Andrew Hodge said:
Hey guys, I am kind of at a stand still at this moment because I cant decide
which would be a better option. Should I use Server Side Inlcudes or the
Dynamic Web Template feature of Frontpage? I have a ton of pages and as it
stands right now, i have to manually edit the links on each and every page
because I dont use link bars. The links across the top of the page are the
same throughout the website but the links located to the left of the page are
different depending on what global page your viewing. I need to know whether
it is easier or better to use server side includes to insert the top and
bottom content on every page, or whether I should use dynamic web templates.
I might plan to add content using ASP so I dont know if the dynamic web
templates will work with that...any ideas?
It's easy to use a dwt and includes for menus (see
http://addonfp.com )
however if you have a slow connection and use ftp (fp or third party) this
will cause you a problem because you have upload every file the include is
inserted on ... ( I know someone who wants to use this method but has to use
his mobile phone to upload, so it's a bit of a problem ... if your on bb or
a dialup then it's the way to go.
If you look at my left menu on addonfp.com you can see it changes from page
to page that's because it's an editable region and I use includes for
different sections ... I only have to update a few pages instead of dozens
.... on accessfp.net which is a much larger site I use includes for the menu
header footer and right hand side ... it's an old template (2yrs) I've got
to move over to a dwt (and css) for that site ... but using css for
formatting, dwt for the template and includes for the menus is the best of
all worlds.. I also use http.
Because your talking about ssi I don't know if you know that includes don't
have to use http they can be ftp'ed too.. it's not a fpse component. ...It's
just you have to upload all the pages the include is inserted on when you
ftp that's the only difference.
If you use a dwt ... and don't use css at the moment ... now is a good time
to put all your formatting into a sheet so that when you prepare your site
for a dwt by elilmating the existing template and leaving just the content
you can elimate formatting code at the same time and of course you can
preserve your meta's by encasing them in editable code on the dwt template.
You will of course have to make include files (name them so you know which
section they are related to and put the include files into a _include
folder. Then when you have applied your dwt to your pages all you have to do
is go to the editable section which has an include file in it and double
click, browse to the path for the file for the include for that menu for
that page... after all that you will only have to go to an include page to
update delete or add a link or if it's something on the template go to the
dwt ..... you just saved yourself hours of working time.
mmm .. with asp that's a script so what you have to do there is encase in
the header an editable code for scripts .... when you first apply the dwt
.... it should be applied to one page first, then you add the script into the
header and main content ,, then you reapply thereafter your script should be
protected and work like any editable region. First time I tried this with a
asp search engine I was a bit worried I'd mess it up as I don't know asp so
I opted out and did not have that page attached ... you will have to
experiment a bit ... or ask this question separately to those that know dwt
and asp.
I should have an editable region for scripts on addonfp.com ...it's there if
I want to use it, however it will show you what I mean re the coding.
hth Tina
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