FrontPage World Tips and Tricks

What if I like the idea of Themes but don’t like the options available to me?

We hear you.

Most of the themes that come with FrontPage have that “Hello, I was created by a factory” look to them.  That just won’t do with something as personal as a Web site.

Your first option (and this works with both FrontPage 2000 and FrontPage 98) is to buy a theme from a third party company.  There are plenty of them out there who hope to make their millions providing for the very need mentioned above.  We provide what we consider to be an up-to-date listing of them at FrontPage World.  Take a look.

If that won’t work (because you are either cheap or picky – you decide), you can always design your own theme.

FrontPage 98 came with a theme designer program on the CD.  Sorry, but we can’t give you much help on that one.

One of the more exciting options available in FrontPage 2000 is the ability to edit an existing theme or create a new one from directly within the FrontPage program.

You’ll notice that there is a Modify button at the bottom of the Themes dialog box.  Clicking it will open up three options for editing: the Colors, the Graphics, and the Text.

Modifying the Colors lets you either pick a scheme for your Theme or lets you pick colors for the Color elements modified by a Theme.  Don’t be worried the color options are all on an Internet safe palette.

Modifying the graphics gives you a chance to replace or modify any graphic element on the theme.  You can create your own elements in whatever graphic program you choose.

The final option, Text (obviously) lets you modify or create the text elements of your Theme.  Again, you are in total control.

Once you are done modifying your Theme (or creating a new one), you simply click the Save As… button in the bottom of the Theme dialog box, give it a name, and go from there.

Not that hard, eh? 

Side note, with Office 2000, themes are now used across the tools be them Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.  Consider making use of your new theme in everything you do.

Return to Tips and Tricks