Can I link HTML page to txt files?

zcole · Feb 20, 2004

I have a number of web-pages that use the same template for each page. I would like to be able to set this site up for an easy re-design, as it will likely change often. I would like to have my pages link to a single text file, or some other file that includes the template information (i.e. header, footer). Then if I need to change the template, all I would have to do is change the source code of the template ONCE, as opposed to changing it on every single page in the site.

I do not want to use frames.
Thanks, I appreciate your help!

YNOTU · Feb 20, 2004

you can set you template to use
 files wich you only change once.

[tt]

[sup]

manitoba · Feb 20, 2004

zcole wrote: "would like to have my pages link to a single text file, or some other file that includes the template information (i.e. header, footer)."

This is the wrong approach. You need to create a template file that sucks up data instead of data files that suck-up layout. Use ASP/PHP/other scripting to build the layout.

Check out this article:

http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/120303-1.shtml

Hope this helps.

zcole · Feb 20, 2004

Yes, that is exactly what I need to do. However, I do not know ASP/PHP at all. I have researched books on it, but am unsure of which route to go. I have some literatrue on ASP.net, and how to use the .net framework. Is that what I should try to focus on learning, or do you think there is a better more efficient way to train myself?
Thanks -

YNOTU · Feb 20, 2004

[tt]There are hundreds of book that could help you learning .asp, aspx, php, etc... but I've found it better search google for things like "Whatever Tutorial" and start implenting from there ...

[tt]

[sup]

stormbind · Feb 20, 2004

You want a content management system. There are some ready made solutions like phpNuke (GNU project) which run off an SQL database if you have that.

If limited to text I will generally use SSI but the following solution only works on new servers like Apache 2+ (not the version shipped by Sun Microsystems).

<html>
..this is my standard template for all pages..



..end template..
</html>

mydomain.com/uri_to_template/path_info?query_string

You could use just the $query_string (suitable for older servers) but people are more likely to mess up the url

Using path_info is robust because it looks like a normal url.

----------
I'm willing to trade custom scripts for... [see profile]

gwar2k1 · Feb 21, 2004

"You need to create a template file that sucks up data instead of data files that suck-up layout."

normal HTML file with your div elements on
cascading stylesheets file with layout controls for the HTML file
then your content files as txts

using the SSI directive stated above:


(in between the "'s put your file name extention and location (if not in the same folder as the html page))

HTML page
---------

<html>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="layout.css">
<body>
<div class="ltoc">

</div>
<iframe name="content" class="main">Browser compatability message
</iframe>
</body>
</html>

CSS file
--------

.ltoc {
position: absolute;
left: 10px;
top: 10px;
}

.main {
position: relative;
left: 10px;
top: 0px;
}

~*Gwar3k1*~
"To the pressure, everything's just like: an illusion. I'll be losing you before long..."

Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

Can I link HTML page to txt files?

zcole

Technical User

YNOTU

Technical User

manitoba

Programmer

zcole

Technical User

YNOTU

Technical User

stormbind

Technical User

gwar2k1

Programmer

Similar threads

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor