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WML_Simple_Steps_to_a_Wireless_Site
| WML: Simple Steps to a Wireless Site
WML: Getting Your Wireless Site Online
Three Simple Steps How To View Wireless Sites Using a PC's
Browser WAP Search Engines WML Validators
The presence of the wireless / mobile / hand-held world is
becoming more apparent daily. With the introduction of WML (wire
less markup language) and the creation of WAP (wireless
application protocol) several years ago, the ability of having
not only a web site, but also a wireless web site is a reality.
Actually, with the never ending advances in wireless technology,
having a wireless web site is really not an option, especially
in the business world.
Mobile devices provide access to basic information coupled with
freedom from the restraints of the static desktop or the less
than always convenient, laptop. Innovations are allowing mobile
devices, i.e. cellular phones, PDAs (personal digital
assistants), and hand-held devices (pocket PCs, Palm Pilots,
Blackberrys etc) to become increasingly more compact. To
compensate for their small sizes, these devices are becoming
more powerful with a variety of screen sizes and improved
display and color capabilities. This is not to mention the other
wireless 'smart devices/appliances' that are also on the
horizon.
Because of their limited dimensions, wireless devices contain a
special micro-browser which has limited capacities and is not
able to present web sites written in HTML. Wireless web sites
are written in WML, which is similar to and simpler than HTML.
Understand that though simpler than HTML, WML is part of XML and
as such the syntax and rules are much stricter.
A wireless site is called a deck and 'pages' are referred to as
cards. The particulars of writing the code for a mobile device
in WML is another subject. Rather let's focus on now that you
have created a wireless web site, how to get it online so that
it can be accessed by those using hand-held devices. So let's go.
Three Simple Steps
1. Adding a small amount of information to your current sever 2.
Making a file called - .htaccess - and uploading it 3. Including
one other line
As with HTML, there are WML editors and hosting companies that
are available to put a wireless web site together and get it
online. Some of the hype tends to make it seem that only the
special hosting companies are capable of handling a site written
in WML.
In fact, any service capable of hosting a web site host can also
host a wireless web site, i.e. your current web site's host!
1. Adding Information to your Server
First, as you are aware, there are a number of different servers
in use. The following steps apply to those whose host is using
an Apache server or another NCSA-based server. A Windows server
is another story and has different requirements to contend with.
(see Openwave for specific information regarding Windows
server). This step, as well as the following steps, apply to
Apache servers.
A few simple lines of information need to be added to your
Apache server. They include;
DirectoryIndex index.wml addtype text/vnd.wap.wml wml addtype
application/vnd.wap.wmlc wmlc addtype text/vnd.wap.wmlscript
wmls addtype application/vnd.wap.wmlscriptc wmlsc addtype
image/vnd.wap.wbmp wbmp
These line allow your server to 'tell' a browser what type of
document to expect. The 'wml' addtype lines refer to wml text,
scripts, and applications. The 'wbmp' addtype line includes the
special image format that must be used for images on a wireless
site, file extension of .wbmp.
2. Making the - .htaccess - File
Using your favorite HTML editor or something like Notepad,
create a file that contains the above lines of information. This
file is designated as .htaccess, it must have the dot in front
of the h! A simple way of doing this would be to initially name
your new file something like 'abc.htm'. Upload it into your HTML
directory and once there simply rename it to .htaccess. You have
now added a file called .htaccess to your HTML directory where
you can now also place your WML files. Of course, the .htaccess
file can be placed in any directory where you will place your
WML files.
3. Adding The Extra Line
This last step can actually be included with Step 2. I am not an
expert concerning MIME, servers, and .htaccess files, but I want
share with you a 'glitch' that I encountered after the first
time I followed the steps above. Using a WAP simulator/emulator
(see below), I was able to access and begin to modify the two
wireless sites that I had created.
Shortly afterwards, after feeling that I had accomplished
something, I went to visit one of my site's, (actually the home
page from which this article originates, estOnto.com) and I
discovered that entering either
http://estonto.com or http://estonto.com/index.html
resulted in an error message that access was forbidden! The same
thing happened with my other web site. I could access the new
wireless sites, but neither home page would open on the desktop!
After continued searching and reviewing many online resources I
did not encounter any mention of this situation. I repeated and
retraced my steps, and I still had the same result. Therefore, I
attempted to correct this on my own and with some persistence
realized that the solution was simple. By adding this one extra
line to Step 2 above
DirectoryIndex index.html
now - http://estonto.com
once again opens my home page and the wireless web site is also
accessible!
So the final lines that I added to my Apache server via the
.htaccess file were;
DirectoryIndex index.html
DirectoryIndex index.wml addtype text/vnd.wap.wml wml addtype
application/vnd.wap.wmlc wmlc addtype text/vnd.wap.wmlscript
wmls addtype application/vnd.wap.wmlscriptc wmlsc addtype
image/vnd.wap.wbmp wbmp
How To View Wireless Sites Using a PC's Browser
Obviously, one method of viewing wireless web sites is by using
a mobile device. During the construction and testing phases of
building a wireless site this is not a very practical nor
economical approach.
Yet if desktop and laptop browsers can not 'read' WML, at first
glance there appears to be a problem then with being able to
view a wireless site via a desktop machine.
But just as there are editors and browsers for viewing web pages
'under construction', and using a localhost Apache server along
with a Perl console for reviewing Perl scripts before going
online, there are a number of different wireless simulators /
emulators available. Some can be downloaded for use on your
machine, or your web site, or there are sites that offer access
to a simulator / emulator for free.
Some sources, a search will easily bring up others;
YoSpace, multiple simulators, life size and enlarged
WapMore, multiple emulators
Wapsilon, several simulators
A WML editor, available free for download, can be found at
WAPDrive
WAP Search Engines As on the 'regular' web, the wireless web has
search engines which can be used to search for wireless sites by
inputting keywords. Just as important though, is that these
search engines accept submission of wireless sites for review
and inclusion into their listings. Even though regular and
wireless web sites are both on the Internet, remember that they
are different protocols so SEO and promotion needs attention on
both fronts.
Some examples of wireless search engines;
WapTiger WapDrive, many sites listed
WAP Validators Here are a few WAP validators for checking your
WML coding for errors. As part of XML, WML must be correct.
WAPuSeek WapTiger W3C WapForum
This is only but a few of the wireless resources that are
available on the Internet. Searching will bring up many related
results.
----------------------------------------After being a practicing
dental specialist for twenty-five years, William Tolson became
intrigued with the Internet and web/wap page design. Self-taught
and initially designing and hand coding his own personal web
sites, he now devotes all his time as an independent contractor
focusing on web page design, optimization and accessibility for
all.
2002 wjt@estonto.com Š. All rights reserved.
About the author:
After being a practicing dental specialist for twenty-five
years, William Tolson became intrigued with the Internet and
web/wap page design. Self-taught and initially designing and
hand coding his own personal web sites, he now devotes all his
time as an independent contractor focusing on web/wap page
design, optimization and accessibility for all.
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