5-design-A - Web Design

The philosophy of web design will not be argued here; suffice to say I have a predisposition to remember that many of our community use bifocals - mentally as well as physically.

This is an attempt to put down a sufficiently detailed technical report that will allow others to carry on whenever it might be necessary.

This site is written using Page Plus 9 a comprehensive DTP / Drawing / Web Authoring program. Remarkably enough this allows the design of web pages; complete with graphics, to be produced in one of two ways. The first allows a preview of the page which can then be saved with all the supporting images in a separate folder named for the page under construction. The second reverses this and publishes before allowing a preview, in this case no sub-folders are generated. This means all the images used throughout the site are shown in the folder held by your computer. This can be very messy BUT it does mean that one can run the entire site from one folder and lose all the problems of hierarchy. It also means that if the site is held in a single Page Plus 9 file that the entire site can be republished as required for the sake of a couple of clicks.

If the webmaster is using a single account for this site no problems arise. Also if the domain for “rafa1355” is held as part of a multi domain account no problems should arise if the domain folders are properly set up within the account holder’s file. HOWEVER, if the webmaster holds “rafa1355” as a web site nested within another site then problems can arise with navigation between web sites. This can be avoided if two index programs are used. The first “index.html” is a brief program whose only function is to bring into play the program called “rafa1355-index.htm”. On the web the first program will be used for direct access

All the other files will be named according to usage or position, your choice, as being unique within any web master’s system. Thus my catalogue of program names will start :-

The first two programs are basic and written in “cold code”. The third program is written in a separate Page Plus 9 file as it is an unusual size 1020 x 50 pix and displays the branch header on each and every page of the site. There after the title of the program relates to the position of the program in the basic Page Plus 9 file. Howzat !

Only occasionally will the above rule be broken where a complete report has been imported; such as the Leuchars report where all the files are called Leuch-??, and so on.

Many will disagree with my policy of using “frames” on this site. I do like the consistency accorded by using frames. Program - wise I also like the idea that the display area left to the site designer can then function - apparently - on it’s own. The casual visitor will also find that this allows some degree of security for published material. You cannot download a personal copy of images or anything else from a display internal to a frame!

Users will quickly realise that the roll-over 1355 icon on the left hand side of the header will always return them through the menu structure to the main menu page. Within individual reports bottom line arrows or navigation panels will operate.