Goodies to Go ™
May 17, 2004–Newsletter #285
This newsletter is part of the internet.com network.
http://www.internet.com
Featured this week:
* Goodies Thoughts – The Subweb Way
* Q & A Goodies
* News Goodies
* Goodies Peer Reviews
* Feedback Goodies
* Windows Tech Goodies
* And Remember This…
Goodies Announcement
The new Beyond HTML Goodies book
is now available!
Go beyond the basics
and learn how the pros add and use dynamic HTML features and advanced
JavaScript techniques. Beyond HTML Goodies demonstrates dozens of new and
different features readers can add to their existing Web pages using HTML and
JavaScript. The book starts with simple text and image tips, such as adding a
clock to a Web page or causing text to appear when the mouse moves over an
image. It gradually builds to more complex tricks, including manipulating forms
or working with cookies behind the scenes. Throughout the book, readers enjoy
Joe’s snappy style and “to the point” discussion of each “goody” in the book.
http://books.internet.com/books/0789727803
Goodies Thoughts – The Subweb Way
A friend of mine approached me this past week with an
interesting question. "How can I create a website," the question began (ho-hum
so far!), "which will have a domain name like www.sitedomain.com, and with
sections in it like www.sitedomain.com/section1, www.sitedomain.com/section2,
and so on, such that different people can maintain the different sections, but
can only make changes to their own section, while I can make changes to the main
site or any of the sections?" Now that a little less ho-hum!
"Do you use FrontPage?" I enquired. "Well the site has the extensions on it, but
I don’t want to use FrontPage — it’s too amateurish." Oh dear! The trouble with
that is that its a bit like saying that you don’t want to dig a hole with an
Acme spade because "Acme" sounds too cartoonish. If the tool is designed for the
job, then why not use it? "Let me explain a little about FrontPage," I
continued, and provided the following description:
FrontPage is not just a web page builder. FrontPage is a client/server web
management application. In fact, if you don’t like the FrontPage web page
editor, FrontPage includes the means to change the default editor(s) to anything
you have that you might like to use, and still retain the site management
features of FrontPage (see Tools/Options/Configure Editors.)
The server side is the FrontPage Extensions, and they provide the management
capabilities at the server end. The 2003 version includes a web based site
management capability that allows the site administrator (anyone assigned the
rights to administer the site) to assign author and administration capabilities
at various levels to other users.
The FrontPage client includes both the site management and page editing
capabilities. When you "Open Web", you provide the site’s address, such as
http://www.sitedomain.com, provide your username and password and it opens the
site, live, on the server. As you make changes and save them, you are saving
them to the live site. You could also have another copy of the site somewhere
else where you have made changes and now simply import the changed pages.
FrontPage also allows you to convert a folder (a directory) within the site into
a "Subweb". A subweb is actually contained within the parent website, and when
an authorized user opens the site, the Subweb shows up as a folder with a little
globe logo on it. In the above question, each section would be converted to a
Subweb. The Subweb can be opened on its own by "Open Web", http://www.sitedomain.com/section1,
etc.
Subwebs are treated as separate entities by the management tools, and can have
their own authors and administrators assigned. That’s it! That’s a simple
solution to the question raised. There are, of course, other ways to accomplish
the desired end, but this is a very simple solution, and with FrontPage
Extensions becoming more and more commonplace among the hosting companies, it’s
also a readily available solution.
In history (ancient history in net terms!) FrontPage was a crude editor with
some pretty severe problems. Those days are gone! It’s still not perfect, of
course, there’s always room for improvement, but, from the tiny acorn, the
mighty oak doth grow!
Thanks for Reading!
– Vince Barnes
Q & A Goodies
Questions are taken from submissions to our Community Mentors. You can ask a Mentor a question by going to
https://www.htmlgoodies.com/mentors.
Q. I’m just wondering how to make it so that on a page where I have a
Listbox and a button, how do I make it so that the list items link to a certain
part of a database and when I click the button the information in the database
displays on the page? The database I will be using is created via MS Access.
