Blogs?

Krisidious

ahhh Edson... you have come across the question that has perplexed webmaster since the dawn of time... or the Internet whichever came first.

how to display content efficiently?

there are several options. each more complicated than the next.

CMS not components/materials/styles...
instead CMS content/management/system...

options

databases - like mysql,sql,asp and others
this allows you to create 1 page, and then dynamically change that page given a users input, usually a search string. then multiple database entries can be shown through 1 page with out creating multiple pages.
static pages- this means for every graphic, there is a unique page. very time consuming, and once complete, changes are very difficult.
Frames - almost extinct, this is when one page acts as a placeholder and other pages are viewed through it. this makes for a little less work than static pages, but search engines don't like frames, and most browsers display them differently.
CMS software - using automated software that performs either combinations of the above techniques or standalone software independent techniques. you up load your files into this software and it creates pages and databases as needed.
CSS - cascading style sheets - you make a set of rules on the back side of your page in code, much like HTML and then you only have to sel,ect the data or images that you want displayed on each page. that way the whole site can be changed with changes to one file...
Dynamic Web Templates - used by Dreamweaver and Frontpage, this allows you to create one page of multiple pages, as templates, then wrap them around content as needed... then changes to the template can be globally enacted on all pages in the site. this is much like CSS and uses some of the technology... but is much more user friendly than CSS and the brunt of the work load is down by the software. however NVU, Frontpage or Dreamweaver are required I believe.

there may be others that escape me at the moment, but this is your basic choice list

hope this helps

Krisidious

the picture of Pep, only shows up when you mouse-over the area that is supposed to hold the picture.

the code created by sitebuilder is a little messy, and I'm not exactly familiar with it. you have some mouse over code on that image, have a look at the code, and make sure the image is inserted as a normal image.

you may be putting the dog there as a hidden treat... if so sorry misunderstanding... his looks like a little banditio

alan wood

Modelhead,
thanks for the last lesson,
cheers
Alan

Edson

yes, kris, the idea is for the image to be a little treat. even though pep is an important member of the studio (it is a soho, located downstairs from what i live) i do not feel he must appear so prominently in my webside. it is there for the curious visitor.

regardless the picture and his XL size, pep is a dear labrador, as friendly as they come.

Edson

hi bruce,

i have been playing with nav bars for a few days days now but doing the lesson taught me an important thing: it is possible to have sub-sites within a site. this is what the tutorial folder is, right?

please find my lesson at http://mahfuz-alcantaragomes.org/tutorial/.

i look forward to the follow up on iframes, especially after you mentioned it would solve my question about organizing the images i wish to publish.

cheers.

alan wood

Hi Modelhead,
Yep. Managed to replicate what you had achieved by adding a seperate
naviation bar on page 3. This will be very handy for me.

You can see the result by going to
http://www.hand-cut-dovetails.com/navtutorial

Thankyou.

Alan

played too much and now the index page from my web site is showing. ha ha.

PS back to play. Going to learn something.

alan wood

Hi Modelhead,
The problem I am having here is this
If you click on my link
http://www.hand-cut-dovetails.com/navtutorial
it will take you to what I have created for this lesson.
If you go through all the pages and view them, all that works,

but if you then press the link to the index page, it takes me onto
my live web page.

I went back to Sitebuilder and deleted my index page from the tutorial folder. I than added a new index page in this folder.

I still have the same problem, if you select index it takes to onto my live web page. Cannot work that one out yet.

cheers

Alan

alan wood

Hi Modelhead,
problem solved. I had used by index page from my web site and not the index page that we had created in my navtutorial folder. Oh what a fool am I!!

Also played around with advanced navigation bar editor that allowed a fair amount of editing. Will play a little more with that just to see the benifits.

Thanks again

Alan
http://www.hand-cut-dovetails.com/navtutorial

alan wood

Morning Modelhead,
Thanks for the latest lesson.
I will be working on this lesson this afternoon/evening.
Thank you
Alan.

Edson

i will be doing it today. of course it is silly to say anything before doing it but the method i favor would not involve scrolling up and down to see the pictures. i hope the lesson makes it clear for me how to change them by clicking on something nearby.

see ya soon.

alan wood

Hi Modelhead,
My results of the last lesson can be found at:-
http://www.hand-cut-dovetails.com/navtutorial

I will now go and check out all the information in sitebuilder help guide on the topic of iframes.

thank you
Alan

Edson

great work, alan. it is reassuring to see how you are coming along.

if your site is meant to atract potential clients i must say it is working. i wish we live closer so that i could recommend you to my clients. there are not many cabinet makers like you in my part of the world.

keep it up.

edson

alan wood

Hi Edson,
Thanks for that. The site is not meant to attract personal clients.

What I will achieve one day, is a 'must view' site that cabinet makers will visit to gain knowledge, and with practice upgrade their skills.

What is out there at present, is not good enough in books or magazines. Some do the job reasonally well, whilst others are well below par. With the knowledge base I have in the woodworking field plus other skills including now sketchup (still upgrading them) I will have half a chance of producing an excellent package.

Kris mentioned earlier in this thread, linking to other web sites. Initally I have two schools in mind. When I have something meaningful on my web site, I will approach them and see if they are willing to view my 'teach packages' just to see if it is suitable for a beginner, and with their help, nail it.

