It Was Time
CSS(Cascading Style Sheets)
Server Side Include Pages
An excellent browser and search engine friendly alternative to frames. You create your pages, such as the top, right, left and bottom navigation bars as separate files. In your template page, you then call up those files with the SSI (Server Side Include) coding in the appropriate position. Use tables to control formatting.
Example SSI Coding
For "normal" SSI
<!--#include file="navbar.htm" -->
(you may need to rename your SSI pages .shtml - consult your hosting service)
FrontPage enabled SSI
<!--webbot bot="Include" U-Include="../nav/navbar.htm" TAG="BODY" -->
(no renaming of file extension necessary)
PHP SSI Coding
<?php
include ("../nav/navbar.htm");
?>
(your server will need to be configured for php and file extension will need to be renamed .php or .php3)
This function makes updating menu systems and other repetitive elements a great deal more efficient. If you want to take advantage of this function, you'll need to check whether your hosting service supports SSI.
TIPS: FrontPage Users! If you are publishing to a FP extension enable server, using server side includes couldn't be any easier. Develop your navigational, header and footer elements as separate files. Then create your template page. To make the navigational elements appear, simply go to "Insert" on the menu bar, select "Include Page" and then select the appropriate file.
For more details on SSI:
Big Nose Bird
http://www.bignosebird.com/s...
Details on SSI when using PHP coding
Dev Shed
http://www.devshed.com/Serve...
Are you still considering using frames for your new site? You may want to read this.....
http://tamingthebeast.net/ar...
SSI and CSS elements incorporated into your web site revamp can turn site wide minor update time from many hours to just a few minutes! The pain in initially redeveloping your site will be well worth it...
Once you decide upon the technology you will use, then other aspects of planning, construction and implementation (without interruption to services) await you. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for articles on these topics.
Go forth and plan to redevelop! ;0)
Michael Bloch
www.tamingthebeast.netMichael Bloch
Taming the Beast.net
http://www.tamingthebeast.ne...
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