I can't get pages to open within stylesheet area

[vosje]

Hello,

I've started designing my own website using CSS and a bit of Javascript instead of the frames that I was used to. The design is a 3 column page with head and footnote. In the first column I've got a menu linking to a dozen or so other pages. I want these pages to open in the column next to the menu, but whatever I try, al it does is open in a blank page.

Using the name tag with the anchor tag has stopt the pages from opening in a new window, and with iframes documents have been opened in the correct stylesheet area, but then the stylesheet make up doesn't work anymore. For some reason, targets don't seem to work .......

What is the correct way of doing this, with the explorer return button remaining functional?

Thom

[vosje]

Well, I've tried some tags at random and the following seems to work: Using the tag 'base target' (instead of just 'target') in the menu anchor - then using an named iframe as a target. It does use css within the iframe.

Just one more question: I really want the page to reload entirely or put some kind of command in the html which makes the returnbutton of explorer functional again. Anyone any idea's?

[Kravvitz]

Files loaded into iframes are separate documents, do you would need to apply the stylesheets to them separately.

Do you have access to any server-side language, for example PHP?

[vosje]

I did apply the css (external) to the documents opened in the second column, and that now seems to work fine.

I haven't got any server side language available yet - still designing the website on HTML-Kit. Is it possible to change the url in the Adres when loading a page into an iframe?

[Kravvitz]

No. The address points to the top-level document loaded in the tab/window.

Whay are frames so evil? (http://www.html-faq.com/htmlframes/?framesareevil)
Why Frames Are Bad (http://karlcore.com/articles/article.php?id=2)
http://apptools.com/rants/framesevil.php
http://www.456bereastreet.com/archive/200411/who_framed_the_web_frames_and_usability/
Why Frames Suck (Most of the Time)(1996) (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9612.html)
What's wrong with frames? (http://www.htmlhelp.com/design/frames/whatswrong.html)
http://www.tamingthebeast.net/articles/framesnoframes.htm
Frames - The Problems And Solutions: Explanations as to why you probably shouldn't use frames, along with alternatives that you can use instead. (http://www.dorward.me.uk/www/frames/)

[vosje]

Is there another way of loading a document in the second column? ....... I've read frames are bad, that's why I'm using as much CSS as possible .....

[Kravvitz]

That's what the server-side language is for. So that you can keep common page elements in separate files.

Are you aware of HTML issues like semantics (http://www.dynamicsitesolutions.com/html/semantics/) and the proper use of doctypes?

[vosje]

Are you aware of HTML issues like semantics (http://www.dynamicsitesolutions.com/html/semantics/) and the proper use of doctypes?
No, not really, i'm used to very simple designs using frames (haven't designed a website for quite a while) and the last couple of days I've been browsing the web to update my knowledge .................... so I'm more like a beginner.

But once I've got my own webspace that uses php I could reload the entire page?

[Kravvitz]

I recommend you install a web server on your computer so you can test locally.

XAMPP (http://sourceforge.net/projects/xampp) is a very easy to install Apache (web server) Distribution for Linux, Solaris, Windows and Mac OS X. The package includes the Apache web server, MySQL, PHP, Perl, a FTP server and phpMyAdmin.

I also recommend you read the page on semantics I linked to.

You should use a complete doctype (one that includes a URL) to get browsers to render as close to the same as possible. I recommend HTML 4.01 Strict. A doctype is not a magic fix. It is the first step in the process of fixing your page. The doctype tells the browser how to render the page. That HTML 4.01 Transitional doctype which does not include the URL tells the browser to render in Quirks Mode -- a generally bad thing.
Activating the Right Layout Mode Using the Doctype Declaration (http://hsivonen.iki.fi/doctype/)
Fix Your Site With the Right DOCTYPE! (http://www.alistapart.com/articles/doctype/)
Choosing a DOCTYPE (http://www.juicystudio.com/choosing-doctype/)
Doctype switching (http://www.webdevout.net/doctype_switching.php)
Rendering Mode and Doctype Switching (http://www.communitymx.com/content/article.cfm?cid=85FEE)
http://www.w3.org/QA/2002/04/Web-Quality
http://www.w3.org/QA/2002/04/valid-dtd-list.html
Picking a Rendering Mode (http://www.ericmeyeroncss.com/bonus/render-mode.html)

[vosje]

Oke, still lots to learn then (I thought I was nearly there :) ).

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!