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Here's a fun simple template put together last evening which could be used as a photo gallery, video gallery or story site with a Star Trek LCARS interface.
This makes use of a single iframe, an animated gif and a small flash file.
Each new page is a 'page' rather than a layer. Straight forward text links.
See .web for details.
Here's what it looks like ►live online◄
Resources and .web file attached (animated gif zipped to prevent it running in this post)
Sledger, I was about to post that I don't get how this works, but I see it now and it certainly is a method that I can see being useful for getting stuff into a main page layout without having to redo that main page layout for all of the included content. This would simplify the upkeep of the site as well as the amount of "repeating objects" that would need to be used to keep up with possibly changing navigation.
Thanks for the hint that shows how to use an iframe like this.
For anyone who doesn't "get" this, bascially, each of the links at the top that open one of the pages following the first one into the iframe layer. Since that layer fits right into the first page, and each of the other pages is the same size as the iframe layer, they can be called into it. So look at the links, go to the web properties for it, and notice that it says to open one of the other pages, and then specifies that it should open in a frame called "mainframe".
If you look at the rectangular object on the iframe layer of page one and look at the web properties for it in the placeholder tab, you will see that the iframe is named there "mainframe". This is how the links know where to "import" the other pages.
Hope that adds clarity.
That's an interesting theme Steve, easy to navigate too :)
Looks great Steve.
Obviously you had nothing to do last night!@#
Rupert
Really like your design, Steve, very creative. I didn't know much about the use of frames in websites and did some searches. I saw some differing views and found this page that sums up some of the main advantages and disadvantages. So, for anyone who might be interested: http://www.thewebseye.com/using-frames.htm
Hi Boy,
Your link is in reference to framesets which have not been used for the LCARS template.
This particular design makes use on one single Inline Frame tag (iframe).
Web Designer isn't able to create framesets, however there is a workaround which was shown here.
So, then I misunderstand something. :confused: What is the difference between framesets and iframes with respect to the advantages/disadvantages page I linked to (Link)?
They both call on/hold other documents, don't they? In both the LCARS and the frameset examples that you made, the main page links to other documents which hold no links themselves.
So, in both cases I see the three main advantages that are listed on the website I linked to:
1. Frames are one way to make your site easy to navigate because you can have a constantly visible navigation menu - and easy navigation is one of the most important aspects of website design.
2. Frames can make your site faster because you can include the site theme (images, logo, etc..) and the navigation menu in frames that do not have to download each time a visitor looks at a new page. Only the contents page changes.
3. Using frames can make site maintenance easy, especially if you have a large site. If for example you want to add a new page that is linked from the other pages on your site, you simply add a link on your navigation menu; you do not have to add links on each and every page.
And the three main disadvantages:
1. The original argument was that not all browsers support frames, but this must be a very small percentage now. You can get around this by including a area below your frameset. In this noframes area you can include information such as a simple navigation menu and a "Sorry your browser does not support frames" statement - OR if you want you can have a separate version of your website for non-frames browsers but be prepared to do twice as much work maintaining the site.
2. Search engines treat frames as hyperlinks to other pages, so if for example they manage to spider the frame containing your menu, they pages they index will be indexed but without the surrounding frames. If someone finds one or your pages on a search engine they will not be able to navigate around your site.
3. The most important disadvantage is that it is difficult to link to a particular page on your site other than the page containing the frames (usually the homepage) - this is a big disadvantage if you use email to market your site and you want to link to different parts of your web site.
Or am I completely missing something here?
Yes :) It's a fun simple XWD design! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Boy
I'm no html expert Boy, but my take is that framesets are page divisions whereas iframes are inline 'windows' to external resources or pages which can appear to be part of the parent page.
Some of the disadvantages exists in both though iframes are arguable more versatile, and we've seen many advantages to using iframes with Web Designer snippets.
If you are dead serious about a business or commercial website that you want google to love you for, use neither.
If you are creating a fun simple site for yourself and friends to visit - then use what it takes, google doesn't matter. Horses for courses, the choice is all yours :D