Which Software Should you Opt For?

There are several tools available for creating WAP sites. Whether you are a beginner or not, you can choose one of two options:

• Regular text editors. You can simply use Notepad on Windows or SimpleText on Macintosh. You just have to write your tags and save your pages in WML format.
  
  
• WAP-dedicated editors. Although still rare, they enable you to quickly create WAP pages without knowing WML. DotWap 2.0, one of the handiest programs, can be found on the site of its publisher, Inetis.
  
  

For an advanced WAP site, you will need a second type of software to create images in WBMP format. There are now several converters available. Some of them offer an online conversion function, and others work as stand-alone programs:

• To continue working with your favourite applications (Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop), you can use a few plug-ins that permit the export of images into WBMP format. Among others, Unwired can be downloaded at the following address: http://www.rcp.co.uk/distributed/Downloads
  
  
• If discovering a new program doesn't frighten you, there are a number of very good freeware programs available. For instance, you can use WAP Pictus, which is available on the site of its creator: http://www.checkit.cz/engl/download/download.html
  
  
• If you prefer to work online and to call on the conversion services offered by some sites, we recommend Teraflops: http://www.teraflops.com/wbmp/
  
  

The last type of software that you may find useful is an emulator. This enables you to test whether everything is working properly on your WAP site without any communication cost. You can find very good tools, such as Gelon (http://gelon.net) and YourWap (http://www.yourwap.com) on the Internet.