Frequently Asked Web
Design Questions
If you'd like
to do business on the Internet, launching a quality web site is an absolute
must. Learning how to design your own web site can be a little intimidating.
However, there is a wealth of free information available on the Internet
to assist you.
The best way to learn is by doing. Take the first step and begin researching.
Once you understand the basics of web design, you can begin experimenting
with some more advanced coding techniques.
Visit the following web address to get started:
http://www.web-source.net/web_development.htm
Over the years, I have received many questions in regard to web design. Below,
are some of the most frequently asked questions I receive on a regular
basis:
Question: I am in the process of designing
my first web page and am confused about making it compatible with all the
different web browsers. Can you help?
Answer: Although there really isn't a "set
in stone" solution to developing a web page that will display properly in
all browsers, there are some basic guidelines that will assist you.
The best advice I can offer is to develop your site to be compatible with
Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, as these are the two most widely
used browsers.
Although the latest versions of the two browsers are fairly comparable, you
must take into consideration that many of your visitors won't have the latest
versions.
Some of the main differences between earlier versions of the two browsers
are as follows:
(1) In order to center a "table" within earlier versions of Netscape, you
must enclose your "table" code with the CENTER and /CENTER tags instead of
using P ALIGN=CENTER. The CENTER tag is compatible with both browsers.
(2) When creating form fields, if you use the maxlength code within your
code, Netscape will display the input box the length of the maxlength code
value.
(3) If you would like to display your web page full-screen or adjust the
margins, you'll need to use the following codes within your BODY tag:
<BODY topmargin=0 bottommargin=0 leftmargin=0
rightmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0>
This margin code is compatible with both browsers.
Internet Explorer supports:
topmargin=0
bottommargin=0
leftmargin=0
rightmargin=0
Netscape Navigator supports:
marginheight=0
marginwidth=0
(4) Avoid using special design techniques that require a special browser
extension or plug-in, as many of your visitors will need to download and
install the plug-in before they can use your site -- most
won't.
If you follow
these few guidelines, you shouldn't have any problems with browser
compatibility.
A great way to ensure your site displays properly is to download and install
both Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. This will enable you to view
your site through both browsers.
Internet Explorer
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp
Netscape Navigator
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp
Visit the following web addresses to test your web page's browser
compatibility:
http://www.anybrowser.com
http://www.netmechanic.com
Question: I can't get my image to display
on my web page. I placed the image code in my page, but all I see is a "red
X" where the image should display. Can you tell me what the problem may be?
Answer: In order for an image to display
on a web page, it must first be uploaded to your server in "binary" mode.
If you've verified that your image has been uploaded properly, your next
step will be to double check your image HTML code. Make sure that the image
address leads to your image and is spelled exactly the same. Keep in mind,
the name of your image is CaSE SeNsiTIve. In other words, if your image name
is "Image.gif" on your server, it must look exactly the same within your
code.
Question: I would like to display my text,
side by side, like a newspaper, but I can't figure out the code.
Answer: In order to display your text like
a newspaper, you must place it within a table.
<TABLE>
<TR>
<TD>text</TD>
<TD>text</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
Question: When I placed my text within my
page, it's right up against the left border. Is there any way I can correct
this?
Answer: Yes, you can place your text within
a table. You can specify the width of your table to determine the distance
between your text and the left and right border of your web page.
<CENTER>
<TABLE WIDTH="80%">
<TR>
<TD>text</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
</CENTER>
This table code will display your text across 80% of your web page with a
border of 10% on the left and right side.
If you'd rather not use a table, you can also set your page borders within
your BODY tag:
<BODY topmargin=0 bottommargin=0 leftmargin=0
rightmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0>
Question: I have specified a font face at
the beginning of my web page, but the font face isn't displaying within my
tables. Can you tell me what the problem may be?
Answer: In order to display a specific font
face within your tables, you must use a separate font tag within each table
cell.
<TABLE>
<TR>
<TD font face="Arial">text</font></TD>
<TD font face="Arial">text</font></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
If you'd rather not use a font tag within each of your table cells, there
is an easier way. Place the following code between the HEAD and /HEAD tags.
This code will specify the font style for all of your table cells.
<STYLE TYPE="text/css">
<!--
TD{font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;}
-->
</STYLE>
Question: I've placed a form code within
my web page, but my form isn't working. Can you help?
Answer: In order for a form to function,
in addition to placing the form HTML within your web page, you must also
use a CGI form processing script. This script will reside on your server
within your CGI-bin and will be called from your form code within your HTML.
Your code might look something like this:
<form method=post
action="/cgi-bin/example.cgi">
The "cgi-bin/example.cgi" text should be changed to the address of your form
processing script.
You can find free form processing scripts at the CGI Resource Index.
http://cgi.resourceindex.com/Programs_and_Scripts/Perl/
Learning how to design a great web site isn't easy. However, if you take
the time to educate yourself and start with the basics, you'll be well on
your way to designing a great site.
Copyright © Shelley
Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design
Mastery.
http://www.webdesignmastery.com
And, Ebook Starter - Give Your Ebooks the look and feel of a REAL book.
http://www.ebookstarter.com
Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for a complimentary subscription to Etips
and receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, "Killer Internet Marketing
Strategies."
http://www.web-source.net
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print,
in your ebook or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author
bylines are included.
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