FrontPage for Windows (Deprecated)

Microsoft Expression Tips | Dreamweaver Tips

If you are working with non-English text, it is strongly recommended that you avoid FrontPage and use an alternative HTML Editor such as Microsoft Web Expression 3+, MIcrosoft's successor to FrontPage or Dreamweaver.

Problems with Front Page

Due to a number of issues with the functionality of Front Page, Microsoft has discontined that tool and replaced it with Microsoft Web Expression which is generally better. Another recommended tool is Dreamweaver which works on both Windows and Macintosh.

Problems with Front Page include

Default encoding for HTML document was set to the vendor-specific encoding of win-1252 (Windows Western European) instead of Unicode or even iso-5561-1.
FrontPage often generated code that only functioned in Internet Explorer for Windows. Microsoft Expression Web now generates more browser-neutral code.
There were additional problems with the Arabic letter shaping enging in FrontPage 2000.

If you use Front Page

If you only have access to Front Page, then consider these tips

Tools Needed

Users need to have the Windows keyboards input locales for that script and fonts compliant with the encoding.

Typing Accents

Accented letters can be inserted via the Insert Symbol palette or via Windows Alt codes. When using Alt codes, check the code in HTML view to be sure the entity codes have been used.

Changing Default Encoding

See Front Page instructions at Viet Unicode on how to change the default encoding in Front Page 2000 so that all pages are Unicode.

Typing Utilities

Developers need a recent version of Microsoft FrontPage, the relevant fonts installed, and the Windows keyboard for that language or script installed and activated. To configure FrontPage:

NOTE: These instructions are for the Windows version of FrontPage.

Follow the instructions for activating a Windows keyboard through the Regional Options Control Panel.
Open a new document in FrontPage.
Follow the instructions for switching Windows keyboards or "Input Locales".
You should be able to type in the foreign script in FrontPage.

NOTE: Results may vary with different scripts. When in doubt, preview in a live browser.

Cutting and Pasting Unicode Text

Another option is to cut/paste or import Unicode text, then format it for the Web.