Asp4Hs: HomeSite/ASP-Related Resource Links
Here are a few links to HomeSite and ASP-related resource sites. There are also
pages under my family site with a few ASP resource links
and a list of web development resource links to get you started...
- Adobe (bought Macromedia (bought Allaire))
Adobe Products - Macromedia HomeSite
The main spot for product info for HomeSite, including downloads, release notes,
a feature tour,
training and support info, sales and product info, etc.
- Adobe Developer Center
The central point for developers and users of homesite. They now have some sections on particular
technologies such as PHP,
ASP.Net, etc though they are more
focused on Dreamweaver MX rather than HomeSite.
- HomeSite Support Center
The central support info lookup point for HomeSite. Check here first when you have ordinary problems,
including installation problems.
- Macromedia Software
Feature Request and Bug Report Form
Use this for submitting bug reports and feature requests, though I'd ask that you also post the
info to the support forum for discussion there. These messages go directly to the development teams.
- Macromedia TechNotes Knowledge Base (KB)
The Macromedia KB contains technical support resource information, problem resolution information,
answers to the most frequently asked hotline questions, tips and techniques, and training information.
- Support Forums
If you can't get your answers from Macromedia's online docs or integrated help then try the support
forums. These forums are an excellent source of information, suggestions, and discussions with
Macromedia technical staff, Adobe Community Experts
(aka Team Macromedia),
and other web developers. Much of the HomeSite users community is centered around the forums.
- Adobe Developer's Exchange (DevEx)
A place for Coldfusion and HomeSite users to post extensions and other helpful
things to exchange. Unfortunately many things are in incorrect categories, so
you may need to search a bit... sigh. Here's the
HomeSite section.
- Macromedia Staff Blogs:
Some of the Macromedia staff are using weblogs to help get info out there from MM and help
pass info between MM product users. These are not official company blogs, but are useful.
- Macromedia Product RSS Feeds
Macromedia has created a number of RSS feeds for their individual products
(including HomeSite) where you can watch for TechNotes, security bulletins
and product update notifications. If you need an RSS reader, try Nick
Bradbury's FeedDemon.
- Using HomeSite (HS v5 Help File Contents)
Here is the livedocs copy of the HS v5 help docs, or at least the "Using
HomeSite" portion of them.
- User Blogs:
Here are some weblogs by users of various Macromedia products, or covering related topics.
- HomeSite Support and Add-on Sites
- Marjolein's Help for HomeSite Users
HomeSite Help, Tips and Tools by Marjolein Katsma. VTML Documentation,
Version and Source Control, Tips and Techniques, Visual Editors, VTML validation,
validation tips and Help files. (pretty dated unfortunately)
- XSLAtHome
XSLAtHome is a project developing an XSL editor-type extension to HomeSite.
Corey Haines has tag definitions, scripts, etc. Currently, there are
rudimentary tag insight files for most (if not all) of the XSLT tags,
as well as a script to execute a transformation. Corey has a few other
add-on's there too, including a regular expressions (regex) tester.
(repackaged version)
(This project may be dead, not revised in years. It is available on
the wayback machine.
Files are all available here on asp4hs.)
- Sam-I-Am: Work: HomeSite Extensibility
Some useful and well-documented scripts for HomeSite such as:
Remove Columns, Convert Back & Forward Slashes, Comment and un-Comment Code,
PowerPaste, LoremIpsum, Javascript DocWrite, Total Img Widths, Escape HTMLString.
See also his Web Page Debugging & Development Bookmarklets.
- About.Com: Macromedia HomeSite
An About.com site with some information.
- WebSiteTips: HomeSite Tips and Tutorials
Shirley Kaiser (of Shirley Kaiser Designs)
has created the excellent WebSiteTips site
with a section of HomeSite tips and tutorials. Her tips and tutorials are well-written,
with clear, detailed instructions and lots of illustrative screen-shots.
- Scripts.Hsguide.Com (S4HS/HSG)
THE resource for VTOM/WSH scripts which you can use to enhance the functionality of
HomeSite 4+ and CF Studio 4+. Features a large number of scripts
that perform a variety of tasks that wouldn't be possible without scripting
the program. Also features links to downloads and docs you may need to get
scripting to run successfully.
