PRX Release Publishing Options

So you are completely satisfied with your release:  all of the images look great;  you’ve entered all the links; the text is all spell-checked and formatted.  Now, how are you going to distribute your new baby?

PRX was created to allow authors to write a release once.  After you create the PRX file and publish it to the internet, all you should need to provide to a distribution service is the URL.  This is the goal.  We recognize that it may take time to reach this goal, so we’ll discuss various distribution options using both PRX and HTML.

There are several options listed below.  You can elect to use any or all of the choices as part of your distribution plan:

·                    Professional Wire Service

·                    Internet Distribution Service

·                    Email List

·                    Your Blog, a separate RSS feed, or some other Web Site

·                    Other distribution options

 

Publishing to the Internet

PRX Builder offers an optional service at PRX Releases for publishing your release to the internet.  If you signup for this service, your release will be assigned a permanent URL and the links to your release will be saved inside your PRX file.  To see this option, click on the Finish tab, then click the Distribute link and select Distribute To…PRX Releases.

 

 

If you’d prefer to publish your files to the internet on your own, you can save your PRX and HTML files outside of the PRX Builder.  Even if you publish the files yourself, it’s a good idea to enter each URL to your files in the PRX Builder so that the links are saved with your PRX file.  You’ll need to determine where you’re going to publish the files ahead of time.  Then enter each URL in the PRX Builder and save the release.  To distribute the files, save the files outside of the PRX Builder with the Save As option.  Save the files to your hard drive and then move them to a location on the internet.

 

 

Saving Your Files

No matter which options you choose, it’s a good idea to save both your PRX file and HTML file outside of the PRX Builder.  Use the Save As button to save the files to your local hard drive.  You can later reload your PRX file into the PRX Builder if you would like to make changes or want to use it as a template for another release.

 

 

 

 

 

Professional Wire Service

When using a wire service, the first step is to determine if the service can accept the PRX file format.  If the service can read the PRX format, then point the service to your PRX file on the internet or upload your PRX file from your hard drive.  The available options will be determined by the service.

Some wire services will allow you to submit the HTML file, or you may be required to convert the HTML file to an MS Word document.  To convert the file to MS Word, open the HTML file in Microsoft Word and save the file as a Word document (.doc).  Then upload the Word document to the service.

 

Internet Distribution Service

There are many popular distribution services that will distribute your release over the internet.  Your release may not reach as many people as it would through a wire service, but you’ll often save on distribution costs. 

These services are usually more flexible than the wire services.  If they can’t accept a PRX file now, request that they support PRX in the future.  Otherwise, most of these services should allow you to upload your HTML file for processing.

 

Email List

The HTML version of your release can be attached to an email and forwarded as part of an email campaign.

 

Your Blog, an RSS Feed,  or another Web Site

The PRX Builder supports a common blog interface that allows you to publish directly to your blog. 

Otherwise, you can copy-and-paste the HTML code into a blog entry.  You can also post the HTML file to a website and link to it from your blog or web page.

PRX was designed to be embedded within RSS feeds for distribution.  See the PRX 1.0 specification for more information on including PRX within an RSS feed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Distribution Options

There may be other options that we haven’t considered.  Just remember that PRX is an easy-to-read XML file.  Make your PRX file available on the internet and look for services that can link to your PRX file.  The services should be able to read your release directly from your site.  With this approach, we’ll move closer to our goal of writing a release once-and-only-once.

 

 

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