FrontPage Dynamic Web Templates

[ComputerSnack]

I'm building a new site using Dynamic Web Templates, and they work
great so far, but now I'm starting to build the left side navigation
bars, which are different on certain sections of the site. Check out
this site and look at the side indented menu:

http://www.ci.glendora.ca.us/community_services/

I want to be able to only make a change once if for example a
department name changes, or want to reorder the list, but I also want
these "sub menus" as shown.

What would be the best way to organize this? Would I have a separate
dwt for every sub-menu?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Ronx]

I have a similar situation where I make the left side navigation
include files, and place them in editable regions.
See www.rxs-enterprises.org/dwt/site_copy.htm , which is a copy of
the DWT I use for .htm pages.

 

[ComputerSnack]

Thanks Ron, however, I had already tried the includes pages. What my
problem is that in order to change something, for example the name of
the department, or the order of the departments, or when I add a
department, I would have to change that on each individual department
page, since each department has it's own set of sub-links which are
unique to each department, and I would have to have an includes page
for almost every page in the site.

http://www.ci.glendora.ca.us/community_services/

Does anyone else have any ideas on how to create a navagitional
structure, with minimal effort when a change is needed, like the above
site?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Stefan B Rusynko]

IMHO
Create a copy of your DWT for each unique nav you want and use those unique DWT on those pages
- you can use include pages in the DWT templates for the "common" areas to minimize editing
(but will need to reapply the DWTs after any changes to the includes)




| Thanks Ron, however, I had already tried the includes pages. What my
| problem is that in order to change something, for example the name of
| the department, or the order of the departments, or when I add a
| department, I would have to change that on each individual department
| page, since each department has it's own set of sub-links which are
| unique to each department, and I would have to have an includes page
| for almost every page in the site.
|
| http://www.ci.glendora.ca.us/community_services/
|
| Does anyone else have any ideas on how to create a navagitional
| structure, with minimal effort when a change is needed, like the above
| site?
|
| Thanks,
|
| Kevin
|

 

[ComputerSnack]

Well, in essence, each page's navigation would be unique, so does that
mean I would need hundreds of these includes files? It seems like there
must be a more logical way to organize it...but I'm just not thinking
of it.

-Kevin

 

[Ronx]

If each page has unique navigation, then make the navigation an
editable region, and update it directly on each page - Includes are
only useful if
1) the content in the include comes from another source who should not
update the entire page
2) The included content is used on more than one page.

 

[ComputerSnack]

Well, okay let me explain.

For example, I want the links to appear as below.

When we are on page A (or any sub pages under Page A), I want the
navigation links to show like this:

Page A
- Sub Link 1 on Page A
- Sub Link 2 on Page A
Page B
Page C
Page D

When we are on Page B (or any sub pages under Page B), I want the
navigation links to show like this:

Page A
Page B
- Sub Link 1 on Page B
- Sub Link 2 on Page B
Page C
Page D

So, I could make it an editable region on each page, however, what if
The link to "Page A" changes, or I want to change the name of the link
from "Page A" to "Page X"?

Does anyone have any ideas, or is this just not possible without all
the editing?

Thanks Again, I appreciate all the input so far.

-Kevin

 

[Ronx]

Go back to my original post - make an include for each main page, and
include it in the main page and all its sub pages.
So Page A, and all its sub will include menu_A
Page B, and all its subpages will include menu_B
Page C, and all its subpages will include menu_C
Page D, and all its subpages will include menu_D

If you change Page A to Page X, just change the links on the includes.
You will have to edit every include, but that's not every page (unless
every page is a main page).

 

[ComputerSnack]

Thanks Ron, that makes it a little more clear. Thanks for answering my
question. That is the way I think I will have to go.

If I do have a change Page A to Page X, I will have to make the change
on every main page, which is 12 pages. That is not as easy as making
one change, but at least it's better than making a change on every
(50+) pages.

If you do have another idea so I would only have to make the change
once, please let me know.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[ComputerSnack]

Oh, I also wanted to ask if you think I should create a separate dwt
for each of the menu includes?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Ronx]

The menu includes I use are plain HTML. All styling is applied by the
containing pages. I would not use a DWT on any pages that are always
included in other pages.