Web Design

[New Damage]

Here is a quick draft for a site I'm making. I'm just wondering what would be the correct/best method of creating it so that the header area and links (which will be horizontal below the header area) are able to be changed independantly. By this I mean that if I change something to do with the header/links, it'll automatically be changed for every page there after, without me having to trawl though each page individually and make the change there (useful for adding new content or changing the logo/banner), same applies to the background image. So essentially, the only part that is unique is the big white space.

I've made similar sites before where I've reverted to using iframes to accomplish the same goal, but I realise that it's not the best method to do things.

As mentioned it's just a rough draft hence the blank spaces, random image (girl band Warpaint BTW ) and clashing background.

Thanks.

[Dr. Rated-R]

Take a look at the way WordPress templates work. They use PHP includes to split the content of a page into several different files (header.php, sidebar.php, footer.php, etc.), then call them together on each individual page of a website. This way, anything changed in, say, header.php, will be changed globally. You can structure your entire layout using PHP includes, to make future upgrades as painless as possible. Here's a very basic guide to PHP includes.

[New Damage]

Thanks for the reply. Turns out that my server (Webs.com (yeah)) doesn't allow PHP.

I'm currently reworking the whole frames idea (which I know definitely works with Webs. Is there any possible way such that the size of the frame is able to expand to meet the page that it'll be showing? For example, if I have the home page it'll be say 200px long to fit everything, but if i post something that'll be long, say a roster page, it'll expand to meet the content it'll show, such that scrolling in the frame isn't needed, only normal scrolling within the web page as a whole.

[LUKIE]

What program are you using?

If you are using Dreamweaver, then you just create the basics as a template and then denote other areas as an editable area.

If you don't know what I am getting at, PM me, and I'll try and help out where I can.

[New Damage]

I'm actually just using Photoshop and my own HTML knowledge. Site design has kind of changed since that draft image, although the header section is using iframes, as is the navigation section, albeit down the left hand side. The main area is on the right and at present will have to be updated per page.

[New Damage]

If anyone is interested, here's what I've got so far.

http://prowrestlingthunder.webs.com/

[New Damage]

To give an update, I've found that I can use the .shtml extension for my pages. This allows me to user Server Side Includes (that aren't PHP). So now I can just use a simple one line #include command to add the header/navigation content. Much better/easier than iframes, though there may be issues with linking, but hopefully I can sort that out.

However it still doesn't resolve my create the layout and have the main content loading dynamically problem. I assume this is easily sorted with use of PHP, but as I mentioned thats not supported by my host Webs.com. I have been trying (by mashing the keyboard) to get it so that the navigation will open pages in the main content area using the #include, but it doesn't seem possible.

[Marsh]

Although PHP has been ruled out due to server limitations, my first instinct was to pull the data out of a MySQL dB using PHP. Then you would have a centralized location for your data, and probably a user friendly GUI in the form of PHPMyAdmin.

Webspace is cheap as chips now, couple of quid a month. Get it away from Webs.com and do yourself a favour!