how do I link pages together?

[penne]

Hello. I sure hope somebody can help me. I am desperate. I am going to try to explain this as best as I can.
The name of the site is tomandjerrysautosales.com. It is set up that I just open web using tomandjerrysautosales.com/list
because someone else revamped the site itself, I just update the car lists each month. In checking the site for broken links I came across many pages, ie. BMW is a blank page, Mazda says "page cannot be found" as does about 10 other pages. When I go into my FP folder list I see that some of them are there and some of them somehow got erased (they were all there when the site was first designed). My question basically is this:
I need to know how to link these pages to my site so when people click on that specific car (or truck) page, it takes them there. I clicked on the Navigation button on left and all that comes up is index.htm and nothing under it showing all the pages that are linked to this site. I have a few other sites and they do come up with the other pages linked to the index.htm. Why would this happen? and how come most of my pages are linked to the index, but some are not? How can I get everything linked together so the site works perfectly? PLEASE HELP!! Thank you.

[awasson]

Hi Penne,

I'm sorry nobody has attended to your question, but it's probably because they aren't sure how to respond.

I just had a look at the site and really can't come up with any suggestions myself without a little more info.

When you're doing your updates are you using FrontPage or is there a built in administration page on the site? I went to tomandjerrysautosales.com/list and it's pretty much a blank page.

Cheers,

[penne]

awasson,
Thank you for getting back to me. I am not really sure how to explain all this. I will try: Someone else redesigned the tomandjerrysautosales.com site. I continue to just maintain and update the car list. I log on to FP and then go to File, close, then File-open web. it comes up and under the folder name I type in http://tomandjerrysautosales.com/list. It asks for my user name and password. Type it in and then I hit Open. Then my Folder List on the left comes up and I have to pick a page I want to fix or update. I usually click on for example:acura.htm and that brings up my page I need to change. Then I go to the next one (amc.htm), and so on and so on. The problem is this: there are some pages missing in my folder list. They were there a couple months ago when I updated but for some reason, they are gone now. And I can go to File,New Page- and make a new one for the things I am missing then save it. And then it is in my Folder List on the left side. BUT...when I go back to tomandjerrysautosales.com and check the site-those pages come up "cannot be found". I checked the Navigation on FP and for some reason the only thing in there is Index. On myother sites, there is Index, then all the pages on my site are linked underneath there. But for some reason, they are not on this site. What I need to know is how to link these new pages to the rest of my site so it works like its supposed to.
Hopefully I have made sense with all this and you can help me. I really need to get these pages up and running because I rely on this site as part of my income. I appreciate any help on this matter that you could give to me. Thank you very much for taking the time.
Penne

[awasson]

Hmmmmm,

Interesting problem, and I'm not sure I know the answer. The first problem is the dissapearing page problem.

If I were having these problems, I would open the site as you have and at the same time open my web browser and then open the page in the browser to see the changes taking place when you make them.

For example. You make a page in the list folder called amc.htm. View it by going to:
http://www.tomandjerrysautosales.com/list/amc.htm

Just to make sure what you are doing in FrontPage is really happening on the server.

I think one of the biggest problems with the site is that it looks like it was built by a bunch of different people using different technologies and not paying attention to how it goes together.

You have a flash page that goes to the homepage and the skip intro link isn't liked properly so if you can get to it it'll send you to an error page.

The homepage is made in Macromedia Dreamweaver which is fine but it looks completly different from the FrontPage built car pages.

The form pages have Java menus that don't work and everthing is quite dependant on using the back button.

My recommendation as this is a business website that you depend on to make part of your income is to find a web developer who will take on the project as a whole and deliver you a complete website. If you can't find one locally look on the internet, there are lots of them around.

I would also recommend that you have it integrated with a database so that you don't update cars through FrontPage. A website that sells vehicles should use a database to add and remove vehicle information rather than creating and editing hundreds of pages of info.

It looks like your site is hosted on Cedant Web Hosting and they offer a Standard Hosting Package that will allow you to use a MySQL database and PHP for programming. It should do nicely for your needs.

That's about it for my advice. Has anyone else any thoughts,

[penne]

awasson,
Thank you for getting back to me. I was on vacation and didnt get back till Sunday. And I am without my puter right now (in the shop) so I have to use the one at work when I can. Anyway, what happened is this: My husband and I designed the site a few years ago using only FrontPage. We did not have the flash or anything. The owner of the car dealerships wanted flashy stuff so he hired a young man to redesign the site and he used Macromedia to do that stuff. He kept all of the other things I had put in using FP. That is why it looks like it was done by different people. I am not at liberty to redesign the site and the young man who did it has left and I have not been able to reach him with this problem I am now having with the disappearing pages. I am only in charge of updating the cars and the only way I can do this is on FP. I was doing it on my hard drive at home until a few months ago when I tried to publish to web, it keeps giving me the error message 'server timed out' so I am unable to do it that way anymore. That is why I am updating right from the server.
Anyway, I do not know what is going on with the pages I am missing or even how to link them all together. It is still causing a major problem. And my FP is old so I won't be able to get tech support from FP without having to pay for it. Thanx for all your help though. It is greatly appreciated. Take care.

