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Alfred's Serif Users' Forums → WebPlus → Direct editing of the HTML
I wish to directly edit the HTML of a page. There is a facility to edit SOME of the HTML - those bits deemed 'editable'. I want to edit the other bits.
There is also the facility to add 'HTML Pages', where all the HTML is editable, so it is possible.
Is there any way I can do it, other than on my ISP's server, which I am reluctant to do.
Copy the entire page source, add an HTML page and paste the copied code to the added page. Remove the original (partially editable) page.
Phew! Thanks. That's pretty clunky. It seems to work it publishes OK, except you apparently can no longer see the page in 'Page View', which is where I would want to continue editing it. I'm just trying to add a <meta> 'Description' tag. It seems it is irrevocably classified as an 'HTML Page' rather than a normal page, even though it's HTML is identical to the normal page.
I'm just trying to add a <meta> 'Description' tag.
In your original post you wrote:
I wish to directly edit the HTML of a page. There is a facility to edit SOME of the HTML - those bits deemed 'editable'. I want to edit the other bits.
That made it sound as though you wanted complete freedom to edit the HTML. If all you want to add is meta tag information such as keywords and a site description, you can do so via ‘Page Properties’.
Alas - there appears to be a bug in WebPlus (which can now never be corrected) such that anything entered into the 'Page Properties' 'Description' box doesn't actually appear in the HTML <meta> tag.
You can enter a meta tag by pasting it to Head in an HTML fragment.
Thanks for this - I had not explored 'HTML Fragments' before. You can certainly insert a <meta> Description tag into the header, but unfortunately it comes above the default non-editable one, and I presume that it is the last tag that is acted upon? The default tag comes immediately above /head, so there is no editable space under it.
Thanks for this - I had not explored 'HTML Fragments' before. You can certainly insert a <meta> Description tag into the header, but unfortunately it comes above the default non-editable one, and I presume that it is the last tag that is acted upon? The default tag comes immediately above /head, so there is no editable space under it.
Not necessarily. Why dont you try it and see what results you get.
Because as far as I am aware there is no way of accessing the ’Description’ tag of a web page, it is used by indexer bots.
Alas - there appears to be a bug in WebPlus (which can now never be corrected) such that anything entered into the 'Page Properties' 'Description' box doesn't actually appear in the HTML <meta> tag.
Just coming back to an earlier post of yours. There is NO bug in page properties in all the versions of Webplus from 4 - 8, and it's never been mentioned in all the previous forums when there were thousands of members. Alfreds response about using page site properties is absolutely correct.
What version of Webplus are you using?
Why don't you do a one page test site that demonstrates that the description does not appear and attach it to your next post. That way I or others can try and determine your issue. To attach a file you will need to quote a post and a browse button will be seen under the input frame.
To attach a file you will need to quote a post and a browse button will be seen under the input frame.
What will also work is using the ‘Post reply’ link above the ‘Subscribe’ link on the right-hand side near the top of the page (next to the ‘RSS topic feed’ link to the right of the orange RSS icon). What doesn’t work for this is the ‘Quick reply’ message box at the bottom of the page, because there’s no ‘Attachments’ file browser and no option to display one.
Nothing easier
Serif X8
Image 1 Page View of a blank page with Page Description popup with 'Description' filled in, then I pressed OK
Image 2 View Page HTML Source of that page. <meta name=”description” content=”Insert description”> in blue, non editable
Please attach a *.wpp file, not just screenshots.
Err - do you mean my whole web site xenophon.wpp? It's 244Mb? You can open the page www.xenophon.org.uk/blankpage.html, and then all browsers have a facility to look at the HTML?
Err - do you mean my whole web site xenophon.wpp? It's 244Mb? You can open the page www.xenophon.org.uk/blankpage.html, and then all browsers have a facility to look at the HTML?
It's not the html we need to see, it's what you've entered and where in Webplus.
Do a new 2 page project and preview it. If you get the same issues attach the 2 page project to your next post.
HMM- you are right, the results are curious - I need more time to think. I don't get a <meta> Description tag at all.
Will be back later.
HMM- you are right, the results are curious - I need more time to think. I don't get a <meta> Description tag at all.
Will be back later.
OK - I have constructed a 2 page website 'Test Site.wpp' containing an 'Index Page' and a 'Blank Page'
In the blank page 'Page Properties' pop up I filled in the 'Description' box, and pressed 'OK'
I would have expected this to put a <meta> description tag into the header HTML
Looking at 'View Page HTML' there is nothing there other than the default HTML.
So I believe I am right that there is a bug.
To explain why I get a non-editable <meta> tag in my main website is a little involved. I wished to add several <meta> tags to my page headers automatically, so I used 'Site Properties' 'Google Analytics' HTML window to not only add the Analytics HTML but tags such as page width, no snippets AND description, assuming I would be able to edit it afterwards. That's why it appears.
You might be wondering why I want to do this - I don't like the AI generated summaries that Google puts on my search results - I hoped that by having a 'Description' tag I could improve them.
You might be wondering why I want to do this - I don't like the AI generated summaries that Google puts on my search results - I hoped that by having a 'Description' tag I could improve them.
Google not only uses info from meta tags but from headings 1, 2 etc. from each page.
In your test site you have not entered anything in Site Properties > Search terms, nor in Page Properties > Search Terms. You have entered "This is a custom description" in the Navigation tab of page properties. That's why nothing shows.
From the top tool bar goto Site properties > Search Terms and enter Description and Key Words.
On your pages goto Page Properties > Search Terms and enter Description and Key Words.
Don't forget to also complete Indexing, and possibly Validation (if it still works)
Your original file is attached and you can see what I have added. Preview and view source code.
HA! As always simple when you know how. Many thanks to both of you for having the patience to sort this out for me. I still think it's confusing to have a box labelled 'Description' on the first set-up page with 'Title', and I'm not clear what it means. And I would still like to edit the HTML directly!
Thanks again
If you view the source code of a blank page the only meta tags you will see are:
<meta name="generator" content="Serif WebPlus X8 (16,0,4,32)">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=960">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="wpscripts/wpstyles.css">Which means all other meta tags are dependent on information you enter within Site and Page properties
You can remove the Webplus meta in Site properties > HTML Header and uncheck the "Include software name ....."
You can edit css for virtually everything and you can add your own css file which will overwrite the Webplus css.
You can add new meta tags via HTML Fragments.
You can dynamically change and add new features and behaviours with javascript and jquery.
Before anything, get a good grasp of the basics, use the Webplus help, and practice on a test site.
Alfred's Serif Users' Forums → WebPlus → Direct editing of the HTML
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