Super Theses The Best of Paul Vineburg #2 is the latest release from DPA Software/FrontLook. The FrontLook applications plug in to Microsoft FrontPage 2000/2002. The themes are "wrap-around themes" that can be used to give an older themed web site a new, updated look or to give a more interesting look to a new site. The example here is "Chromedome/blue. I have remodeled the Graphics & Web SIG site with this theme, click the link above to view it. (our entire web site may soon be updated with this theme) I wanted to put up and actual set of pages, with examples of other FrontLook Series applications, so that you could see for yourself how this theme looks on a web site. You will also find an earlier review I wrote of all the products that were available from DPA Software at that time. Since then they have added an application of special effects and two Super Themes packages of Paul Vineburg theme designs. I have all but the first Paul Vineburg and can say without hesitation that each is a great addition to add to FrontPage. They will offer a web designer some very exciting and easy to use elements to enhance your web pages. I use several of the items on our web site and another one that I am the web master for and have received very positive feedback for these effects. They are very eye-catching and it draws attention to the web site.

In order to use Super Themes you must have either FrontPage 2000 or FrontPage 2002 installed on your system. It requires, Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, or XP and uses about 8 megs of hard disk space. The application installed without any problems. It is available for download from the DPA web site and once you become a customer you are offered their other products at a discount. Once you have downloaded the file to a folder, double-click the executable file, follow the onscreen directions, and it will be ready to use in a few minutes.

The software installs into your FrontPage directory and becomes available when you select "Format" from the toolbar. This will bring up all of the Super Themes installed and you select which theme you would like to put on your web site. Please note these themes do not work on sites with frames. You may also edit the theme selection if there is something you would like to change. Use the Format menu, choose theme, and then modify, to make changes to the theme. I used this option to change the Active Link choice from the color orange to a cyan. It is recommended that you back up the web site you are applying the new theme to it.

The Super Themes Browser, which comes with the first Super Themes Package, sets up the shared borders, the navigation bars, and copies the additional graphics to the web. You also use the browser to customize your information such as copyright, author, company name, logo, and tagline. There are customizable areas inside the shared borders that you can use to insert new information. This makes the global changes to the web site. Information added in a shared border will appear throughout the site in the area that was edited. The browser is also available as a separate purchase. With the click of a button, your web site can have a completely new look! They are as easy to use as the regular FrontPage theme selections. Super Themes can also be used with new web sites – bring up the new – web from the menu, then select the Super Themes from the Format menu.

When the theme has been applied to the web site, follow the text information that is inserted on the pages to customize the web site information.

These themes use FrontLook Series 3. FrontLook Series 3 is not part of this package and is available as a separate purchase. If you don’t wish to add these components, they can be replaced with something else of your choice. In the theme I used there is an area below the logo section that has scrolling information – this is part of FrontLook Series 3. All I had to do was double click the DPA graphic (I have this series installed in my FrontPage 2000) to edit the text with information for my site. FrontLook Series 3 contains the following: Presentation/Slide Show Applet, Scroller Applet, Button Bar Helper, over 30 personal and business themes, a selection of over 300 professionally designed clip art, buttons, bullets, banners, backgrounds and separator elements inserted in the FrontPage Clip Art Gallery, and 90 audio clips that can be used as background sounds and message triggers. The FrontLook Series is $39.95 and $29.95 for previous customers. Series 1 & 2 are worth checking out too. They have a large variety of effects that are simple to add to a web page due to the easy-to-use interface that takes you through the steps that add the item of your choice and then creates and adds the code to the html page – the DAP image will appear on the "normal view" page in FrontPage. The applet can be edited by the same method as mention in Series 3. It’s as simple as selecting what you want, entering your information, and clicking ok.

Super Themes The Best of Paul Vineburg #2 comes with 8 themes….4 themes and 4 variations. It sells for $49.95 and $39.95 for previous customers. I have been working with FrontLook applications for several months now and am very pleased with all of the products that I have. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is designing web pages using Microsoft FrontPage 2000 or 2002. Visit DPA Software’s web site and take a look at all the things that they have to make your web pages more attractive, active, and exciting. There are demo’s available for download too if you would like to try them before you buy them.