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Can I link HTML page to txt files?

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zcole

Technical User
Feb 17, 2004
28
US
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!
 
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:

Hope this helps.
 
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 -
 
[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]

buffalo.gif height="60px" width="30px"

 
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..

<!--#include virtual=&quot;${path_info}.txt&quot; -->

..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]
 
&quot;You need to create a template file that sucks up data instead of data files that suck-up layout.&quot;

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:

<!--#include virual=&quot; &quot; -->
(in between the &quot;'s put your file name extention and location (if not in the same folder as the html page))

HTML page
---------

<html>
<link rel=&quot;stylesheet&quot; type=&quot;text/css&quot; href=&quot;layout.css&quot;>
<body>
<div class=&quot;ltoc&quot;>
<!--#include virtual=&quot;ltoc.txt&quot; -->
</div>
<iframe name=&quot;content&quot; class=&quot;main&quot;>Browser compatability message
</iframe>
</body>
</html>

CSS file
--------

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

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

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