A. JavaScript alone can not do this. You will need to use a Server Side
language such as PHP, Perl or even Java, ASP or ASP.Net.
Q. I would like to have two functions occur when a button is pushed. This
is how I have it written:
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Submit" onClick="send()" onClick="openindex()">
You probably know that only the first event happens. How do I make the other
occur at the same time?.
A. You can perform more than one function with one event such as the
onClick by separating them with a semicolon. Try Changing your code to this:
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Submit" onClick="send();openindex()">
Q. I was curious about shopping carts and wondering what type programming
was need to created these.
A. Shopping carts are written in different languages and use different
technologies. You server type will determine what you can use and cannot use. I
use Active Server Pages (ASP) and for that I need to host on a Windows server. A
UNIX server will support PERL and PHP. There are JavaScript carts but I have
never used them. The shopping cart features will tell you if it updates the
product amount.
Q. I’m having trouble understanding how to get an image map to work like
a frame page. I want my map in one place, but the links to come up in another
frame.
A. It sounds as if you are not using the "target" correctly. If you have
two frames, one on the left and one on the right and you have the navigation in
the left frame. When you click on a link in the left, you want the page to open
in the right frame. If the name of the right frame is "right" then in the
hyperlink tag you have to have target="right"
<a href="some_page.htm target="right">Click Here</a>
That should do it. Change the target name to the frame name that you have
designated in your own frames.
[Exactly the same applies to the href’s in your maps. Note that if you create
the map with a graphics program like Paintshop, however, you might have to add
the "target"s manually, after the map is created. Ed.]
Q. My site uses 3 frames, heading, links and the third is the body, which
is the only thing that changes as you move through different parts of the site.
I’m using css for fonts, colors and background images on the site. I would like
to use a watermark logo, but I do not want to show it in the heading or links
frames, only the body. Is there some way to override the background image in the
css file in my heading and links frame so it remains as just a white background?
A. Put a class="withbg" in the body tag of your BODY.
Put the background declaration in body.withbg {background-image….}
Q. I help maintain a small site for a non-profit and am pretty much
self-taught (with the help of Goodies!). I can’t figure out how to open a new
window launched from a JavaScript. It’s a small script, coupled with a form with
dropdown links. Like "choose the issue of the newsletter." After selecting the
issue, the PDF launches, but I want it to launch in a new window. I’d like to do
the same with the top navigation on the page, so all PDFs open in a new window.
Every time I try to incorporate /target = _blank or "resource window", it
doesn’t work like in HTML. (Code provided)
A. One of the problems you were having is that you were trying to use the
target property with a drop down. That will not work. I have modified your
code and was able to get it to work. Here is is:
<html>
<head>
<title>Drop Down New Window</title>
<script language="JavaScript">
function LinkUp(frmobj)
{
if(document.DropDown.DDlinks.selectedIndex!=0)
{
loc=document.DropDown.DDlinks.options
[document.DropDown.DDlinks.selectedIndex].value
NewWin=window.open(loc,"win1",config="width=400,height=500")
}
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<form name="DropDown">
<select name="DDlinks">
<option value="">Select One</option>
<option value="http://www.wheatlandsalem.org/newsletters/May03.pdf"> May
2003</option>
<option value="http://www.wheatlandsalem.org/newsletters/Apr03.pdf"> April
2003</option>
<option value="http://www.wheatlandsalem.org/newsletters/Feb03.pdf">
February 2003</option>
</select>
<input type="BUTTON" value="View" onClick="LinkUp()"> </form> </body> </html>
You will notice that in the window.open statement in the JavaScript function I
set the width and height of the window. You can also set other properties such
as wether to allow the status bar to display, the location bar, etc. I believe
if you search the HTML Goodies web site there is a tutorial on opening new
windows. Finally I also came up with an alternative that does not use a button
to activate the script that opens the selection in a new window.
