DFM2HTML Support: Getting Help When You Need It

This is the support hub for DFM2HTML, the Windows HTML and web site designer. Whether you are stuck on an installation problem, trying to figure out why your exported files behave differently on a server, or looking for the right documentation page to answer a specific question, this page organizes your options by category so you can find the right resource without guessing. Below you will find sections on how to get help effectively, common troubleshooting starting points, available documentation resources, where to find answers across the site, installation support, and file output and publishing support. I have structured this material around the patterns that actually come up in real support conversations, not around a theoretical product manual.

How to Get Help

The fastest way to resolve a problem with DFM2HTML depends on what kind of problem it is. Configuration and workflow questions are almost always answered somewhere in the existing documentation. If you work through the resources listed on this page and do not find what you need, direct support is available through the contact page.

Before reaching out for individual help, try these steps in order. First, check the FAQ page for your specific question. The FAQ covers the most commonly asked questions about installation, export, templates, browser behavior, JavaScript menus, publishing mistakes, and caching. Second, look through the tutorials for a guided walkthrough of the workflow you are trying to complete. Tutorials are organized by learning path, so you can jump directly to the section that matches your task. Third, if your issue involves JavaScript menu behavior, consult the JavaScript menu reference for the expected markup structure and configuration options.

When you do contact support directly, include three pieces of information that will speed up the response: a description of what you expected to happen, a description of what actually happened, and the version of Windows you are running. If the issue involves browser rendering, note which browser and version you tested in. If the issue involves the exported files, mention whether the problem appears in local preview, on the server, or in both places. These details eliminate the back-and-forth that slows down most support exchanges.

Common Troubleshooting Starting Points

Most issues people encounter with DFM2HTML fall into a small number of categories. Here are the starting points for each, organized by symptom rather than by feature area, because when something breaks you are thinking about what went wrong, not about which product feature is involved.

Pages look wrong in the browser

If your page looks correct in the editor preview but renders differently in a browser, start by checking whether the issue is browser-specific. Open the page in Chrome and in Firefox. If the problem appears in only one browser, it is likely a rendering quirk in that browser's CSS handling. If it appears in both, the issue is more likely in the HTML or CSS structure itself. The editor's built-in preview mode uses an embedded browser view and is the most reliable pre-publishing check. Always preview before exporting, and always test the exported files in at least two browsers before uploading.

JavaScript menus not working

Menu issues have three common causes, and checking them in order resolves the problem in nearly every case. First, verify that the menu script file is referenced in the page's head section. Second, confirm that the script file was included in the exported output and uploaded to the server. Third, check that the navigation HTML uses the nested list structure with the class names the script expects. The JavaScript menu reference documents the required markup pattern. If all three are correct, open the browser's developer console and look for JavaScript error messages that will point to the specific failure.

Files missing or broken after upload

When a site works locally but breaks on the server, the cause is almost always one of three things: files that were not uploaded, filename case mismatches between Windows and Linux, or incorrect directory structure on the server. Open your browser's developer tools and check the Network tab or Console for 404 errors. Each 404 tells you exactly which file the browser tried to load and could not find. Verify that those files exist on the server in the exact path and with the exact capitalization the HTML expects.

Changes not appearing after update

Browser caching is the most frequent cause of invisible updates. Press Ctrl+F5 to force a hard reload that bypasses the cache. If that does not help, clear the full browser cache or test in a private browsing window. If your hosting provider uses server-side caching or a CDN, check the hosting control panel for a cache purge option. The FAQ has detailed guidance on caching and refresh issues.

Documentation Resources

DFM2HTML's documentation is spread across several sections of this site, each focused on a different kind of question. Here is a map of what lives where so you can go directly to the right resource.

• Tutorials cover complete workflows from start to finish. They are organized into five learning paths: beginner, layout, JavaScript menu, publishing, and troubleshooting. If you are trying to do something and want step by step guidance, start here.
• FAQ collects the most commonly asked questions with direct answers. If you have a specific question about installation, export, templates, menus, browser behavior, or publishing, the FAQ is the fastest resource.
• Template library documents each included template with anatomy breakdowns, responsive behavior notes, and guidance on which kinds of sites each layout suits. If you are deciding on a page structure, this is where to compare options.
• JavaScript menu reference covers the scripting patterns, required HTML structure, configuration options, and debugging techniques for the built-in menu system. This is the technical reference for navigation implementation.
• Extended FAQ provides additional answers on browser configuration, advanced output settings, and edge cases not covered in the main FAQ.
• Download page includes system requirements, installer details, and setup notes alongside the installer downloads themselves.