This site seems to be dead/gone. I have almost all
of the scripts from there on asp4hs:scripts.
For the information Bernhard had on writing scripts, check the mirror copy
at the WayBack Machine (here,
here
or here)
-
TopStyle CSS/HTML/XHTML Editor
Topstyle is another creation of Nick Bradbury, the author of Homesite.
His cascading style sheet editor is proving to be another best-of-class tool.
It is especially well-designed for managing CSS for a whole site and for developing
and testing CSS that will work well and degrade gracefully across many different
types and versions of browsers. Integrates with HomeSite and a variety of other
web editors. Definitely recommended. No other CSS editor even comes close.
-
CSE HTML Validator
CSE HTML Validator used to be included with HomeSite. HomeSite is still coded
to use CSE as an optional, integrated replacement for the validator that comes
with HomeSite. CSE is an excellent tool, with or without HS. Not free, but definitely
worth the money IMO. (It'll also integrate with Dreamweaver or DW-MX)
Note that registered HomeSite, Studio or
TopStyle
users can sometimes get discounts on CSE Validator. Also, see
this FAQ
for info about getting CSE to work with HomeSite, .
- HTML Tidy
HTML Tidy is a free tool created by Dave Raggett of W3C for cleaning up HTML and
converting it to valid HTML or XHTML. HomeSite integrates HTML Tidy, letting
you use it within the editor as easily as CodeSweeper. Note that HTML Tidy
is now an open source project at sourceforge.
- Yahoo! Club: HomeSite
This is a fairly small group, but has some conversation about HomeSite use.
In general, the support forums at Macromedia's site are the best place to find
HomeSite and Studio users and help. Still, this one may grow and be useful too.
- Web Worker's Toolbox
Robert Crooks has written a number of useful tutorials here, including guides to
using HomeSite v2.5 and v3.x. He did it so well that Allaire hired him. This is
all material for older HS versions. (This site is very old))
- CNet Builder.Com - Web Building - Authoring & Site Design - HomeSite
A decent section used to exist on the old builder.com for all their articles,
reviews, and links related to HomeSite. Still available via the wayback archive.
- Articles
- Scripts.Hsguide.Com (S4HS/HSG)
A resource for VTOM/WSH scripts which you can use to enhance the functionality of
HomeSite 4+ and CF Studio 4+. Features a large number of scripts
that perform a variety of tasks that wouldn't be possible without scripting
the program. Also features links to downloads and docs you may need to get
scripting to run successfully.
This site seems to be dead/gone. I have almost all
of the scripts from there on asp4hs:scripts.
For the information Bernhard had on writing scripts, check the mirror copy
at the WayBack Machine (here,
here
or here)
- WebReference:
Using JavaScript in HomeSite 4.0
A detailed tutorial about scripting HS, not using HS to write javascript.
Part II,
Part III.
- DevGuru:
WSH Quick Reference
Thoroughly describes and provides real, working code examples for all of the WSH
version 2.0 objects, properties, collections, elements (XML), and methods. Available
online or as a download. See also
A Beginner's Guide to Using Microsoft Script Debugger.
- Windows Scripting Solutions (newsletter, code library, etc)
- Clarence Washington's Win32 Scripting
- Steven Bondi's Power Scripting
- Ian Morrish's WSH FAQ
- Daren Thiel's WinScripter.com
- ScriptX - a scripting extension
- MSDN Online Voices: Scripting Clinic Column
- MS Scripting: WSH
- MS: WSH Object Model (Programmer's Reference)
(WinScripter has a copy in HTMLhelp format)
- Microsoft
- Getting Started with ASP and Databases
- Builder.Com:
Introduction to ASP
A good place to learn about what ASP is and to get started.
- Builder.Com: Choosing a Web Database
A good discussion of factors to consider as you select a database and some information
about features and limitations of 5 of the more common DB's used for websites.
- WebMonkey:
Your First Database
For a great starter tutorial on setting up PWS/ASP and beginning to use ASP to
interface to an MS Access database, check out this 5-lesson Webmonkey tutorial.