<html>
<head>
<title>Drop Down New Window</title>
<script language="JavaScript">
function LinkUp(selopt)
{
if(selopt!="") // if variable is not empty then open window
{
NewWin=window.open(selopt,"win1",config="width=400,height=500")
}
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<FORM NAME="DropDown">
<SELECT NAME="DDlinks" onChange="LinkUp(this.options [this.selectedIndex].value)">
<option value="">Select One</option>
<option VALUE="http://www.wheatlandsalem.org/newsletters/May03.pdf"> May
2003</option>
<option VALUE="http://www.wheatlandsalem.org/newsletters/Apr03.pdf"> April
2003</option>
<option VALUE="http://www.wheatlandsalem.org/newsletters/Feb03.pdf">
February 2003</option>
</SELECT>
</FORM>
</body>
</html>
The above example uses the onChange event in the select tag to perform the
function LinkUp() when a selection is made. It also passes along the value of
the option that was selected to the function. The term "this" refers to the
formelement and its properties such as the elements name, type, etc.
News Goodies
Cisco Investigating Stolen Source Code
[May 17, 2004] A corporate network breach leads to leaked
proprietary code, but confidential customer data and financial
systems weren’t compromised.
Click
here to read the article
Microsoft Refreshes Commerce Server
[May 17, 2004] The software features new business management tools to drive
efficiency; Microsoft also outlines future plans for the application.
Click here to read the article
IBM Brings POWER to the People
[May 14, 2004] IBM expands its 64-bit Linux developer community and
refreshes WebSphere Studio and COBOL.
Click
here to read the article
What Grade is Your Network?
[May 17, 2004] How would your network score on a report card?
webMethods is happy to provide it with its latest business
activity monitoring software.
Click here to read the article
Semantic Web to Take Center Stage at WWW2004
[May 16, 2004] World Wide Web Conference 2004 Chairman Dr.
Stuart Feldman previews next week’s conference in New York.
Click here to read the article
Microsoft: May We Serve You?
[May 14, 2004] The company’s Windows Server Roadmap could ease customers’
upgrade confusion. Somewhat.
Click here to read the article
Spyware Solutions Not So Simple
[May 14, 2004] Proposed bills may create more problems than they solve
according to VeriSign and other industry leaders.
Click here to read the article
Intergraph, Gateway Settle ‘Clipper’ Spat
[May 14, 2004] Gateway will pay a total of $10 million for use of
Intergraph’s technology leaving only HP to litigate or license in the
so-called ‘OEM case.’
Click here to read the article
Risk Management, The Microsoft Way
[May 14, 2004] How do you secure the ‘world’s largest experimental computer
network’? Redmond shares its risk-management security strategy.
Click here to read the article
Steps Forward For Server-Based Apps
[May 14, 2004] Analysts say the time has come for applications to be served
up on demand, with information shared from client to client as well.
Click here to read the article
Every week a site is selected for review. Each week,
reviews of the previous week’s selected site are chosen for
publication on the HTML Goodies website.
The current week’s selected site is published in Goodies To
Go and in the Peer Reviews section of the website.
Current contact email addresses for submitting your site and
for submitting reviews are published in Goodies To Go.
If you would like to have your site reviewed, sign up for
the Goodies To Go newsletter in the Navigation Bar on the
left side of this page.
For full details about this program, see
https://www.htmlgoodies.com/peerreviews
Did you ever wish your newsletter was an easy two way communications medium?
Ploof! It now is!
If you would like to comment on the newsletter or expand/improve on something
you have seen in here, you can now send your input to:
mailto:nlfeedback@htmlgoodies.com
We already receive a lot of email every day. This address will help us sort out
those relating specifically to this newsletter from all the rest. When you send
email to this address it may wind up being included in this section of the
newsletter, to be shared with your fellow readers.
Please don’t send your questions to this address.
They should be sent to our mentors: see
https://www.htmlgoodies.com/mentors/
For those who are missing Peer reviews: we are once again
revising the Peer review program in the hopes of creating a
workable solution. The current plan is to move the new Peer
Review pages into place in the new year. All those who have
been selected for reviews in the past will be featured in
the new pages. The new method will make it much easier for
your peers to provide feedback and much easier for us to
handle the publication side of things. "Watch this space!"
