Interactive Buttons in Shared Borders or FrontPage includes

Using Interactive Buttons in Shared Borders or Include Pages involves overcoming problems and restrictions in the Web construction.  These pages describe the problems encountered building these pages, and the solutions found.

In this web, Interactive Buttons are placed into the top border area of the pages shown in the following table.  The table also shows how the pages were constructed (shared border, include page, DWT) and how they fare in real life.
The first eight pages are merely examples; the remaining pages show how to make the pages, and how to fix them.

Page

Location

Shared Border (containing IBs)

Include Page

DWT

Use

Button 1

pages1/button1.htm

 

_borders/left.htm

 

Ticked checkbox

Button 2

pages2/button2.htm

 

_borders/left.htm

 

Ticked checkbox

Button 3

pages2/button3.htm

left

 

 

Ticked checkbox

Button 4

pages1/button4.htm

left

 

 

Ticked checkbox

Root

in_root.htm

left

 

 

Broken

Borders Two

pages2/buttontest.htm

left, bottom

 

 

Broken

DWT Page

pages1/dwt_page.htm

 

 

dwt/pages.dwt

Ticked checkbox

Root DWT

root_dwt.htm

 

 

dwt/pages.dwt

Ticked checkbox

 

Interactive Home

index.aspx

 

left_inc.htm*

dwt/button-site.dwt

Ticked checkbox

Restrictions

restrict.aspx

 

left_inc.htm*

dwt/button-site.dwt

Ticked checkbox

How To

howto.aspx

 

left_inc.htm*

dwt/button-site.dwt

Ticked checkbox

Work Arounds

workarounds.aspx

 

left_inc.htm*

dwt/button-site.dwt

Ticked checkbox

Trouble Shoot

troubleshooting.aspx

 

left_inc.htm*

dwt/button-site.dwt

Ticked checkbox

*Note: The included file is included in the DWT.  Paths in the IB JavaScript are correct when using the combination of DWT and include in this manner.

The pages were built using the GUI (Design View) of FP2003; code view was used for reference, but not for direct editing  (except for adding HTML that cannot be added from the GUI, for example <code>..</code> tags).

The stability of the finished pages can best be described as quirky - in my opinion the effort required in overcoming the restrictions and correcting mistakes is not worth it.

Once the page is done - it is done and will remain stable, but re-editing the page, or the includes/borders, can remove JavaScript from the <head> section, or corrupt the <body> tag in the finished page.  See Work Arounds

A better method of incorporating Interactive Buttons on many pages is to use Dynamic Web Templates (DWT).

 

Although this web was built as a subweb, the text implies that the pages are located in the root of the web; all the principles discussed apply equally to both root webs and subwebs.

The restrictions outlined in restrict.htm make the whole method of using Interactive Buttons in Shared Borders or Include Pages impractical in many cases.  However, for the inquisitive and foolhardy, "How To" explains the process of using Interactive Buttons in shared borders.  Include pages may be used in a similar manner.

 

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