Creating web pages in Text Works if you do not have Web Publisher Pro

Tip - October, 2011

Web Publisher Pro is used by many Maxus clients to publish their database/s on the web. However, even if you don’t have Web Publisher Pro it is possible to use Text Works to generate web pages (such as lists of your books or objects) that can be  placed on your web site.

1. Use Text Works to search for and retrieve the records to be included.
2. Select a Report window form (Display>Select Forms or press the Select Forms for this Window icon in the toolbar).
3. Go to File>Write Report to File.
4. Select html.
5. When prompted, specify a name and location for the file.

Note that Simple HTML is used. This means that you can control font colour, size, and attributes, but not the typeface. Also, all boxes appear left justified and box labels appear on top rather than to the left, regardless of the settings you specify in the Form Designer. When you write a report to HTML, the entire report becomes one HTML page. To generate multiple, smaller pages, do searches that generate fewer records, and export each report separately.

Below is an example of a report generated using a simple tabular form:

If you have some knowledge of html you can also edit the htm page after it has been exported to change the layout and style. Here is an example from Morwell Historical Society who have edited the html (note this was generated using a different form in Text Works, rather than the tabular form shown above).

Remember, though, that unlike Web Publisher Pro, these reports are static not dynamic, so they will need to be re-done when your database is updated.