It’s coming soon!!
Thanks again for all your feedback!
Top
Windows Tech Goodie of the Week:
SharePoint Security and .NET Impersonation
http://www.15seconds.com/issue/040511.htm
When implementing custom components that require access to
restricted resources, implicit impersonation must be used.
Jay Nathan shows how to create a class that makes using .NET
Impersonation a snap.
*** And ***
Extending Your Page Names With ASP.NET
http://www.asp101.com/articles/wayne/extendingnamesaspx/default.asp
This update to one of our most popular articles updates the
code to utilize the new features of IIS 6 and ASP.NET.
Written by Wayne Berry of XCache Technologies, this article
is a must read for anyone who is sick of URLs that look like
this: product.asp?id=4
Top
And Remember This . . .
On this day in…
1970 Thor Heyerdahl Set Out to Cross Atlantic in Papyrus Boat
Norwegian explorer and archeologist Thor Heyerdahl and his
multi-national crew set sail on this day in 1970 from Safi, Morocco,
aboard the Ra II. Ra II was a papyrus craft modeled after ancient
Egyptian vessels and it was Heyerdahl’s intention to demonstrate the
possibility that Mediterranean civilizations sailed to America in
ancient times and exchanged cultures with the people of Central and
South America. Ra II was his second attempt. The first crossing
aboard the Ra failed 600 miles short of its objective, but provided
valuable insight into the craft’s design requirements. Ra II took 57
days to complete the 4,000 mile journey and arrive in Barbados.
Coincidentally (perhaps), May 17th, is Norway’s National Day. It is
celebrated all over the nation, from the largest community to the
smallest, with parades, bands, flags, national costumes, festival
services and festivities with everyone taking part, marking the day
in 1814, when Norway adopted its new constitution.
Gratulerer, Norge!!
Today was also the day that in: 1536 Anne Boleyn’s four
"lovers" were executed; 1620 the first merry-go-round was
seen at a fair, in Philippapolis, Turkey; 1756 Britain
declared war on France (the Seven Years’ War, a.k.a. the French &
Indian War); 1792 24 merchants formed the New York Stock
Exchange; 1804 Lewis and Clark began their exploration of the
Louisiana Purchase; 1814 Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden and
Norway passed its constitution at the Eidsvoll Assembly; 1845
the rubber band was patented; 1864 Antoine Joseph Sax
patented the Saxophone; 1883 Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West
Show premiered in Omaha; 1916 British Summer Time was first
introduced; 1932 US Congress changed the name "Porto Rico" to
"Puerto Rico"; 1944 General Eisenhower set June 5th as the
date for D-Day; 1949 the British Government recognized the
Republic of Ireland; 1968 the European Space Research
Organisation launched its first satellite; 1973 the Senate
Watergate Committee began its (televised) hearings; 1973
Stevie Wonder released "You Are The Sunshine OF My Life"; 1980
16 were killed and 300 injured in race riots in Miami, Florida;
1987 37 sailors died when the USS Stark was hit by Iraqi
missiles; 1989 the University of South Africa granted Nelson
Mandela a BA degree; 1993 Intel unveiled its new "Pentium"
processor;
Born today were: in 1444 Italian painter Sandro Botticelli;
1749 English physician (discoverer of the vaccination
process) Edward Jenner; 1838 Nature magazine founder (&
discoverer of Helium) Joseph Norman Lockyer; 1900 Iranian
leader Ayatolla Ruhollah Khomeni; 1902 composer with a great
name John Vincent; 1911 Irish actress Maureen O’Sullivan
(Tarzan’s Jane); 1918 Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson; 1936
actor Dennis Hopper; 1938 actor Jason Bernard; 1955
actor Bill Paxton; 1956 boxer "Sugar" Ray (Charles) Leonard;
1956 actor/comedian Bob Saget; 1963 actress Brigitte
Nielsen; ; 1967 actress Cameron Bancroft;
Thanks for reading Goodies to Go!