[MandyJay]

Hi,
From what I can see you have your main web ... then inside you have a subweb .... tomandjerry.com/list ...... with most of your pages being in the subweb called "list" .... I could not find many links on your site that lead back to the main web. So if you are editing a page that is in tomandjerry.com/list then links back to your main web must begin http://www.blahblah.page.htm ... and you will NOT see that page in your "list" subweb when your web is open in FP .... list is a complete website in its own right, just that it lives inside the main web .... at least I think that is whats happening.

BTW your flash intro. the "skip intro" link doesnt work, the link has been doubled up
MJ
:furball:

[penne]

MandyJay,
Thank you for responding. I kind of understand what you are saying, but not exactly sure still how to link my pages so when somebody clicks on them it wont come up "page not found". I will work some more at it and maybe I can figure it all out. This has been very frustrating since another person came in last year and redesigned this site. I wish I could fix the flash-skip intro, but I do not know anything about flash or how to fix it. And I have not been able to get in touch with the guy who did it. Thanx again for your help.

[GWDGuy]

you are not going to be able to fix the Flash intro unless you have the FLA original file for the flash into. The is not a way to changed that so I would suggest either removing it altogether or if the owner wants something flashy or something you can't do I would do what Andrew suggested and find someone to do the parts that you can't and help you get the site back up and running like you need.

If it were my site I would actually talk a couple of the web designers that come here and see what they can do for you. I know MandyJay, Andrew and JustJay all do this for a living so maybe they can handle the parts for you?? Just my 2 cents.

I mostly wanted to comment because of the Flash question in your post.

Robert

[pregs]

i agree wholeheartedly with GWDGuy - the site needs a complete redesign it looks a bit pants at the moment and the flashy bits don't anything except look tacky - better to use some judicous flash elements (if they are necessary) that work more seamlessly to enhance the site and work more on the functionality (i.e. your ability to add cars and what could be done to improve this) and a far more professional, consistent look: you have some nice cars but i would doubt the reliability of the garage and the quailty of the cars because of the website.

You might even want to consider asking some of the more database savvy people in this forum for a way to link in your database of cars with the page so it updates as you update your database- without you having to touch the pages themselves. this would seem like the ideal longer term plan, but in the meantime find a good designer who can a) sort out all the broken links b) get some quotes for a site redesign.

[penne]

Thank you for the suggesstions. But as stated previously, the owner of the car dealership had someone he knew redesign the sites and I have no way of doing anything about it. The guy who did it cannot be found. I cannot go to the dealership with this information as they will say it should be up to me to fix all that is wrong with it. This used to be my job when it was originally done by my husband and I, but I have no knowledge of Flash or how to fix all the things wrong with it at this point. If I were to go to them with this, they would most likely tell me I was no longer needed to update the cars and find someone who could do the whole thing and continue to maintain it. I rely on this money to pay part of my rent. I am a single mother of 3 children and without this money I would not have a place to live. So I do appreciate the advice (it is well noted and I am thankful for everyones input), but at this point (unless a miracle happens and I am able to go to school for web design for free) I am at a stand still with the site. Thanx again.

[awasson]

If I were to go to them with this, they would most likely tell me I was no longer needed to update the cars and find someone who could do the whole thing and continue to maintain it.

Hi Penne,

Why don't they just get you to rebuild the site and maintain it?

If I am correct, the trouble started when you were not working on the site and may be a result of other people meddling with the site.

The Flash "Splash" page needs to be eith removed or repaired. It does not link correctly to the site and if you didn't build it... It's not your responsibility.

The bottom line is that the site really needs work and you or who ever is going to be involved with this site needs some outside help.

My final suggestion is to put a plan together that you can approach the owner with to explain the failings of the site, your plan and budget as well as the benefits that you can provide with a well built site.

Do some research on the web and find sites that are in the same business and provide print-outs in your plan of how the competition is doing this for comparison.

Well designed simple brochure websites can be built in 10 to 15 hours, but this site is an online catalogue and they generally require a lot more planning and complex development. I would suggest the owner either be serious about providing an online presence or stop it entirely.

It can't be done without some commitment. It will just lower the image of the business. Logo development for business cards, signs, letterhead and envelopes can easily run + $5000.00 and they are only seen directly. As in you hand the card to a customer or send a letter.

Why would you not seriously budget a business website that can be seen by millions of people?

Well, that's my 2 bits,