how to build WAP enabled Website?

redhat_newbie

Hi Friends,



What are the Software requirements to build a website (WAP enabled) supporting WAP?

And how to set it up ?

What s/w is needed ?

Any pointers and links is most welcome.........I am a beginner in this issue..



Cheers,

RHNww)

trap4

Depending on the kind of site you want there are numerous ways you could go about it. There are a number of services that allow you to set up WAP homepages similar to what GeoCities provided for webpages but I'm currently experimenting with using ready made templates with the TypePad.com blogging service and it's proving very flexible.

I've setup an experimental community news site for west Co. Limerick - Shupa.net - which can be accessed both through the web and WAP. TypePad have announced that they are expanding their moblogging options shortly so I expect this to get even easier and more flexible.


[Aside: by the way, I'm aiming to make the news items available through each of the main formats - Web, Wap, RSS and SMS. RSS is done but I'd love if anyone could tell me about any servivce that provide an RSS to SMS gateway. Clickatell have an XML API but I'm not a programmer and don't know if it can do the trick.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Jim.
http://eirepreneur.blogs.com

The Corinthian

A WAP site is essentially hosted on a normal Web server that has just had the MIME types for WAP files set up. Most if not all hosts have those set up as standard nowadays. Server-side scripting is essentially treated in exactly the same way as on the Web - except in that you have to specify WAP content types, specifically:

• text/vnd.wap.wml
• text/vnd.wap.wmlscript
• image/vnd.wap.wbmp

(compiled WAP content types omitted)

WAP documents are written using WML, which is an XML based mark-up language and roughly the equivalent of the Web’s HTML. Client-side scripting is supported also in the form of WMLScript; which, unlike JavaScript, is embedded into WML from a separate file (not unlike CSS in that regard). The image format is/was WBMP which is a 1-bit bit mat format - although many more modern phones also accept PNG, JPEG and even GIFF images.

Usability and interface when faced with multiple browser and phone types is one of the biggest challenges in developing for WAP, with the two main browsers in use being the Nokia and Openwave variants. Conversely, screen sizes are all over the place. Nonetheless, you can identify the rather frightening array of phones out there via conventional HTTP means (HTTP User Agent) and according tailor your output according to the device in question by referencing a standard such as WAP UAProf or WURFL.

With regard to tools, WYSIWYG has never really worked very well with WAP, and you’re frankly better off with a text based IDE such as those produced by Nokia or Openwave.

Here’s a few links that you may find useful:

http://www.thewirelessfaq.com/
http://www.w3schools.com/wap/
http://wurfl.mperium.com/
http://forum.nokia.com/
http://www.wirelessdevnet.com/channels/wap/

redhat_newbie

Thanks for the help lads !
I will check your links about the info regarding WAP websites !

Can I setup it using Apache and test it !
or
Do I need any other application servers for this ?

The Corinthian

Originally posted by redhat_newbie
Can I setup it using Apache and test it !
or
Do I need any other application servers for this ?

http://www.thewirelessfaq.com/4.2.asp

Read the links before asking further questions.

redhat_newbie

My apologies for silly question The Corinthian.
You lads turned out to be my Lecturers.

Thanks lads,
RHN

The Corinthian

Originally posted by redhat_newbie
My apologies for silly question The Corinthian.
You lads turned out to be my Lecturers.

Almost certainly know more on the subject than your Lecturers, tbh.

Let us know how you get on.

redhat_newbie

Thanks lads,

I am getting to know the basics from http://www.w3schools.com/wap/. I want to know step by step installation procedure for building a WAP website.

1) Apache & MIME settings is alright

How to communicate with PDA and Mobile phones ? How to make them message(SMS) to the WAP enabled website ?

I am confused in the sense, what actually does this WAP enabled website ? If I look into the websites for help they tell us about WAP , WML , Protocols, WAP browsers etc.

For a begginer its too much ! So step by step help is much appreciated, no problem how much time it takes ? I know there is ocean of things (regarding WAP )out there, but have to be a part of it.

Many of them are specialists regarding WAP , but none of them have their sites, that enable beginners to setup their own for testing and fall in love with it.

cheers,
RHN

---

"None of the questions are silly, unless it is asked "

The Corinthian

Originally posted by redhat_newbie
How to communicate with PDA and Mobile phones ?

Put your WAP site onto a publicly accessible Web Server, and point the PDA / Mobile to the relevant URL as if it were a normal Web Site. Alternatively use an emulator such as one of those that is bundled with the development IDE’s that were suggested earlier.

How to make them message(SMS) to the WAP enabled website ?

There are about five interpretations that I could make of that question. You’ll have to be more specific.

Many of them are specialists regarding WAP , but none of them have their sites, that enable beginners to setup their own for testing and fall in love with it.

There are too many Dreamweaver monkeys on the Web without encouraging them to design for WAP, tbh.

redhat_newbie

Broadcast is a good thing with respect to knowlegde and sharing.But Ongoing technology trend seems to be Multicast and sometimes Unicast.

trap4

I'm just after coming across a really quick and simple (and free) service for building WAP pages at - My.no

I literally had my own WAP page built in under 2 minutes though it's not pretty! Your phone number will be used as part of the URL (address) by the way, which may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your needs.

I'd imagine it would be good if your mobile was a business number and so anyone who knew it could simply derive your My.no number.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Jim.
http://eirepreneur.blogs.com