Ten Ton Dreamweaver [Electronic resources]

Geoff Blake

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Setting Frameset Hyperlinks

Chapter 5, and you'll learn a lot more in Chapter 9. Here, though, you'll be setting up links in one frame, with destinations that will then open in another frame. In other words, links in one frame will control the content of another frame. But before we get to that, you need to know a bit about how to display a frameset file in the first place.

Noteworthy

Smaller frames in a frameset are normally used to control the content of larger frames. This means that most of the hyperlinks you'll be creating will be in smaller frames, and their destinations will be set to open in your frameset's main content window.

For a browser to display a frames-based layout properly, the browser needs the URL of the frameset page, not the URL for the individual pages within the frames. That's why it's a good idea to add "frameset" or "FS" to your frameset file nameso you'll know what file controls your frameset. Here's an example: Say your site has an opening splash page (remember, called index, because it's the opening page of your site) that links to your frames-based layout. On your opening page, you have to place a hyperlink that then links to the frameset file itself. If your link connects to just any one of the pages that appears within the frameset, only that frame will appear. So when linking to a frames-based layout, link to the frameset file, not to the pages that appear within the frameset.

If your site includes an opening splash page that links to your frameset, make sure to link to your actual frameset file, not to a page that appears within your frameset.

When linking to a frames-based layout, link to the frameset file, not to the pages that appear within the frameset.

If you don't want to use a splash page, but instead want your frameset to open right away when a visitor navigates to your site, remember that you must name the frameset file itself using the default document name of the web server.

Also, linking to your frameset file is fine when you're creating a hyperlink from your splash page, but when you're setting links within your frameset, whatever you do, don't link to your frameset file! If you do, you'll end up with recursive framing. Recursive framing occurs when a frameset opens within itselfa huge mess that even the savviest of web surfers can't dig out of.

Another tricky aspect of working with frames is recursive framing, which occurs when a frameset opens within itself multiple times. This happens when hyperlinks within frames are not set correctly.

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Probably the biggest goof people make when they're working with frames-based layouts is not setting their links correctly. Links in framesets use the Property Inspector's Target menu, which specifies where a hyperlink's destination should open. It's an easy setting to miss, and that's why it's so easy to goof.

Here's how to set hyperlinks within a frameset:

Within a frame in your frameset, select the text or graphic that you'll be using as the hyperlink's source.

The object that you select will be a clickable element on your page.

Click the Browse for File icon beside the Link field in the Property Inspector; then navigate to the page in your site that you want to link to.

Using the Target pull-down menu in the Property Inspector, specify the frame in which you want your hyperlink's destination to open.

If you named your frames in the Property Inspector as we discussed earlier in this chapter, you'll see them listed in the Target pull-down menu; otherwise, you'll see Dreamweaver's generic frame names appear. Just choose a frame name to set the hyperlink's destination. You'll also see _blank, _parent, _self, and _top.

_blank: The _blank option opens the hyperlink's destination in a new browser window, leaving the current browser window open in the background.

Imminent Doom

When setting links in frames, make sure to link to regular web pages, not frameset files. If you were to link to a frameset file, then your link would open a frameset within a frameset. This is another reason why it's important to use "frameset" or "FS" in your frameset file's nameso you'll know not to link to them. If for some reason you do need to link to a frameset file from within an existing frame, make sure to set the link's target to _top in the Property Inspector.

_parent: If you're linking from a frame within a nested frameset, _parent will open the hyperlink's destination within the frame that the nested frameset occupies. In fact, _parent always opens a hyperlink's destination in the parent of the current frame.

_self: Using _self will open the hyperlink's destination in the current frame, which is Dreamweaver's default if the Target menu is left unset.

_top: The _top option opens the hyperlink's destination within the current browser window, replacing the entire frameset.

Continue setting hyperlinks for your layout, using the Target menu in the Property Inspector to specify the frame where the hyperlink's destination should open.

When you're done, don't forget to save and preview your work.

Browsers that Don't Like Frames

Chapter 3) in your site and include meta data, which search engine spiders feast on.

Just the Gist

Getting Started with Tables

Tables pull double duty in web design. They're used to hold data and also to lay out pages.

Tables that hold data and tables that control page design both use the same commands, so mastering one means also mastering the other.

To insert a table on your page, choose Insert > Table.

Using Tables for Layout

Tables that are used for layout can either use a flexible width or a fixed width.

To set properties for your table, select it and then use the options in the Property Inspector. To set properties for individual cells, select them and then use the options in the Property inspector.

A nested table is a table that's inserted into the cell of a larger table.

To insert a nested table, click inside an existing table's cell and choose Insert > Table.

Inserting content into a table is the same as inserting content in an ordinary web page in Dreamweaver.

Building a Layout with Image Slicing

Use image slicing to build a page that's made up of graphics controlled by an overall layout table.

Start by building your page layout in your graphics program of choice; then use your program's slicing tools to divide your page layout into individual images. When you save your slices, your graphics program will write th89 code needed to reassemble your layout into a table in Dreamweaver.

Once your layout is open in Dreamweaver, you can tweak it and insert any additional graphics, text, and so on.

Getting Started with Frames

Frames allow you to split the visitor's browser window into multiple areas, or frames, which are contained in a frameset.

Each frame, plus the frameset file, is a separat89-based file.

Building a Frames-Based Layout

To use a predefined Dreamweaver layout, choose File > New; then in the Category list in the New Document dialog box, click Framesets.

To visually create a frameset, drag inward from the outside edge of the Dreamweaver window.

Inserting content into a frame is the same as inserting content in an ordinary web page in Dreamweaver.

To open an existing page in a frame, choose File > Open in Frame.

Choose File > Save All to save all the contents of your frameset. All pages in your frameset, plus the frameset file itself, must be saved for the frameset to work properly.

Use the Frames panel (Window > Frames) to select the components of your frameset.

Use the Property Inspector to set scrollbars, borders, frame size, and other options for frames and framesets.

Setting Hyperlinks in Framesets

When linking to a frameset, make sure to link to the actual frameset file.

When you set a link within a frameset, you can set it so that its destination opens in a different frame.

To set a link in a frameset, create your link within the Property Inspector; then use the Target pull-down menu to specify where the link's destination should open.