where insert the <!--#include file="inc_header.asp" --> include 2

[annestahl]

Hi all,
I'm doing some redesign on a website that is all .asp. (

http://www.mindbodysoftware.com).

Personally I don't see any reason why, but then I'm a designer not a programmer. I have added some new images and changed the multiple nested table to be one table (which eventually I'd like to get rid of as well). And now the dropdown menu, which is in the header include file called on the default.asp page is showing up the last two links of the first column drop-down BEHIND the a css box (which I didn't create - and which has some dead id tags and other stuff going on).
The include files really puzzle me in a way. They seem to be an excellent choice for use as 'templates'. However, I'm not sure if they are search engine friendly? And/or if there are other issues?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[annestahl]

ps. also: what's the general consensus of using CSS to create the drop downs. I'd like to replace the mile long jscript with the relatively simple css dropdown code. is it search engine/browser friendly?

 

[annestahl]

I'm having a conversation with myself, but I thought I'd owe it to the forum to post the solution to at least the 'BEHIND' issue. I corrected the z-index which had escaped me earlier. However my question about the css dropdown and the use of include files in general are still open...
cheers
Anne

 

[Wullie]

The includes are processed on the server, they never reach the browser in that way. What happens in the server will include the data in the place you specify and then output the page as normal.

It will have absolutely no effect on SEs because they have absolutely no way to tell that there are any includes. Look at the source code in your browser, there will be no includes in sight.

Hope this helps

Wullie

Fresh Look - Quality Coldfusion/Windows Hosting

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell

 

[dwarfthrower]

As pertains to CSS over JavaScript drop down menus:
CSS has the advantage of being smaller in size (quicker page loads), easier to maintain (lower maintenance overheads) and is more accessible (HTML styled with CSS still renders as HTML to a searchbot or screen reader whereas HTML dynamically created by JS renders as "The person who designed this website was an arrogant prong who thought a generic 'you must use javascript to view this page' was still acceptable post 1997")

Javascript menus have the advantage of keeping javascript programmers gainfully employed.

As to server-side includes there really isn't a problem with accessibility or "spiderability". As the name suggests, the information is included at the server level and the resultant HTML is what gets presented to the browser - regardless of whether the browser is a traditional feature-rich client, a screen reader or a searchbot. The include file is as accessible as the content it includes.

The only real issue is that not all servers support them meaning that if you implement them for an organisation and that organisation chooses to move to a different platform, you may find yourself getting called back in to recode.

_{Never be afraid to share your dreams with the world.
There's nothing the world loves more than the taste of really sweet dreams.}

 

[Wullie]

The only real issue is that not all servers support them meaning that if you implement them for an organisation and that organisation chooses to move to a different platform, you may find yourself getting called back in to recode.

More work for you, where's the problem?

Wullie

Fresh Look - Quality Coldfusion/Windows Hosting

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell

 

[dwarfthrower]

Ah... I said "issue"... not "problem"

_{Never be afraid to share your dreams with the world.
There's nothing the world loves more than the taste of really sweet dreams.}

 

[annestahl]

Hey,
thanks so much! I really appreciate it!
I guess I'm going to create a css menu for them now for sure,
Anne

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