| NetObjects Fusion 4
New Features NetObjects Fusion 4.0 is the fastest, easiest way to turn your business into an e-business. E-business Web sites represent a convergence of e-publishing, e-commerce, and e-application
functionality. Give customers and colleagues real-time information by connecting to company databases via popular application servers. Cash in on e-commerce with components for leading turnkey solutions.Here's a quick take on the exciting new features in NetObjects Fusion 4.0: New Components ModelSiteStylesSiteStructure EditorLayout Editor
HTML Publishing Control New Components Model - New NetObjects Fusion API:
Version 4.0 introduces a greatly expanded Java application programming interface. With this API, the introduction of NetObjects or third-party components or feature sets to NetObjects Fusion is completely seamless to you, the user. The new API supports Java Development Kit 1.1 and Swing 1.0, and includes the full Java Virtual Machine from Sun Microsystems. Dynamic database access:
From Site view, you can use wizards to design applications that connect to databases or application servers, without programming. You can also drag and drop components right onto the page layout for live database connectivity, and manage the design-time attributes from the Properties palette. For more information on components developed by our partners, visit the Companion Products section of the NetObjects Fusion 4.0 site.E-commerce components:
Now you can drag and drop e-commerce elements that connect to an iCat Commerce Online server onto the NetObjects Fusion Layout Editor. Then use the IBM HotMedia component to make the online shopping experience more compelling by adding zoomable images, 3D objects, and similarly unique effects. For more information on components developed by our partners, visit the Companion Products section of the NetObjects Fusion 4.0 site. Go to top of page. SiteStyles
NetObjects Fusion includes several new, professionally designed sample sites. These sites come complete with content you can adapt for your own uses, and are designed to showcase such features as data objects, table layouts, forms, external HTML files, and DHTML Actions.Built-in rollover buttons:
You can have navigation buttons to automatically highlight when your site visitor's mouse rolls over the buttons. You can add rollover images when you define the style in Style view, where you can also see live previews of the rollover effect.New SiteStyles collection:
Every one of the more than 50 professionally designed SiteStyles is new in version 4.0, and all new SiteStyles include button rollover images. Use SiteStyles to give your site a unique look and feel; once you define one in Style view, the style is automatically applied throughout your site. Plus, all SiteStyles from previous versions of NetObjects Fusion are included on the CD-ROM. To see all the SiteStyles included with NetObjects Fusion, visit the eFuse Stylizer. Go to top of page. SiteStructure Editor NetObjects Fusion now supports more HTML table tags, so the layouts of any Web site you import are now more consistent with those of the original site. We've also simplified the process of importing external Web sites by combining the Import Local Web Site and Import Remote Web Site commands into one command.Launch Site Wizard:
You can now run installed NetObjects or third-party site components (such as the iCat E-commerce Wizard) in Site view by using the new Launch Site Wizard. For more information on components developed by our partners, visit the Companion Products section of the NetObjects Fusion 4.0 site.Page and section character set:
If you need expanded character sets for developing international sites, you can now specify the character set for a page or a section of pages in Site view. You can also set the default character set for the entire site in Publish view. Go to top of page. Layout Editor
Now you can create tables any way you like with the table tool's powerful new interface. Merge and split cells; resize cells, rows, and columns by dragging handles in the ruler; and apply font and other attributes, and enter custom HTML, for a cell or an entire row or column at a time. The options available in the Properties palette give you more control over HTML generated for tables.JavaBean tool:
The new JavaBean tool lets you place JavaBeans on your page, access their parameters, and attach actions to them.Go Menu component: The Go Menu component lets you add a drop-down menu with items that are dynamically linked to other pages in your site, all without JavaScript coding. Your site visitors select from the drop-down menu to go to the linked page. Screen Door component:
Take advantage of browser-specific features while keeping your site accessible to those who don't have that browser. Simply place the Screen Door component on a page and specify which version of the page you want site visitors to see if they're using a different browser. When those site visitors access the main page, they are automatically redirected to the page you specify, all without JavaScript coding.Ad Banner component:
Display advertisements or other graphics on your pages with the Ad Banner component -- no JavaScript coding required. You select the images, the transitions, the rotation time, and the URLs, and NetObjects Fusion does the rest. Easier asset selection:
When you place images, animations, or other objects on the page, the Open dialog box now gives you the option of selecting from a list of assets that are currently used in your site. You no longer have to locate the file on your hard drive each time you want to use the same asset.Background options:
You can now apply both an image and a color to a background, rather than choosing either an image or a color. If the image you choose is a transparent GIF, the color you choose shows through the transparent areas of the GIF. RTF conversion: NetObjects Fusion 4.0 has improved support for pasting or dragging and dropping RTF files, especially those containing tables. Support for pasting or dragging and dropping Microsoft Word and Excel files has also improved.
Frame behavior: You now have greater control over setting frame parameters.International features: In addition to character sets, you can also specify time, date, and number formats; spelling dictionary; and character set guidelines for importing HTML pages. Go to top of page. HTML Publishing Control - Additional HTML output methods:
You can now tailor the HTML generated by NetObjects Fusion for a specific browser, or you can choose either tables or Cascading Style Sheet Positioning (CSSP) and Layers for cross-browser compatibility. To take advantage of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x features, choose CSSP as the HTML output method; NetObjects Fusion will generate pure CSSP code. To take advantage of features in Netscape Communicator 4.x, choose to output HTML using Layers alone.
Greater control over generated HTML: You now have more control over the look and the content of generated HTML. You can also specify information to be included in the HTML, such as custom Meta tag information and descriptive comments.Incremental publishing: Publish a page or a section of pages instead of republishing the entire site each time you make a change.Site character set:
You can set the default character set for the entire site in Publish view. Each new page you add to your site automatically inherits the default character set.Publish components: When you publish, you can now turn on or off any installed NetObjects or third-party Publish Components, such as the Cold Fusion Publish Component.Passive mode FTP:
In Publish view, you can now specify that files be transferred using passive mode FTP, which is sometimes required to transfer files through a firewall. Go to top of page.
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