Use Research-Desk to save complete web pages

Saving Web Pages

Research-Desk Professional can save an exact copy of a web page onto your local hard disk. Research-Desk preserves all elements of the web page - images, links, frames, Java, style sheets, etc. - so you can archive important web based content, even online transaction receipts.

Four easy ways to save
   1. Press the Save button located in the toolbar
   2. Click on the link Save Web Page located in the Research-Desk Toolbox
   3. Use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+S
   4. Or select File-Save

PageSnap(TM), Research-Desk's web page saving technology, improves on the technology built into Microsoft Internet Explorer. PageSnap saves many more complex pages (such as framed pages), and even saves secure server (HTTPS) pages. So, you can even save online transaction receipts.

File Formats for Saved Web Pages

Research-Desk can save web pages in any of the following formats: ZHTML, MHT, DOC, HTML, PDF and URL

Web pages are best saved as "Zipped Web Pages (.zhtml)". If you save the web page in a format other than ZHTML, you may lose formatting, images, and other information from the web page. After saving a web page as a ZHTML file, you should click on 'Back' (or press ALT+Left Arrow) to continue browsing. This optional extra step means that your browsing session continues with the online version of the web page, instead of the locally saved copy of the web page. This is especially important with database driven web pages because their interactive elements - buttons, links, etc. - may not function as designed from you local hard drive.

Web pages that contain non-English characters (such as Greek, Russian, etc) are best saved as MHT files (Hold down the Shift key before clicking on the Save button to access this feature).
Use File, Open to open a saved web page.
Click on Refresh or press F5 to refresh the saved ZHTML web page from its original location on the web.

Saving as PDF files

Research-Desk can also save web pages as PDF files. This is especially helpful if you plan to print the file.

Saving as ZHTML Files

By default, Research-Desk's PageSnap technology saves web pages as ZHTML files. This format is a zip file (that can also be opened by SnapZip, WinZip or any other zip program) that contains the html, images, style sheets, and other embedded elements that constitute the web page. Research-Desk 're-wires' the html in the page so that links, images, etc. work even in the saved copy of the web page. You can also save secure server pages (HTTPS) in the ZHTML format to archive online transaction receipts.

To open the saved web page, simply select File-Open from within Research-Desk. If you send the saved web page to someone without Research-Desk they can simply unzip the ZHTML file and then open the page with Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.

Saving as MHT Files

Research-Desk can also save web pages as Internet Explorer compatible web archives (MHT files). Hold down the Shift key and then click on the Save button to save a web page as a MHT file. Pages that contain non-English characters are best saved in this format. You can open a saved MHT file using either Internet Explorer or Research-Desk.

Saving as DOC files

If Microsoft Word is also installed on the same computer, a web page can also be saved as a Word Document (.DOC file). The saved document can then be edited normally in Microsoft Word. When you save a web page as a Word Document, Research-Desk automatically includes the date/time and the URL.

Saving as HTML files

Research-Desk can also save web pages as HTM or HTML files. Such files contain only the unaltered HTML that constitutes the web page. Web pages saved in this format do not retain their embedded elements - so any images are not saved.

Saving as URL files

Save web pages as .URL files to create shortcuts on your hard drive for easy access to specific web pages. A web page saved as a URL file contains a link to the original address on the web.

Saving as RTF or TXT files

Finally, Research-Desk can also save web pages as Rich Text (RTF) or Plain Text (TXT) files. Save web pages as RTF or TXT files if you would like Research-Desk to save just the text in the web page without formatting or images. You can open RTF files with many word processors including Microsoft Word, Wordpad, and others. Use Notepad to edit TXT files saved with Research-Desk.

Saving Workspaces

1. If you are going to open the workspace from your computer, then you should select File, Save Workspace As...
Choosing this option means that when you save the workspace, Research-Desk creates a map of the file you were working on (.Work). When you go to re-open the workspace, Research-Desk looks at the "map" and locates all the files. It then opens them all in your Research-Desk workspace.

2. If you are going to email the workspace or open it on a different computer, then you should select File, Save Self-Contained Workspace As...
Choosing this option means that when you save the workspace, Research-Desk will package all the files in your workspace into one file (.zWork). Think of this option like a folder. When you go to re-open the workspace, Research-Desk will open all the files in the “folder”. This is especially important if you are going to email a workspace to a co-worker.

If you try to email a Workspace (.Work) file to a co-worker or open it in a different computer, you will encounter an error. Research-Desk will look at the “map” and not be able to find certain documents. So if you want to share workspaces, remember to save them as a Self-Contained Workspace (.zWork).