HTML coding help.

I've started to learn to write my own html coding for my site. I've run into
a problem I hope someone can help me with please. When I say started, I mean
I've read most of one online tutorial I found on the weekend, so I'm fresh
as......fresh!
OK! I've set the page up with a frame down one side for menu buttons, with
the result of clicking the button to appear in the main window. Now, I
haven't done the buttons yet, so the left frame is empty, but as a temporary
measure, I've put text links in the main window, so my members and guests
can still access the forums whilst the site is being built. The forums are
remotely hosted.
Now, the issue I have is that when someone clicks on the link in the main
window to go to the forums, the forums show up in the main window as
desired, but they no longer remain logged in on subsequent visits, and read
posts are not registered as read. It's almost like the cookies are not being
retained for the main window frame. Is there a way to fix this? When you go
to the forums without going through the front door, ie: the main site, you
can stay logged in each time you visit, and read posts are remembered as
read.
The only way I've thought of to get around this would be to make the forums
open up in the current window, without the frames, and then just put a link
on the forum that will take you back to the main site with the frames. This
then leads me to the next question. What do I have to do in my HTML coding
to make the forums open up in the current window, without the frames?
Remembering that the index.html is simply the frameset, and the contents are
main.html and sidemenu.html.
I hope I explained this well enough. The site I'm talking about is in my
sig. What you see on the site (which is only the main page so far) is all
written from scratch by me, so there may be some coding corrections you can
suggest if you view source.
Cheers,
Crash Lander

 

Good on you for writing your own html, it is usually a better option
than launching stright into a gui composer. Small point: you might be
better to post this in an html group but a warning ahead: they can be
a fairly mean bunch and I might suggest a few changes to consider
first?

Frames are almost always a bad idea and there is probably no pressing
requirement to use them here. A better design might be a css layout of
which there are many templates available. For example:

http://people.aapt.net.au/~adjlstrong/template_2.html

Just search for css layouts on Google and you will be fighting them
off

If you decide to lose the frames, which I hope you do, this will no
longer be an issue. Can I suggest that you also install the Web
Developer Toolbar which will aid you immensely. Especially you need to
make sure your html validates, if you go to an html NG with html that
does not validate you may very well be roasted alive

Hope these few observations are useful?

Andrew

 

CSS layouts. I know nothing about them. I looked at the link you
posted, and if you could have seen the blank expression of
non-comprehension on my face, you'd be pissing yourself laughing for a
week! ;-/

I googled css layouts, and found a heap of coding to just cut and
paste, but I couldn't work out what one actually does with it once one
has it!

If I choose a 2 column layout, with the percentages set at say 15%,
70%, 15%, does that mean that the main information will display in the
centre column, and scroll as required, and the link buttons I decide to
put in the first and last columns will stay static? Just like a frame
setup, only without the frames? I'd only actually want a 2 column set
up, but I saw some that said 'floating' and some that said 'static'
etc. It's all so confusing! LOL! 6 weeks ago, I said to myself. I'm
going to get my own domain name, and put my (already established) forum
onto it! It's been a long 6 weeks! LOL!

 

So then this guy called Oz Lander said something like:

Check out my fairly simple dog web page (and the source).

http://bcs4me.com/abc/

It uses a very simple style sheet which replaced the old frame style page I
used to have. Much better. It has the fixed menu to the left (also very
simple html) and scrolling main body, etc.

You can see how simple the css is...

http://bcs4me.com/abc/style.css

It's a bit messy after several hours of trial and error, but it works...

It was something of a leap to move over to css after some years of the
other, but well worth it. And the site actually passes validation most of
the time now for a change...

tim

 

Thanks Tim, I'll check it out.

 

[...]

Great site and I love those great looking dogs! We have a Cavalier and
it is refreshing to see a _real_ dog

Andrew

 

Again, I suggest you get a good book!

http://tinyurl.com/yupvse

and/or

http://tinyurl.com/2buquu

 

This link opens a browser window, then some message box flashes up so
quick I can't tell what it is, and the browser window closes. What is
it?

 

So then this guy called andrew said something like:

Well, I like most dogs, but BC's are still the pick

tim

 

So then this guy called Oz Lander said something like:

Well, that should bring up the source of the style sheet, at least it does
with firefox...

It's just the following. I kept it simple...

..top {
margin: 0%;
padding: 0%;
background-color : rgb(180, 215, 255);
float: left;
position: fixed;
width: 100%;
font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;
top: 0%;
left: 0%;
right: 0%;
bottom: 0%;
background-image: url(http://bcs4me.com/abc/topback3.gif);
height: 50px;
}

.side {
border-width: 0pt;
font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;
float: left;
left: 0pt;
top: 0pt;
right: 0pt;
bottom: 0pt;
height: 100%;
width: 160px;
background-color: rgb(180, 215, 255);
position: fixed;
margin-top: 0pt;
margin-top: 60px;
}

.body {
font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;
background-color : rgb(180, 215, 255);
float: center;
height: 100%;
background-attachment: fixed;
background-position: left top;
padding-top: 50px;
padding-left: 150px;
padding-right: 0px;
}

.margin {
padding-right: 5%;
padding-left: 5%;
}

.margin2 {
padding-right: 10%;
padding-left: 10%;
}

.margin3 {
padding-right: 20%;
padding-left: 20%;
}


tim

 

I've decided to forget the frames altogether. I had a look at the css
coding others have suggested, but it's beyond me at the moment. I've
decided to concentrate on learning basic html first, and get my site
running properly, then later learn the css stuff and improve the site
from there with that.
I've also made a banner on my forums link back to the main site so it's
as seamless as I can make it, and it all appears to be part of the same
thing.
Thanks for the help guys. Much appreciated. No doubt I'll have more
questions later. I know where I can come and get friendly help and
advice.
I now have plenty of links and some books to refer to if I get stuck
too. Thanks again.