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QuestionA basic problem with Expression web of which I cant find the solution

  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 5:00 PMBracca Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    I am new to expression web designer and I have gone through the guides and tutorials but when I start to follow the video tutorail creating a web site on m own I instantly run into problems. When I have created my masterpage, style page and aspx page where the title is I want to see as they do in the tutorial a preview of the page. But when I push preview I don't get that blank white page with the right title in the tab, instead I just get the code in the aspx in the window. What is wrong here? Do I need some other program to get this expression web to work? I also tried to insert a header and preview that but then again I only saw the code for the title. Would be greatful for some help.

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  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 5:16 PMKathyW2 Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Assuming you are working on a local copy of your site on your PC:

    If you are creating an asp.net site, you must have the framework installed on your computer, the development server installed, and the site set to preview either aspx and PHP, or all, pages using the devlopment server.

    The first two should have happened when you installed EW.  The third can be checked in the Site Settings.
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 5:19 PMCheryl D WiseMVPUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Bracca,

    I'm sorry but you don't give us enough information to be able to assist you. First, read the BEFORE POSTING - faq that is the first post in this forum.

    In addition we will need to know whic video tutorial you were using. There are quite a few other there starting with ones on this site and others at http://by-expression.com/content/tutorials.aspx (I'm biased in favor of that one which does not teach you to use asp.net master pages since they require you to be hosted on a server that supports asp.net 2.0) http://learnexpression.com and other places.

    Also, are you trying to preview the .master page or a page made from the master? What are your settings for preview under "Site > Site Settings"? Have you looked at code view in the browser when you get a blank page? If so, what do you see? What is the location shown in your browser when you try to preview?
    MS MVP Expression Tutorials & Help http://by-expression.com and online instructor led Expression Classes
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 5:41 PMBracca Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    I have read that. the video guide is a quick start guide that exist as a large and a small version.  I am trying to preview a page that is made from the master. My settings under site are Preview using Web site URL. The locat shown in the browser is the folder where I save my web page. What do u mean by looked at code view when getting a blank page?
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 6:01 PMKathyW2 Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    "Preview using Web site URL"

    Yes, but what else is checked underneath that?

    "I have read that. the video guide is a quick start guide that exist as a large and a small version."

    That doesn't tell us anything.  Which video?
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 8:32 PMCheryl D WiseMVPUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Which video quick start guide? As I said there are several and they all use a different approach.

    If you are  seeing a file path in your browser then you are not previewing through the development server. You should be seeing something like http://localhost:84245/page.aspx
    MS MVP Expression Tutorials & Help http://by-expression.com and online instructor led Expression Classes
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 9:09 PMBracca Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Yes I think the problem is with the server. It says that Microsoft ASP.NET Development Server is not installed but I have downloaded and isntalled it but it still says so, what can be the problem then? Can someone say exactly what I need installed for this to work because apparently just having microsoft expression web design isn't enough.
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 9:30 PMKathyW2 Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     

    What you need for it to work is what normally installs automatically when you install EW, as I said earlier: the Net framework, the development server, and EW.

    I can't tell you what went wrong with your installation.  Perhaps someone else has suggestions.

  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 9:50 PMBracca Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Thanx for the help even though my problem isn't solved. I will try to reinstall it otherwise I'll just look for another web designing program that my computer allows to work :D
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 10:24 PMPreston B Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    To help us out, take a look in the Event Viewer for errors related to Expression Web and/or the dev server. You'll need to be logged inon a Administrator account.

    Start>Run, type "eventvwr.msc" (without the quotes) and then click OK.

    Look in the Application and System sections for errors. If you find one, right click and select 'Properties'. This should give the text of the error message, and the error code. If there is a hyperlink like http://---/fwkink/events.asp , click it to see if there is any further info at Windows Help and Support.

    Don't uninstall/reinstall just yet! Doing so may cause more problems than it fixes.

    -Preston
    Columbia, CA. USA http://www.gildedmoon.com
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 10:59 PMpaladyn Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Thanx for the help even though my problem isn't solved. I will try to reinstall it otherwise I'll just look for another web designing program that my computer allows to work :D

    Relax. This is not insurmountable. Like you, for some reason the development server did not auto-install when I installed EW2. If you open the EW2 Help file and enter "Install Expression Development Server" in the Search box, it will take you straight to the very clear and easy to follow instructions. No download is necessary, just a trip to Control Panel's "Add or Remove Features" for EW. It's quick, easy, and you're in business.

    Once it is installed, go into Site|Site Settings for your site and, on the Preview, make sure that the checkbox for "Use Microsoft Expression Development Server" is checked. For the configuration as described, you do not want the radio button for "Preview using a custom URL... " checked.

    As for your last remark, I've got news for you; if you're doing active development (such as ASP.NET), good luck finding another program with a built-in development server. Even Dreamweaver CS4 (which many of us here also use) does not have a development server, requiring you to either install Apache or IIS locally or test only remotely on your provider's Web server. Just sayin'...

    cheers,
    scott
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 11:10 PMfcphdJim Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    This is probably a dumb question, but nobody else has asked the obvious. Do you really need aspx, or would html work for you? If you can use html it would simplify things. Just a thought, and if you have a good reason to use aspx, feel free to ignore it.

    Jim
  • Wednesday, July 01, 2009 11:44 PMPreston B Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Good point, Jim. This reminds of a conversation between two of my favorite guitar players, Dan Crary and Norman Blake.

    Dan: "Norman, why would a couple of nice young guys like us spend a lifetime playing guitar?"

    Norman (after a slight pause): "Because we can."

    :-)

    -Preston

    PS: If you're into hot, acoustic, flat picking guitar, the above clip can be heard on Crary's album Jammed If I Do, on Sugar Hill Records.

    -P
    Columbia, CA. USA http://www.gildedmoon.com