I have run into a real problem and hope that you can help. I am new to web design (self taught). I was able to create a fairly good web site in FrontPage and upload it. When viewed with my computer (17" monitor& Internet Explorer) it is perfect. When viewed on two other peoples computers (15" monitors and Internet Explorer) it is perfect. The customer I created the site for was fairly happy with the design when they viewed it on my computer, but when they tried to view it at their location on their 2.1Gig Celeron system, Internet Explorer and a 15" flat LCD monitor all of the text boxes and graphics are out of whack and all over the place. Definately not the same as what we see on the other computers. Do you know why this may be happening and how I can resolve it?
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Web site out of whack when viewed on different computer 2
- Thread starter msammut
- Start date
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1
- #2
What version of internet explorer? Does everyone use the same web browser that you do? What fonts did you use? Did you use text size based on CSS? Are you positioning text boxes and graphics with table cells, CSS or plain text alignment?
- - picklefish - -
Why is everyone in this forum responding to me as picklefish?
- - picklefish - -
Why is everyone in this forum responding to me as picklefish?
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1
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks so much for responding. I have stripped the website and only the index page remains. Don't laugh, it's my first try. Everyone is using IE6. I used all windows fonts. Not sure what CSS is. I am positioning text boxes and graphics just by going to Insert on the menu and choosing text or pictures. No table cells. If you have any suggestions let me know. The url is Thanks again for the response. It is nice to know that there is help out there.
Marcia
Marcia
It appears that you used somebody's web site template. The meta-description tag says "Free web site templates to jump start your new web site".
Either they did not know what they were doing when they made the template or you have altered it too much.
For starters, try changing the word 'absolute' to 'relative' in your HTML.
- - picklefish - -
Why is everyone in this forum responding to me as picklefish?
Either they did not know what they were doing when they made the template or you have altered it too much.
For starters, try changing the word 'absolute' to 'relative' in your HTML.
- - picklefish - -
Why is everyone in this forum responding to me as picklefish?
ChrisHirst
IS-IT--Management
It's nothing to do with the monitor size and everything to do with resolution.
At 800 x 600 the page is too wide and you have to scroll horizontally
At 1024 x 768 (full screen) the page falls apart badly.
above that forget it! and it falls apart in other browsers (inc IE 5.5) (another M$ FP trait)
the page works ok at ~900x650 which I would guess will have been the size of the design window in M$ FP.
Your problem has been relying on M$ FP WYSIWYG window to design your site and set it so it looks ok in all resolutions and browsers THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN!
My advice right now would be to ditch M$ FP, download Edit+ ( or AEdiX ( and write valid HTML not the bloated code loaded with deprecated tags that M$ FP creates, that as you have found out only works ok on the machine it was created on.
Use your browser to preview the pages and download NS6 or NS7, Opera and Mozilla to make sure the page works ok, IE is very forgiving of poor HTML code (it has to be to handle FP code) Mozilla and NS are not.
The general design is ok, though but dump the scrolling message and the rotating 'new' 'thing'. It seems to be a common idea to new designers that moving things on a webpage are good idea, generally this is not true and they are just distracting. Personal site, do what YOU want, commercial site think of the visitor first.
Chris.
Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
At 800 x 600 the page is too wide and you have to scroll horizontally
At 1024 x 768 (full screen) the page falls apart badly.
above that forget it! and it falls apart in other browsers (inc IE 5.5) (another M$ FP trait)
the page works ok at ~900x650 which I would guess will have been the size of the design window in M$ FP.
Your problem has been relying on M$ FP WYSIWYG window to design your site and set it so it looks ok in all resolutions and browsers THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN!
My advice right now would be to ditch M$ FP, download Edit+ ( or AEdiX ( and write valid HTML not the bloated code loaded with deprecated tags that M$ FP creates, that as you have found out only works ok on the machine it was created on.
Use your browser to preview the pages and download NS6 or NS7, Opera and Mozilla to make sure the page works ok, IE is very forgiving of poor HTML code (it has to be to handle FP code) Mozilla and NS are not.
The general design is ok, though but dump the scrolling message and the rotating 'new' 'thing'. It seems to be a common idea to new designers that moving things on a webpage are good idea, generally this is not true and they are just distracting. Personal site, do what YOU want, commercial site think of the visitor first.
