So you want to make a Splash on the Web...

5 Steps to publishing your lake applets on the web

• Sign up for a host server for your web pages or use your own

• Know how to upload files to the server

• Get everything ready before it is uploaded

• Upload the files.

• Check that all is working fine

Step 1.

Find a web hosting service that will host your web pages.

The best way to do this is use a search engine for free web hosting. Another alternative is your ISP. They often offer free web space on their server. Check all potential hosts for:

• Advertising; try to find a site that has none, or very little.

• Instructions on how to up load pages and applets; some offer an upload direct from your hard drive. Others will want you to use ftp (file transfer protocol) and will recommend programs. There is a link here to one.

• Limitations on size; you will want enough space for all your web pages and graphics.

• Take up the offer of the e-mail address and put it onto your pages. This keeps the spam off your home computer!

Step 2.

Optimise your graphics, this means making them smaller in size so that they upload faster on your visitors' browsers. You can get programs such as The Gif Smart Saver (link is here) or search the download sites.

Step 3.

Check that everything is in the folder that you want to upload to the web. You should have checked that your pages run fine in your browser and if you can use other browsers, check these as well. Java applets run best with browsers version 4 and up, and for computers running Windows 95 and up.

You can, and should, organize your folders so that there is not a lot of clutter on your web site. Keep the web pages as they are, but make folders for your graphics. Change the code on your web page so that the browsers know where to find it. For example, if your graphic folder is called "graphics" and all your images are saved to this folder, add the folder name to the applet code.

<param name=image value="snowcabin.jpg">

In this example the folder is in red:

<param name=image value="graphics/snowcabin.jpg".

The lake.class is best left with the web pages and not in a subfolder with your images.

Step 4.

Take a deep breath and up load those files to the server. Check that they are all there including the Lake.class file. You will most likely have to create the folder for the graphics and then open that folder and upload your graphic files to it. Your host should have clear instructions on how to upload files. Check their help pages, or FAQ pages or if you can't find any help, send them an e-mail asking for help.

Step 5.

Check that your web pages look as how you designed them. If the lake applet is not showing then check that you have uploaded the file or that the path (the address) in the web page is pointing to where the graphic is.. If the applet is not working, has the lake.class file been uploaded to the same place that the web page is?

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