Question regarding basic web design

[sopiaz57]

Ok, here it goes: I know there has to be a better way to go about this: I have a website with a simple table on top that spans 100 percent. in that small 1 row by 1 column table I have 5 links. Underneath this table is where I will store all my content.

I want to have one file which contains the header (navigation bar) so that when i add a link to my site i dont have to edit 5 html pages , each with thier own nav bar.

What does everyone do about this problem?

 

[Pablo]

make an empty row at the top of the table and add this to it.

<?php include("../header_page.php"); ?>

then all you need to do is edit the header_page.php when you want to change somehting

 

[sopiaz57]

Ok great, i knew php was one solution but didnt know if there was any other way, besides frames.

thanks!

 

[Peachy]

Whatever method you use to set up your navigation, please do not have an active link to "Home" on the "Home" page. Each of the 5 bars whould exclude the link to the page you are currently
seeing.

 

[Kodeking]

Originally posted by Peachy
Whatever method you use to set up your navigation, please do not have an active link to "Home" on the "Home" page. Each of the 5 bars whould exclude the link to the page you are currently
seeing.

i would have to disagree with that. I think the menu should stay the same on every page for consistancy.

Also, make sure you set php to execute html and htm extensions. It is not usually on by default

 

[Peachy]

If you want to keep the links the same on each page for the sake of consistency, then I think the link on the page being viewed should be a different color or style so the visitor knows which page he is on. No one likes to click a link and find he is already on that page.

There are still a lot of unsophisticated users and older people and some with disabilities who have real usability problems. I like to make things as easy for all as possible.

 

[nicholas]

Originally posted by sopiaz57
i knew php was one solution but didnt know if there was any other way, besides frames.

PHP would by far be the best method to use. But to your particular question, there are also other ways like SSI (server side includes) and such.

 

[Jeanco]

you can also shtml to do this, but I'd go with php. Only thing is you have to rename your files to .php to create an .htaccess file to tell the server to parse html and htm files like a php file.

 

[caledoniaman]

If you are using Dreamweaver, create a Dreamweaver template. If not, any of the options above will do the trick although I would agree that php is the best of these.

 

[RakeshRaja]

humm there are two solution for it

[1] php include tag
[2] frames

i personally dont favor use of frames in site

 

[Anthony]

Don't use frames -- using them is just like asking for problems!

 

[Karen Harwood]

Your best bet for all your web design needs is to use Macromedia Dreamweaver MX. This handy program takes all the redundent web editing work out of all you daily web designing needs. I would never consider creating a website without it!

 

[taco]

It depends what you are doing. I never use dreamweaver unless i am doing php or something of that sort. If you are just using html break out the handy dandy notepad that is really all you need. Photoshop and notepad should be more than enough to do a complete html webpage