Creating Links that Download Files

You might have content that you want to offer your visitors , but don't want to turn into a Web page. For example, if you have a long story, report, or other document in a word processing file, you might want to offer that file for downloading rather than turn it into a Web page (or series of Web pages).

You can offer any kind of computer file for downloadingdocuments, sound clips, or pictures, for example. The steps for creating links to files are the sameno matter what type of file you want to offeras the following example shows.

One caveat to keep in mind: To use a file you provide, the visitor must have the right program. For example, if you publish a Word file, the visitor must have a program that can display (or convert) Word files to view it. You cannot do much about this situation, except to try to offer only popular, widely used file types, such as Word ( .doc ) for documents, .avi for video clips, or .wav for sound clips.

1. Get the file to which you want to link, and move or copy it to the folder where your Web page files are stored.

   Figure 23.23. Step 1: Put the file in the same folder as the Web page file.

   

2. In the Web page in Composer, type and format the link text as usual.

   

   In the link text (or right next to it), be courteous and tell your visitors the file type (so that they can tell whether it's a file they're equipped to view) and size (so that they can " guesstimate " how long it will take to download at the speed of their Internet connection).

3. Select the link text and click the Link button on the Composition toolbar.

4. Click the Choose File button (see Figure 23.24).

   Figure 23.24. Step 4: Click Choose File.

   

5. Use the dialog box to browse to the file you want this link to download, select that filename, and click Open (see Figure 23.25).

   Figure 23.25. Step 5: Browse to the file.

   

When you publish this Web page online, you must remember to also publish the file to which the link points and make sure that it's stored in the same directory online as the page containing the link; otherwise , the link doesn't work.