Page Layout with Dropdown Menus Options

[MWSF1942]

I have been out of web page design for a few years except for basic stuff due to job changes. I have a dropdown menu with HTML and CSS pretty much created. Last time I did anything like I set up multiple web pages and used a JSP Include to bring in the header and another include to bring in the menu that was on the side. I have to do something quickly and hoping there is a new way to do this. So now that I have my dropdown menu, I can add links. I want to link to other pages I create and show them on the same page. Most examples I can find are about setting up the dropdowns and then any examples with real links open a new and unrelated page. Nothing that really shows how to use dropdown menus in context with a web page.

I hope this makes sense, thanks!!

[pandy]

I have been out of web page design for a few years except for basic stuff due to job changes. I have a dropdown menu with HTML and CSS pretty much created. Last time I did anything like I set up multiple web pages and used a JSP Include to bring in the header and another include to bring in the menu that was on the side. I have to do something quickly and hoping there is a new way to do this.

Includes is still the way to go. Many languages to choose from.

So now that I have my dropdown menu, I can add links. I want to link to other pages I create and show them on the same page.

Like frames?

CODE

Most examples I can find are about setting up the dropdowns and then any examples with real links open a new and unrelated page.   Nothing that really shows how to use dropdown menus in context with a web page.  

I don't understand how you mean. You say you want links to other pages in your menu and now you say you don't want that. Please explain. I'm a little slow.

[pandy]

Or did you maybe mean you don't want the links to open new windows?

[MWSF1942]

Currently I have a header bar, and my dropdown menus.

I want what ever I choose to open below the dropdown menus on the same page. And this will change according to the dropdown I select. I know this is very standard, but I don't know the best approach now.

[Christian J]

I have to do something quickly and hoping there is a new way to do this.

Learning new things take time, so maybe the quickest way is to stick with includes since you're already familiar with them...

I want to link to other pages I create and show them on the same page.

Depends on what you mean with "page". Depending on the URL querystring (the part after the "?"), a server side script might include different content files (or make different queries to a database). That's how this forum works, everything is done in index.php, it's just the querystring that changes.

This is not quick and easy, alas. And since you still need to create the content inclusion files, you don't really save any work compared with your previous method. A proper database might save work, but only if you plan to create lots of pages.

I don't recommend frames, and usually not Ajax, even though they can both do similar things.

[pandy]

But from the user side of the screen it's still different pages, even if they are virtual and there are no physical files.

I'm still confused about what you mean when you say you want new pages to open on the same page. I think you really mean something else. The only thing I can think of is to hide and show different parts of the same page, but I don't think that's what you want either.

Are you sure you simply don't want ordinary pages that look the same except for the content, with header, menu, footer and so on staying the same on all pages? If so, stick to your includes.

[MWSF1942]

I guess I will stick with includes. Sometimes government stuff requires last minute with zero time, zero training and a text editor as your only tool.

I am having a hard time explaining what I want but it is what you see on most web pages these days. I have a header, a menu bar and then the area for the rest of the page. I just want to stick a new html page in the "rest of the page" area by selecting a new dropdown and still keep the header and dropdown above. I will just stick with what I know and maybe later figure this out.

[Christian J]

I have a header, a menu bar and then the area for the rest of the page. I just want to stick a new html page in the "rest of the page" area by selecting a new dropdown and still keep the header and dropdown above.

Sometimes the whole page changes, but the server is so fast that the user won't notice it's a completely new web page.

If you don't want to reload the header and menu, you might use Ajax to insert new "rest of the page" content. Only real advantage is that you save lots of bandwidth on high traffic sites, but it's also more complex and fragile. Some usability issues with Ajax are javascript-dependency, broken browser history and bookmarking. Some of these issues can be avoided if done properly, but that in turn adds to the complexity.

[pandy]

I still don't get what you want, some kind of magic, me thinks. But what you see on most pages certainly isn't that. Most pages are like the pages at this site. Totally normal pages formatted the same way just as Christian describes. And that's actually all for the best.

[MWSF1942]

http://pepopcogis1/imf/sites/JSPCOBHelp/DataDictionary.jsp

This is what I am trying to except to have dropdown menus at the top of the page. I am no longer allowed to use JSP and been told this needs to be in HTML5.

Is converting this over to ASP a good option.

[Christian J]

That URL lacks a TLD (such as .com).

[MWSF1942]

is it not working?


This post has been edited by MWSF1942: May 3 2016, 01:38 PM

[pandy]

Something wrong with that URL.

I don't know ASP, but I assume it can do includes. Maybe you have PHP. SSI is available on most servers, but isn't really a programming language and all it can do is different kinds of includes. You may think about if you may want to use a server side language for other things in the future, like forms for example, and choose language after that.

[MWSF1942]

http://gisweb.informationbirmingham.com/im...lp/MainHelp.jsp

Try this. I accidentially pulled from our internal pages

[Christian J]

http://gisweb.informationbirmingham.com/im...lp/MainHelp.jsp

That page is a traditional HTML document. A completely new page is sent from the server as you follow links.

(The HTML is pretty broken, I see both HTML3.2 and HTML4.01 Doctypes).

[MWSF1942]

We developed this about between 2010 and 2012 based on knowledge learned before that. We are completely redoing this and using the ASP.NET seems like it will work.

Completely bringing it up to HTML5. We have a new mapping site and about 50% of this will not apply anyway.

[Terminator]

Something wrong with that URL.

I don't know ASP, but I assume it can do includes. Maybe you have PHP. SSI is available on most servers, but isn't really a programming language and all it can do is different kinds of includes. You may think about if you may want to use a server side language for other things in the future, like forms for example, and choose language after that.

ASP can do includes but that is not really what they are called. You create a Master Page and then you can control to not show "includes" on pages. Like header, menu, etc. ASP MVC is even better.

This post has been edited by Terminator: May 14 2016, 04:01 PM

[Hassanali2020]

Hello i need help please because I’m not expert in html I want make dropdown list will be website for used car and i want when the customer want put his car for sale choose from drop down list as
his name
phone number
Address
Brand car
model
year
kilometers
Automatic or manual

Submit
Anyone could help me please

[Christian J]

Hello i need help please because I’m not expert in html I want make dropdown list will be website for used car and i want when the customer want put his car for sale choose from drop down list as
his name
phone number
Address
Brand car
model
year
kilometers
Automatic or manual

Submit
Anyone could help me please

I created a new thread here: https://forums.htmlhelp.com/index.php?showt...mp;#entry143749