Where to Find Answers

Different kinds of questions live in different places. Here is a quick guide to matching your question type to the right resource.

If you are asking "How do I do X?", the tutorials are your best starting point. They walk through complete tasks with explicit steps and expected results at each stage. Whether you are building your first page, setting up a JavaScript menu, or publishing to a server, there is a tutorial path that covers it.

If you are asking "Why is X not working?", start with the FAQ. It covers the most common failure modes and their fixes. If your specific issue is not listed, the troubleshooting starting points on this page will help you narrow down the cause.

If you are asking "What are my options for X?", the template library and the features page cover the structural and functional capabilities in detail. These pages describe what the tool can do, where it stops, and who each feature is designed for.

If you are asking "Can someone help me with my specific situation?", the community forum is a good place to describe your problem and get input from other users. For direct assistance, the contact page provides a path for individual support requests.

Install Support

Installation issues are rare but when they happen they are frustrating because you cannot use the tool at all until the install succeeds. Here are the most common installation problems and how to resolve them.

The installer will not run. Confirm that you downloaded the correct edition for your system. The 64-bit installer will not run on a 32-bit Windows installation. Check your system type in Settings, then System, then About. If you are unsure, the 32-bit installer works on both architectures, though the 64-bit edition is recommended for 64-bit systems.

Antivirus blocks the installer. Some antivirus programs flag the self-extracting installer format as suspicious. This is a false positive. You can verify the download by checking the file size against the values listed on the download page. If your antivirus allows exceptions, add the installer file to the safe list and run it again. If not, temporarily disable real-time scanning for the duration of the install, then re-enable it immediately after.

The editor opens but the interface looks wrong or is missing elements. This can happen if the Windows display scaling is set to an unusual value. DFM2HTML works best at 100% or 125% display scaling. If you are running at 150% or higher, some interface elements may overlap or clip. Adjust the scaling in Settings, then System, then Display, or try running the editor in compatibility mode with high DPI scaling override set to "Application" in the executable's properties.

The editor crashes on startup. Check that your system meets the minimum requirements: Windows 7 SP1 or later with current service packs and updates installed. If the crash persists, try running the editor as administrator once to allow any first-run configuration to complete, then run normally afterward. If the problem continues, note the exact error message and include it when contacting support through the contact page.

File Output and Publishing Support

Getting files from the editor to a live server is the final step in every project, and it is where a distinct set of problems can surface. Here are the common support topics related to export and publishing.

Exported files are not in the expected folder. Check the output directory setting in the export panel before running the export. The editor writes all files to the directory you specify. If you changed the output path in a previous session and forgot, the files may be in the old location. Use your system's file search to locate recently modified HTML files if you cannot find the output folder.

Internal links are broken after upload. This usually means the directory structure on the server does not match the exported structure. Upload the entire output folder contents, preserving all subfolder relationships exactly as the editor created them. Do not rename folders, do not flatten the hierarchy, and do not change file extensions. The relative paths between HTML files, images, and scripts depend on that structure being intact.

CSS or JavaScript files are not loading on the server. Check your server's MIME type configuration. Some hosting providers do not serve .css or .js files with the correct content type headers by default, especially on restrictive shared hosting plans. Your hosting provider's documentation or support team can confirm whether static file types are served correctly. Also verify that the files were actually uploaded. An FTP client that encountered an error during transfer may have skipped files silently.

The site works on the server but images load slowly. Large image file sizes are the usual cause. DFM2HTML exports images at their original resolution. If you placed high-resolution photos on the canvas, the exported files will be large. Optimize images for web delivery using an image compression tool before placing them in your project, or after export but before upload. A typical web page image should be under 200 KB for fast loading on standard connections.

For publishing workflows, file organization, and server upload techniques, the tutorials include a complete publishing path that walks through the process from export to live site with verification steps at each stage.