CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (Full Version)

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JoeWood -> CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 10:14:05)

A company desgined a site for me. It is excellent, and appears perfect in all browser views and is W3 compliant. BUT, in the FrontPage 2003 design view, it is all jumbled up and some things are laying on top of others. I cannot work oredit in this view.

Can you tell me how to correct this and make it editable in the design view as well?




caz -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 10:22:29)

You are best working in code view and previewing in browser. I take no notice of design view or preview in FP, precisely because it will look all jumbled. This is the nature of the beast [;)]



coreybryant -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 10:27:18)

The more than likely used divs etc. Frontpage can process some of the coding but if it is using the overflow option, you might see some problems there.

It might take a few days, but try to go thru the code and understand the HTML. Besides, Frontpage has a tendency to use the <p> tags a lot so you might be better with the HTML and not the WYSIWYG



JoeWood -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 10:30:16)

Thank you. But I am quite a novice, and have a great number of pages to apply to formating to. I have only been successful at using the Design view in the past.

Isn;t there a way to get FP to recognize the code the same way that EVERY browser views it?

Is there someone to contact?



Tailslide -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 10:35:24)

Unfortunately not all browsers view code the same way (oh no that'd be waaay too easy!). Firefox, Opera, Safari etc generally follow the correct "rules" IE often doesn't bother and FP is set up to integrate with IE - you can see why there might be problems!!

Your best bet is to download Firefox (it's free) and use that to check the site as you go along - then you can fix any problems that may arise for IE.

If you can it is better to become familiar with the code itself - less likely to run into problems if you can see what it's actually up to!

If it's all W3C compliant then hopefully they've used CSS to style the pages which reduces the work you have to do - you won't need to worry about formatting as it'll already be in the stylesheet rules - you just simply add text/images etc.

If you could post a URL then we could advise you what you're up against!



JoeWood -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 10:39:44)

http://air-ambulance.org/index.htm

This is what the code looks like on the web. But the FP design view jumbles together the categories on the left (sorry I can't get a screenshot under the required 20K)



caz -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 10:51:32)

They have done a very nice job on that; it is valid code xhtml strict and the controlling stylesheet is http://air-ambulance.org/ambulance.css

If you want to change any font styling this is the place to do it. Can you get any user tuition from the web designers, because I think that is the best way for you to go. Unless you set to and learn (x)html and css - which would be a very good thing, of course [;)]

quote:

Isn;t there a way to get FP to recognize the code the same way that EVERY browser views it?


No, because FP is an html editor, not a browser.



Tailslide -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 10:56:51)

Oooh lovely CSS styles and layout and valid XHTML!

This is a nice site Joe - well built and pretty-looking.

Don't misunderstand what I'm going to say next - but this is fairly advanced stuff to expect a beginner to be able to edit straight off. Did you fall out with the designers or are they wanting to charge a lot for upkeep etc? Just trying to understand what the agreement was as far as updating it goes. Did they give you any lessons on updating it or supply a CMS system?

questions questions questions - sorry!



JoeWood -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 11:01:48)

Not Problem. I really appreciate the help.

I love the desing, and get along well with the designer. But the budget only allowed for the initial design of the template.

I was going to transfer over the text and images for each individual page using Frontpage.

I have a basic understanding of HTML, but not CSS.

It's just that if the darn FP would reflect what is shown on the browser (Duh!), I'd be ready to go.



Tailslide -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 11:15:57)

Ok - it's not impossible, but you'll need to be a bit careful about what you do. I'd suggest doing a bit of reading up about CSS - it will make it all a lot clearer.

In brief - CSS (on your site) is basically setting the rules about how the page should look (fonts, colours, background images) and how it should be laid out (divs e.g. navigation or footer). The CSS rules are actually in another file which is linked to in the <head> of your web page.

What this means is that, for example, if you add a link somewhere on your page it will be underlined in red because that's what the CSS rules say it should look like - you don't have to format it at all - just add the link code itself and the formatting is taken care of.

The slight problem with FP in the WYSISYG view page is that (I believe) it tries to add it's own formatting which will complicate matters if you want to change the site in the future.

To do this properly you'll need to look at the code. I'd suggest literally just looking at it for a while to see how it's structured - CSS structure is much much simpler than tables - none of that nested rubbish! Just neat <div>s for each section. All the formatting is elsewhere and you won't need to touch that!

I'd suggest you work in code view of FP - seriously!

I'd really really suggest you download Firefox (free) and Opera (freebie available) and use these to check the site as you go along to make sure nothing's gone wrong. IE is non standard-compliant and so shouldn't be the first place you go to check.

Finally - I understand about cost etc but you should also put a value on your own time too. To do this properly will take you a fair bit of time. It may be cheaper in the long run to get the designers to do it. Also - (sorry about this) but if it goes horribly wrong and you need them to fix it then you're at their mercy!

You've got a really nice looking site there - take your time and do a bit of research into CSS and you'll be fine.



caz -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 11:16:59)

quote:

I was going to transfer over the text and images for each individual page using Frontpage.


You can do this, only not in design view [:D], you need to work in code view so that none of the FP native formatting is added, which will overide the stylesheet and ruin the look of the site.

To do this kind of thing I use the free version of Notetab to strip out all of the html tags, but preserving urls page by page. You are then left with simple text which you can copy and paste into the relevant parts of the new pages with the template applied to them. Image file references can be treated in the same way.

Notetab Lite

Doing it like that with frequent checks in "Preview in browser" should get you started.

PS Copy existing pages as test pages first, just to get the hang of things. To start the process make a new page, using the new template you have bought. Look at the structure of the new page with out any content added to see where you would copy and paste the old page stuff (not tags, just the text.) As Tailslide said, take your time about this. And work in code view.



JoeWood -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 11:53:41)

Thanks. You've convinced me to work in the code view. The new feature with the split screen is helping.

I really appreciate the help - thanks!!!



caz -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/12/2005 12:10:01)

quote:

The new feature with the split screen is helping.


I always forget that one [:)] Just don't go dragging anything around in the pretty picture bit [;)]
See you around later I expect?
Cheers
Carol



GMisner -> RE: CSS/Frontpage compatibility problem (9/19/2005 13:58:02)

Joe,

There is a lot of help here I picked up "CSS web Design for dummies" a couple weeks ago. It helped me understand the basics.

Good luck...

Gary M.




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