

Latest Release

The latest release is version 0.3.6. If you are currently running the program, you only need to download the update file. You can ignore the instructions in the Download section below.

To get the latest version, download twm036.zip to a temporary directory and unzip it. Copy everything but the database file (website.mdb) into the directory you use for the program. If you overwrite your existing database file, you will have to re-import your mlibrary and msubs.

The first time you run the program, your database file will be automatically updated. To be safe, you should make a backup of your current website.mdb file. You might also want to backup your *.htm files with this release. I test the update process on my own installation, but it's always possible I miss something.

Following is a brief list of changes in 0.3.6. A full list of the changes can be found in the history.txt file.

• Added a command to strip embedded links when updating. It removes links only from the HTML file, not from the database. (Shouldn't be needed any more.)
• Added Split command to automatically divide an msub with subcategories into multiple msubs.

Download

The instructions in this section are for version 0.3.6.

You can download the fully functional version of the program from this site. It is not crippled in any way (no nag screens, no time limits, etc.). If you use the program for more than 30 days and find it useful, you should send in a payment. If you want to wait for the final release, the price will increase.

To run the program, you will need the Visual Basic 5 SP3 runtime files. If they haven't already been installed on your system, first download and install the runtime file from Microsoft.

There are a few options for installing. For all but the first, uninstall any older versions on your machine before installing the new distribution.

• If you have Microsoft Access 97, you can download the distribution without the database libraries. This version is fully functional, but is smaller than the full distribution. Download twmbasic.zip to a temporary directory, unzip, then run the setup program.
• If you don't have MS Access, download the full twmfull.zip distribution to a temporary directory, unzip it, and run the setup program.
• The database files alone can be download from twmaccess.zip. Download this distribution if the twmbasic distribution alone doesn't work, or you simply want to break the full distribution into two files (twmbasic + twmaccess = twmfull). As with the other distributions, download to a temporary directory, unzip, and run the setup program.

After installing one of the above distributions, download the update file at twm036.zip and unzip it in the directory where you installed the program. Overwrite any existing files with the files in the archive (website.exe, website.mdb, and history.txt).

At a minimum, read through the Quick Start section of the help file before using the program. Although I have been using the program without significant problems, you should still work on copies of your original *.htm files and make backups of your new files and database.

Screenshots

The program uses a tabbed interface. The General tab contains information about your site such as your name and e-mail address.

The Update tab is used to track data which has been modified, and to write out the data to *.htm files.

The mlibrary tab shows the contents of your mlibrary file. Data can be entered either in the grid or in an edit form which is called up by double-clicking on an entry, selecting the edit command, or pressing the New button. The mlibrary edit form includes a box for moving msubs among mlibrary and msubmenus.

From either the mlibrary tab or the mlibrary edit form, you can call up the Menu List form. This shows all msubs that belong to the currently selected menu (mlibrary is a special type of menu). If an msub is selected, all files in the same menu as that msub will be shown. In the tab view, you can keep the list visible while working in the grid.

By pressing the "Switch to msub" button, the mlibrary view switches to the msub view for the selected line in the mlibrary grid. Again, data can be entered directly in the grid or in an edit form. You can also change subcategories for an entry, or move or copy an entry to a different file or subcategory. The little spider-web button will launch the current link in your default Web browser.

Double-clicking on the subcategory drop-down in the edit form brings up the Subcategory Editor. Here you can add, delete, edit, or change the order of subcategories.

The Import menu provides commands for importing mlibrary and msub files, for alphebetizing entries, and for removing duplicate keywords. The mbody, mpreviss, and Stats tabs are currently blank.

Discuss in my forum