(...in the ASP section at Webmonkey)
- WebMonkey:
Rugged ASP
Quick starter tutorial on building a database-driven site.
- WebMonkey: Server-Side Scripting Shootout
If you're going to be dealing with Web-based databases, you're going to
need a server-side scripting language. These languages all access
databases, juggle information, and create dynamic pages - but which one
is the best for you? ASP? ColdFusion? Perl? PHP? Four experts choose
their favorites and go over the pros and cons, letting you decide for
yourself which language will meet all your needs.
- LearnASP
Great starting point for learning ASP. Lots of well-written examples for
beginners and more advanced coders.
- Microsoft Jet database engine advice
Advice from Peter Johnson for anyone accessing Access databases from ASP.
Discusses what drivers to use, permissions, Access vs Jet, etc.
- PC Mag: Database Connectivity and the Internet: Active Server Pages and Remote Data Service
(12/16/97)
- Macromedia KB: Using Microsoft Access Databases in a Production Environment (Article 564)
- DevGuru
has a number of very useful free tutorials
and quick references dealing with a wide variety of topics of interest to developers.
They have clear, precise explanations and useful, understandable examples of code.
They are available both online and in downloadable forms that can be used
as integrated help add-on's to HomeSite's Help.
- SearchDatabase.com
Over 4,700 FREE tips, tutorials, reviews, forums, and books devoted to the programming
and use of database and database - web connectivity software, including ASP, PERL,
SQL, XML, ColdFusion, Access, JDBC and more.
- ConnectionStrings
All the database connection string info you'll ever need.
- SQL Resources (Structured Query Language)
- PerlScript Resources (using PERL as the scripting language within ASP)
- Security Information
- NTBugtraq;
A mailing list for the discussion of security exploits and security bugs
in Windows NT and its related applications. A full archive of posts is
available on the website.
- NTSecurity;
A mailing list dedicated to the discussion of Windows NT Security Issues.
It's primary purpose is to give you a place to ask all of your questions
about securing Windows NT and related products.
- Microsoft Security Advisor;
MS's central point for security info and bulletins.
- Macromedia Security Zone;
This section deals mostly with ColdFusion issues, but some articles apply to general server
setup, website and web application development and especially to ASP.
- 4GuysFromRolla: Learn More About Security;
A security section on this excellent ASP site has information about
controlling access to your site and data, encryption, SSL and other security issues.
- Microsoft Web Workshop: The Basics of Security
- also see Asp4Hs: ASP Security Notes
- Other Tools and Tool Lists
- Chilisoft;
ASP for a number of webservers and operating systems.
- Instant ASP from Halcyon;
"A portable active server framework that lets developers deploy ASP
on any Java servlet-enabled Web Server or Application Server including
a number of unix servers."
- asp2php;
Just to be fair, I thought I'd include this interesting link. It's a
program to convert sites from ASP to PHP. I love their logo ;-)
- Easy Conversion to PHP for the ASP Developer
This article, by Nathan Pond of 4GuysFromRolla, gives ASP developers a
head start into developing PHP scripts. It notes some of the main
differences and common mistakes made by ASP developers trying to learn PHP.
If you are an ASP developer and have to (or want to) learn PHP, this article
is a great place to start! (Of course, why would anyone not want to do ASP?
It's a crazy world... :-))
- Toward a standard font size interval system
All webdevelopers should read this essay-in-progress by Todd Fahrner on CSS font size intervals
and bring it to the attention of browser makers where ever you can.
Even incomplete, TF has the most intelligent discussion of the font-sizing issues that I've seen anywhere.
(TF's Agitprop site also has other excellent css discussions.)
- Microsoft HTML Help Download,
MS HTML Help Compiler resources. Turn the toc on for more info.
See the tip on decompiling HTML Help doc sets.
- BookMarklets
are snippets of javascript that can run from your browser bookmarks/favorites.
They can perform all sorts of useful functions for surfing, webdesign, etc. Others have
written bookmarklets as well.
- MSIE Power tools / Web Accessories (handy for web developers)