Chris.
Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
cian
Technical User
- Oct 11, 2001
- 1,383
>>Don't laugh, it's my first try.
No one is going to laugh, i'm at it a few years and still cringe at my own work
I really think you need to start from scratch and code your pages by hand. It may sound like a huge task but it's not and the design you have chosen will be easy to put together.
Like Chris said ditch MS FP, it's the only way you can be sure your designs will hold up in various browsers/resolutions.
Text editor:
- OR -
Search on google for HTML tutorials, you'll pick it up in a matter of days.
Try also here:
- É -
No one is going to laugh, i'm at it a few years and still cringe at my own work
I really think you need to start from scratch and code your pages by hand. It may sound like a huge task but it's not and the design you have chosen will be easy to put together.
Like Chris said ditch MS FP, it's the only way you can be sure your designs will hold up in various browsers/resolutions.
Text editor:
- OR -
Search on google for HTML tutorials, you'll pick it up in a matter of days.
Try also here:
- É -
Hi
i am also new and and Ihad the same problem. Drop the themes ,they block you ,and base your work on TABLES ,so important don't forget to put on tables properties "justify",it helps; i still have a problem with my first page ,i put a background picture and on the 1200 pixel screen it is dedouble. For the reste i think i fixed it with the tables "justified".If somebody could help for this background ,thanks.And Msammut Good luck with your work;
i am also new and and Ihad the same problem. Drop the themes ,they block you ,and base your work on TABLES ,so important don't forget to put on tables properties "justify",it helps; i still have a problem with my first page ,i put a background picture and on the 1200 pixel screen it is dedouble. For the reste i think i fixed it with the tables "justified".If somebody could help for this background ,thanks.And Msammut Good luck with your work;
Ahemmm...
As much as I dislike FP, this is not the problem. The layout can be corrected by simply changing all of your absolute positioning with relative positioning. When the window is resized, all <DIV>'s will move with it.
- - picklefish - -
Why is everyone in this forum responding to me as picklefish?
As much as I dislike FP, this is not the problem. The layout can be corrected by simply changing all of your absolute positioning with relative positioning. When the window is resized, all <DIV>'s will move with it.
- - picklefish - -
Why is everyone in this forum responding to me as picklefish?
ChrisHirst
IS-IT--Management
soum,
The align="justify" attribute is not part of the W3C HTML4.01 specification ( ). It's another browser specific attribute (IE only).
Just another case of M$ trying to force the standards to be their way of thinking.
IE is by far and away the least standards compliant browser around and should not be relied upon for testing your designs.
take a look at for some of the best tutorials on the internet. IMO of course
Chris.
Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
The align="justify" attribute is not part of the W3C HTML4.01 specification ( ). It's another browser specific attribute (IE only).
Just another case of M$ trying to force the standards to be their way of thinking.
IE is by far and away the least standards compliant browser around and should not be relied upon for testing your designs.
take a look at for some of the best tutorials on the internet. IMO of course
Chris.
Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
imstillatwork
IS-IT--Management
"IE is by far and away the least standards compliant browser around and should not be relied upon for testing your designs."
While I agree 100%, I must also consider that at least 80% of my visitors are IE users. I don't make special provisions for them or use their pretty little non standard ways, but definatly make sure it works for them using a standard method, so much testing should be done with IE.
- Thread starter
- #12
Max, jimoblak, Chris and others,
Thank you so much for the advice. It is priceless! I am starting the website from scratch using the advice you all have given me. It is so good to know that this help is available to help those who struggle initially and ongoing. And you are all so well versed on the subject. Hopefully I am knowledgeable enough in other areas to contribute to here at Tek Tips.
msammut
Thank you so much for the advice. It is priceless! I am starting the website from scratch using the advice you all have given me. It is so good to know that this help is available to help those who struggle initially and ongoing. And you are all so well versed on the subject. Hopefully I am knowledgeable enough in other areas to contribute to here at Tek Tips.
msammut
For tutorials on html, css and lots of other really useful things like xml and scripting go to
Cheers,
cyclegeek
Cheers,
cyclegeek
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