Hello there,

Ok here we go.

I know HTML pretty well and am completely lost when it comes to PHP and MySQL even though I have a MySQL database for my forum, (But it was pretty easy to install forum!)

Heres my problem. My site has about 50 webpages, and I now want to add another LINK to my navigation bar, WITHOUT having to go through 50 webpages!

I am currently about to set-up the same site again, so any help on how to make it updateable on the Navigation Front would be good before I start.

I have Dreamweaver, so your input would be brilliant.

But keep it in plain english please!

Thankyou so much.

MXMaster

I would create a file with just the HTML for your navigation in it, then on each page that you want to display your navigation use an INCLUDE statement to include your navigation page into the main pages.

Sounds simple enough!

Not sure how you would add the HTML though?

<include> </include>?

Or is there some sort of script I need to add.

Your help is much appreciated.

Say i want it below the HEADER/LOGO.

I click to the location I want to add it in Dreamweaver and click to the code screen.

What would the script/code be to add a HTML Document?

Thanks..

MXMaster©

Well, assuming you have PHP support (as your forum uses mysql, php is obvious also) use something similiar to this, and make sure to change the extension of your html files to .php.

PHP Code:

<?php
// The include does not neccesarily have to have a .php extension, unless it as well contains php code
include 'header.html';
?>

I wish i understood PHP.

Your help is appreciated alot, yet I can't seem to get this to work.

I don't want to use FRAMES in my site and feel it is the only method i understand, but it doesn't really fit in with my website layout.

There must be a script somehere I can add to my site that pops in my nav!

Could i build a flash Navigation and insert that?

But that still wouldn't help would it?
Would i then still have the problem of having to go into each of my 50 pages and change the flash file if it was ever updated?

Any comments welcome or other ideas.

And YES, my host supports ASP, PHP and MySQL (Which i dont have a clue about!)

MX

There must be a script somehere I can add to my site that pops in my nav!

What I posted is pretty much just that.

Thanks man.

User error!

I put it plum in the middle of my google ads script by accident and thats why it didn't work!

Cheers!

MXMaster

Hey cool..easy answer! Our first reply to a post!

Very simple.... Just use Server Side Includes for common navigation elements.
(Read all about SSI in our tutorial http://www.smartwebby.com/web_site_d...e_includes.asp)

Also since you use Dreamweaver you should definitely use a common Dreamweaver Template for your web pages.
(Read all about Dreamweaver Templates in our tutorial http://www.smartwebby.com/web_site_d...r_template.asp)

Thanks man...

Thats good reading material there!

MX

i would suggest equipiing yourself with a content management system, you save you a heck of alot of time in the futute even if you dont have the time to integrate it into your existant site

changing anything on your site will have a streamline effect on all your other pages

If I understand your question correctly you simply want to add another link into an existing navigation bar and have it propagated through all 50 pages??

If yes, then your can simply add the link to any page in your site, debug it, then save the page as a Dreamweaver template.

Once that is done you can apply the template to each of your 50 pages and from that point forward you can simply update the navigation bar in the template and Dreamweaver will update all 50 pages for you.

One thing to look out for since you are applying the template to existing pages - Dreamweaver will overwrite the text on each page with the text from the template when you apply the template for the first time (makes sense if you think about it - you'll actually be doing the process backward - you should start with a template then build the page instead of starting with the page and applying the template...)

In order to get around the problem I do this: Open the page where you want to apply the template - do a 'save-as' and rename the page (example - I open page Paris.htm and do a save-as Paris1.htm.) This gives you a copy of the original page to work with. I then apply the template to Paris.htm, select the body of Paris1.htm and paste it into Paris.htm and voila!! I have a templated Paris.htm with the original content... Two minute fix that solves the problem of updating navigation bars....

If you're not familiar with Navigation bars in Dreamweaver or need to brush up on Dreamweaver templates I suggest that you read the Dreamweaver MX 2004 Bible. I normally go to Barnes and Nobel - get a cup of coffee - and read the sections of these manuals - naturally if I find what I want and think I'll be using the reference in the furture I purchase the book for my bookshelf.

If you have dreamweaver then it should be easy to update your links. On my sites, I have links in a seperate file where php calls it. So if I had a 1000 pages, I just change one link. Learn some php and you'll see how useful it can be once you understant the concepts. Otherwise DreamWeaver already has an option for you to do that for html.