Help needd - I can't publish my web site...

[#1]

If PN advertise that they support Frontpage as part of our subscription then - regardless of the merits of using it -  Frontpage services should to be available.
If PN no longer intend to support Frontpage webspace then they should say so and withdraw it.
I understand the problem only affects people like me who have recently migrated to PN so does not create a good first impression!

[#2]

I was going to suggest the same thing as Peter, but didn't wish to offend in anyway,
I assumed the users have a need for using FP as they have less knowledge of Webpage creation etc.
Unfortunately Microsoft have tightened up about their products being used accross platforms reguarding licencing amongst other Business Protection ideas.
That maybe no fault of PlusNet if they have been told to remove the functionality (if they were running it on Non-MS OS Servers).
If they haven't, then I would agree.
or at least perhapse if they just found it no longer viable to support FP, where say there are so few customers using it,
it would make sense and should be put in news..
People who use FP / DW, really prefer a more visual way of producing pages,
unless willing/determined to learn a Coding method, the base being HTML people don't always have the time/persevierence for it.
As Peter says, it will ultimately improve you all as developers. It will only make you better and better, weather that comes easy is another question.
Consider it and weigh up from trying it out manual coding from Tutorials (Example Here) and compare it to how well you get on in FP, as some people seldom use all the Extensions.
at the end of the day, unfortunately, it's probably most practical for the end users (in this case) to stick with FP for page editing.
Where they maybe able to save some hair pulling, particularly with uploading the pages, is a very good AIO(all-in-one) FTP(SFTP/SSH) Tool which I use. WinSCP is quite useful as it just handels FTP, SFTP, SSH pretty well.
(sorry if this bores any regular readers of my posts with this suggestion)
so, if you ever choose to use the CCGI platform, or even FTPing to the WWW Space / FP Space, it's all there in one package no messing around finding yet-another-free client.
I use it for all of my regularly used sessions (CCGI,WWW,Game Servers) and files can be moved with ease and 99% reliability and best speed possible usually...
Hope that gives a few pointers.
(Please tell me if I have ranted, I might have gone overboard, i'm not sure ::))
Jim,

[#3]

If we are not careful this thread is going to meander into the realms of discussing the merits of Frontpage vs other methods of coding web pages...

The OP started this thread because he couldn't get his frontpage to work.
It seems to me that it would be nice not to go too far off track and bury the issue of the PN Frontpage offering not working. The opinions of others on the relative merits are interesting but I would suggest rightly belong in another thread.
I hand-crafted my first HTML in the early days - about 11 years ago - and since then I did not have access to Frontpage servers to try it for myself. When I migrated to PN at the end of last year I saw that the FP webspace was a supported option so wanted to give it a try.
I wasted a quite a bit of my time before the helpdesk after "resetting" my webspace a couple of times informed me there was a problem. The question is why isn't Frontpage working for those of us who are interested in using it (regardless of merits)?
If the PN Frontpage service  is being discontinued then its a non-issue but PN should say so and remove it from their offering.
Otherwise its been out of action since I migrated and PN helpdesk seem unable to provide an update which is not good.
I'm not out to embarass PN, it would just be nice if the situation could be formalised and somebody say if it is still considered to be part of the offering.
It may be that (for good reasons that it would be off-topic to discuss in this thread) PN do not want new users on the service but if so why not make it clear?
Come on PN - I migrated to you because your support and engagement with your customers seemed so much better than my previous ISP. Don't prove me wrong...

[#4]

One of the main reasons I chose PN because of the support for FP.  My previous ISP did not, so I saw migration to PN as a step forward. 
I am not a professional web site developer and have no intention of becoming one.  I find FP quick and easy to use, but it will also enable me to do more elaborate things if I want to.  I know there is fierce debate about the merits or otherwise of FP and maybe there are better products available.  However, I will continue to use FP until I decide otherwise. 
However, the question is not whether FP is the best way to produce web sites.  PN advertise support for FP as part of their package.  So far I have been happy with the support PN have given me.  So I am looking forward to PN sorting out this FP glitch and setting me up with the full package I am paying for.

[#5]

Hi all,
    Thanks for your help and suggestions. I use FrontPage because it has a familiar easy to use GUI and allows me to edit pages directly as if it were a word doc  (or similar). I have a technical background but, alas, not in web development. I'm sure given time I could get to grips with the basics or CSS or asp .net but as this exercise is just really for a bit of fun and to help some friends out I'm not sure if the time and patience required in the investment of new skills would pay enough dividends for the effort required.
A look around on-line or a trip to my local library might have to be in order to progress and move with the times but all I really wanted was an easy wysiwyg intuative tool for creating web pages. Frontpage (with FP extensions) allowed me to do that quite easily.
That said, I still await a resolution to my issue one way or the other and am dissapointed with the official support so far offered by PN.
I appreciate all your posts and helpful suggestions.
Andy.

[#6]

Hi all,
I've been looking at this and with the extra examples have pushed this problem to a P1, it's currently being worked on and you can see the progress here:-
Frontpage problem

[#7]

Thanks Chris - excellent news.
I looked at the problem report and the status is that the root cause is thought to be resolved.
I have received an email advising that my fp webspace is now available.
However I am still unable to publish to my fp webspace.
My problem ticket is 24030882 and I have updated to this effect.

[#8]

I'll add that to the problem, it's created the directory correctly from the look of it.
http://fp.username.plus.com

[#9]

Quote from: Chris

I'll add that to the problem, it's created the directory correctly from the look of it.

Yes, but as before the directory appears totally empty. Shouldn't there be some structure with at least /_vti_bin/_vti_aut/passwd.htm (taken from PN documentation) beneath?
I mention this in case it helps...
(I did mention this on 30th Jan via the ticket system - think it got ignored)
Cheers

[#10]

We thought the problem was fixed, however my test account still isn't allowing publishing. I've kicked the problem back to networks, I should have an update soon.

[#11]

Rightyo, my test account is now working and I've looked at a few other accounts and they appear to be working too.

[#12]

Thanks for the work on the FP problem.  I can publish my site OK via FP ftp and since yesterday there have been less error messages about fp extensions etc., so presumably this aspect is OK now?  However, I still have not managed to publish via http://fp.myusername.plus.com. ; FP asks for my user name and password repeatedly, but does not give me access into my webspace.  (conversely as I mentioned above publishing via FP ftp is no problem). So I think there is still something else to sort? Peter

[#13]

Closing the problem is a bit premature I'm afraid...

The fp webspace structure is created but authentication fails. As per grecian fp cycles as does
the password command (_vti_bin/_vti_aut/passwd.htm)
Seems like an authentication issue and would you kindly re-open the problem as a P1 until it has been confirmed that it is cleared! (so that we can see what is going on)
Thanks
(copious thanks when fp webspace is fully operational)

[#14]

Hi all,
      I'm getting authentication issues now too (at least I'm getting a request for authentication where I wasn't before!). PN - please could you sort out asap.
thanks,
Andy.

[#15]

Its all gone very quiet...
A forthcoming solution looked rather hopeful for a while.
Is the resolution of the problem on someone's radar?
Thanks