Frames & more

[Fred]

BlankI've never used frames before but now need to do so. I need a page with
four frames - the banner (top border) split into two frames - frame 1 & 2,
the main frame (content) - frame 3 and the bottom frame (bottom border) -
frame 4.

The content on frame 1 & 3 will change whilst 2 & 4 will be remain constant.
I need to find a way to do this and even more important I need to find a way
(if there is one) of deep linking the content on frame 3 so that it opens
automatically on load.

Any guidance would be most welcome. Fred

 

[Murray]

Why do you need to use something as troublesome and problematic as frames?

 

[Fred]

I don't, but unless you can tell me another way I can split the page up
(bearing in mind that the middle frame contents will be of differing
lengths, it would appear that frames may be the answer. I'm always open to
polite suggestions and advice. Fred

 

[Murray]

I can be polite! 8)

Here's the thing. You just need to get over the idea of only certain parts
of the page changing. Link from one page to another. Each page will open
in the same window as the previous page. If your pages are reasonably
weighted (i.e., 50K or less - including all graphics, all code, and all
externally linked files) then the transition from one page to the next will
be nearly imperceptible, since the browser is going to pull most of the
required files from the local browser cache.

To see what I mean, go to my site - http://www.great-web-sights.com - and
navigate from one page to the next. All the graphics used on the whole site
(except on the portfolio page) are loaded when the first page loads, and are
then drawn from the browser's local cache. The pages themselves have very
little code on them. This makes them load quite rapidly.

Or am I missing the reason for wanting to split things up?

 

[Rick Budde]

Based on your specs, I would suggest that you use tables
and include pages instead of frames.

1. Create a blank template page that contains a 2 column
X 3 row table that is the basic layout for your website.

2. In the area that is to contain your content (#3 by
your terminology), combine the two cells of the table
into one. Same for the bottom two cells (#4 by your
terminology).

3. Size the cells of the table so that they can
accomodate their targeted content.

4. Create two separate pages for the unchangable content
of #2 and #4. Input that content into those pages.

5. Go back to the page created in step 1 above and insert
Include Page components into cells #2 and #4. The pages
to include will be those created in step 4 above.

You now have a blank template upon which to base your
website. Once you haved saved it, do a File | Save As as
many times as you need to create pages for your website
(obvioulsy using different file names each time you Save
As). This way your blank template will remain in case you
need to add pages to your site.

In each of these newly created pages, input the changable
content in your cells #1 and #3. Tie these pages together
with hyperlinks, publish to your host and you are ready
for prime time.

I hope this helps.

 

[Fred]

Hi Murray & Rick,

Thank you for trying a help a newbie. I think it may be better if I show you
a site that seems to do what I want, albeit on a different subject matter.
Please take a look at
http://aberdeen-gran-canaria.bargai...ages/airports_destinations/departure/scotland

and you will get an idea of what I'm trying to achieve. On the site the text
changes in the top box i.e. the name of the airport, but the rest of the
text and search box and the bottom of the page (starting with the map)
remain constant. The middle part (frame 3 in my first posting) is obviously
different on every page and is changed daily. It was this part of the puzzle
that I'm totally ignorant on and would love to hear from anyone on how I
could achieve the same thing.

Thanks for your advice so far. Fred

 

[Murray]

You need to find a better example than that. This site is completely data
driven, and as far as I can tell the whole page refreshes with each click on
the search button.

 

[Fred]

The data is held on another server and all I need now is to find a way to
instruct my server to collect this information via a deep link (if that's
the right word). I think Rick's idea of the three tables would work so the
only answer I now need is the one on how I can place a deep link. The full
data driven website would be beyond my knowledge base so I won't even go
down that road unless someone knows an idiot proof and cheap way. Fred

 

[Murray]

On the site you linked, no frames were used. Each press of the SEARCH
button triggers a new SQL query into the database, and a new recordset
formulation. It's a standard setup.

 

[Rick Budde]

Fred:

Frames or tables is not the most important issue for you.
The fact that the variable data you want displayed on
your site are stored on another site is THE key to your
problem.

When you say "the data is held on another server" is it
similar to the website you gave as an example (ie, it
changes based on some input your visitor might make on
your site ... in the example case, selecting different
destinations causes different information to be displayed
in your #1 and #3 cells)? If so, you probably cannot
avoid programming and you should strongly consider hiring
someone with the skillset required to do this.

I would suggest you also pose your questions/ideas with
the people who generate the data on this other server.