I wrote recently to the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, published in America, with details of my specialist jigs etc etc. The editor felt their readership would not be interested. Time will tell if he is right, but I really don't think so.

In the woodworking world we are poorly served with a fair number of inferior products that need upgrading if you have any chance of success. I best get off my soap box.

Cheers, and thank you.

Alan

ps. Just made a few adjustments to my web site after this lesson
http://www.hand-cut-dovetails.com
It makes it a bit neater. Still not right though.

Gaieus

Bruce,

Really nice work and great help for all those interested in building a website.
Here is a nice (and free) little program to build javascript photalbums (many layouts posible):
http://jalbum.net/history.jsp

Have fun ad keep up with the "classes"!

alan wood

Hi Modelhead,
Alan...Let me know your thoughts on navigation. I'm guessing you are not sure on direction.
Reply.
If I had a choice, and I’m not sure if this is possible within Sitebuilder, I would prefer a navigation bar, so that when I placed my mouse over it, gave me a menu. If that was possible, that would be, my choice. In that way I could have under the tools, navigation bar on my web site, marking knife, dovetail marking knife, marking gauge, etc etc.

you said
The scrolling pictures are good....just one tip...you don't need a vertical scroll bar. It has appeared because the page you built for the iframe is taller than the iframe. If you make the page the same size or smaller than the iframe the scroll bars will disappear.
Reply, thanks for that.

You can also remove the scroll bars completely.
Reply. Right I will look into how to do that from the help menu.

and either
build separate files to call to each iframe via regular link
reply I think I know what you mean. I’ll work on that today.

or you can place named anchors as I have mentioned earlier.
reply not sure how to do that. I will check in the help menu.

I need instructions from you on the direction you would like to take with the page from here.

reply If you can give me some time to explore a bit more on the above topics it would be helpful please. The boss is back and she needs a bit of time on the computer.

cheers,
Thanks
Alan.

Edson

@gaieus said:

Here is a nice (and free) little program to build javascript photalbums (many layouts posible):
http://jalbum.net/history.jsp

would it be possible to integrate it with a website like the ones we are creating under bruce's guidance?

edson

Edson

hi bruce,

i apologise for not answering before. i had to take care of some academic unfinished business but here i am. i decided to stick to the last lesson you posted, and so i have a number of questions about that before i try to do it.

@unknownuser said:

What we are going to do is build a separate web page to fit into an iframe.

The first thing to do is create the page of course and you can just reference this new page in the iframe dialogue as you position it on your main page.

Then just drop the iframe page into the middle of the main page and surround it with a layer of navigation to the left of the main page as in the project list at the side of the slide show.

You will have a separate iframe page for each of your projects. All of these iframe pages
(pages with iframes embedded) can then be referenced from the outer nav frame.

i understand the principle behind the idea but do not quite get how it is going to be done.
i get the relation between iframe and project page, between iframe and the main page, and between the iframe and the nav frame outside it. my main doubt/question is: what is the structure of each page that will be referenced in the iframe dialogue? how is it going to contain all the pictures of a project? where would they be? on this seoarate page? on the server?

as i finished reading the part on named anchors i had the same feeling as before: i understand it but do not know where to put it. fortunately you came to my rescue by mentioning that it could not be inserted into sitebuilder just like that.

@unknownuser said:

So the big question for you all is would you like me to get myself an editor (that we can share) and then go ahead and launch a lesson on the use of the tag……
Or, should I just go get us some canned code……..sorry to leave you this way but I need your help with this.

  i would very much like to learn how to deal with the tag code. i am afraid using canned code will be ok in the short run but will leave my hands tied as to future changes to the site. thus if it is ok with you please get the editor and let's do a lesson on the use of tags.

i always prefer learning how to fish than being given the fish as a gift, if you know what i mean.

and, once more, my appreciation for all you are doing for us.

Gaieus

@edson said:

would it be possible to integrate it with a website like the ones we are creating under bruce's guidance?

edson

Sure, it creates html files (and all the necessary folders for the images, thumbnails etc) that you just upload to your site.
However I haven't followed how this sitebuilder works - I mean whether you can custom-upload your own pages/files to the server or "just" use whatever is built into the sitebuilder software.

alan wood

Hi Modelhead,
I would be very happy to travel along the same path as Edson.
Having viewed Edson's pages, it has given me the idea that on my tools navigation bar, it will lead me to a page, full of the links to all the 'tool' subjects that i need to talk about.
That will be a much clearer way, I believe, to nagivate around my site.
Great idea, thanks Edson.
Thank you Bruce
cheers
Alan.

PS having viewed loads of sites for ideas, and I believe we are travelling along the right path, and getting there. At the time of this posting the site has not been updated.

http://www.hand-cut-dovetails.com

updated 1057hrs

Edson

@gaieus said:

Sure, it creates html files (and all the necessary folders for the images, thumbnails etc) that you just upload to your site.
However I haven't followed how this sitebuilder works - I mean whether you can custom-upload your own pages/files to the server or "just" use whatever is built into the sitebuilder software.

gai, at any rate, my plan is to get the site running with sitebuilder and then export it to dreamweaver so that i can host it anywhere and insert all sorts of elements like the one you are suggesting.

cheers.