HTML Executable stores all of its settings (the project) in a file called project file (file extension: .hep). You can use the Load/Save buttons to open or save project files at any time. But before that, you need to create a new project.
To create a project file, select New Project in the File menu (or click New in the toolbar) and this window will appear:
This window is called the New Publication wizard: it will assist you in the creation of your new project and it gives you advice about the different steps you need to follow.
| See the animated tutorial titled "Starting a new project": on the New Publication Wizard, click the small "Tutorial" button at the top-right of the window. |
There are three steps that we will describe below.
1) Selecting the kind of publication you want to create
The selected publication type has its font weight set to bold. On the screenshot above, this is the Stand-alone HTML Viewer publication that was selected.
Just click the small button near a publication type to make it active. A description of the selected publication type is displayed.
| For further information about each publication type, please see this help topic. |
2) Selecting the source folder of your website
The source folder is the folder that contains all files that compose your website. HTML Executable will consider it as the root of your website: it will become the root of your publication, and all the files inside this folder and its subdirectories (if any) will be automatically added to the publication when the project is being created. You can, of course, add/remove files later if you wish.
| The directory structure of your website is stored in the publication: the source folder is set as the root of the publication/website. File paths will be stored relative to this source folder so links between HTML pages will work exactly like if you were navigating through a website on a server (see virtual paths). You can consider a compiled publication like a server. |
3) choose the index page of your publication
The index page is the first page that is displayed to your end users when the publication is run. It is considered the Home page (it will be displayed when end users click on the Home button).
HTML Executable lists all files in the source folder and you have to select which HTML page you want to set as the index page. A HTML file inside a subfolder is accepted.
You can then go to the last step by clicking Continue.
4) last step: output settings
You have
to specify the path to the publication .exe file that will be output by HTML Executable. It must be a full path including directory, filename and extension. You can select it by clicking the Browse button.
It is recommended that you do not put your output .exe file in the source folder, but rather in a different directory.to give a title to your publication. The title will appear on all dialog and message boxes displayed to end users as well as in the Windows task bar. HTML Executable should have parsed your index page and read the value of the <TITLE> HTML tag if any. You can of course change this.
IMPORTANT: if your title contains a quote (") character, be sure to replace it by two quotes "" in order to avoid script compilation errors.
Finally click Finish to create your project.
HTML Executable will then prepare a blank project, configure all settings by default and automatically add files from the source folder. It generally takes a few seconds depending on the number of files you have in your source folder.
When it is ready, the "Basic Settings" tab is displayed: you are ready to edit your project and you can also immediately compile it if you wish.
