Netscape Compatibility Questions (Full Version)

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Brad -> Netscape Compatibility Questions (3/22/2001 20:25:00)


I have several questions here:

I need to make my page completely compatible with netscape and it is quite a large site. Should I use some kind of re-direct cookie thing so the user is directed to a NN compatable site?

Also, If I have built a site compatable with IE only, can I just make a copy but then change the compatibility to NN...so I then have 2 actual sites?

On the web templates sold here, are they completely compatible with NN as they are?

One more question...how tough is it to make the pages NN compatable if:
a) I have already built it only for IE?
b) If I do it from the beginning?

Thanks,
Brad





abbeyvet -> RE: Netscape Compatibility Questions (3/22/2001 20:31:00)

First off, yes, all the templates are NN compatible.

The difference between NN and IE is basically a fussiness about code. IE will overlook errors and try to 'guess' what you were getting at, NN will not. How difficult it will be to make already created pages cmpatible depends on the reason why they are not working in NN in the first place, it may be very simple or a pretty big job.

It is not however as simple as making a copy and then retrospectively changing the compatibility. In fact all the compatibility settings do is prevent you adding components and effects work in IE but not in NN - such as some options related to table borders and backgrounds and the DHTML effects. It will neither prevent you from entering bad code in the first place nor fix it if you change the compatibility later. It is an aid, not a complete solution.

Do you have a URL? Having a look at the pages and seeing just what the problem is in NN would enable us to give you a better idea about what will be involved in fixing it.

Having two sites, one for each browser, may seem an attractive solution but it is not. You would then have two sites to update and maintain and keeping them coordinated would be a nightmare. And anyway, if you have a site that works perfectly in NN you can be pretty sure that it will be absolutely fine in IE, negating the need for two sites.

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Katherine

InKK Design
LinKKs - Kilkenny's Online Magazine


-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Dogs have owners, cats have staff!"

[This message has been edited by abbeyvet (edited 03-22-2001).]





Brad -> RE: Netscape Compatibility Questions (3/22/2001 20:52:00)

Great Advice! Here is my site
www.axis-one.com/index.htm

Thank You So Much!
Brad





abbeyvet -> RE: Netscape Compatibility Questions (3/22/2001 20:26:00)

Hi Brad,

That's a really nice looking site.

I have had a look at your code and most of your problems relate to your tables. in several case the widths are not adding up correctly, for example in the main body table. And in the maroon bar and the row below it you have specified aome cell widths in pixels and others in percent.

Also you have used table and cell height specifications a lot - this can often cause NN to misbehave as it does not recognise this attribute.

There will be a fair amount of work involved in changing all these tables page by page I am afraid. Often the best thing is to scrap them and start again as doing a lot of fiddleing with FP can just mess up your coed further. Not good news on such a large site

The easiest way to do it is probably to make a template, very carefully, of what you want it to look like testing it repeatedly in NN till you are sure it is bang on and then copy and paste the content for each page into the template. You are already making quite a lit of use of includes and this will speed up the job, but it is not a small one.

Or of course buy a template

------------------
Katherine

InKK Design
LinKKs - Kilkenny's Online Magazine


-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Dogs have owners, cats have staff!"





Brad -> RE: Netscape Compatibility Questions (3/22/2001 20:39:00)

Okay then...how close can I get to this look with a template? Can I use the same rollovers? What can I keep and what will I have to scrap? I'd like to nip all these little problems in the bud as quick as possible. What can ya tell me? Who do you recommend to fix me up a template? Thomas built the code for the home page, and then I went in there and added and subtracted and did a few things, so that's where it got messed up I am sure.

To be honest, many of the templates I have seen look like crap. And I don't know if this is just because they were done quickly or by people who aren't very creative or if templates are always going to look a little dumb. Know what I mean? But maybe I am just ignorant of all the possibilities. Fill me in.

Brad





LB -> RE: Netscape Compatibility Questions (3/22/2001 13:27:00)

Do you still have the original code Thomas did for you? That is your template. Make sure you save an original copy of it somewhere. Just copy/paste your content into it and "save as" the file name needed to overwrite that page. DO NOT drag the edges of tables, and check in NN as you save to catch any possible problems.

Linda

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Ruby Marketing





Brad -> RE: Netscape Compatibility Questions (3/23/2001 22:15:00)

I think my question is about themes. Are they 100% compatible in NN? Shared borders etc?




LB -> RE: Netscape Compatibility Questions (3/24/2001 20:02:00)

The theme is the text, hyperlinks color, background, and theme element graphics... these will have no problem at all in Netscape. (note: when applying the theme, do NOT check the box "apply with css")

Just using shared borders will have no problem in NN. What is contained in them might. ie. non-compatible javascripts, tables that have errors, absolute positioning, etc.

If you have the original Thomas set up for you, I'd start over with that.

Linda

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Ruby Marketing





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