Web Fram3ws info

Mon Feb 5 17:12:25 EST 1996

>I think frames is a pretty interesting development and definitely a node
>toward graphic information designers because they give the designer much
>more control over the display of their information. While it is real
>_useless_ at the moment I like designing frames for really BIG monitors
>which give you elbow room for screen display. I would like if I could
>control BORDER = 0 along with NOSCROLL to get a more _seamless_
>display.
>
>--Thom

Ya Hey:

A good "Frames Tutorial" is at: http://sharky.nomius.com/frames/menu.htm

This site also has links to a few more frame guides.

FYI:  About a month ago I did a quick frames mark-up of a "library resource"
page I manage at:

http://www.state.wi.us/agencies/dpi/www/f_lib_res.html

(The non-frames page is at "...lib_res.html")

I don't present this as any type of model and did it primarily to see how
frames work.  This resource list works well with frames because it's primarily
a list with little narrative or graphics.   As noted above, and as I mention in the
intro. to my list,  "...most frame pages, look best via a 15" or 17" monitor
using at least 800 x 600 resolution."   I also like the ability for the user to be
able to control the frame size and the scroll/no-scroll.  Sites with fixed frames
and "no-scroll" can be a real problem, especially if there are any large
graphics and you only have a smaller, low resolution monitor.  Other sites go
overboard and use 3-4 frames which really reduces screen real estate.

Another limitation, from the user perspective, is that Netscape's "Go" option
that shows the history of your session is not as complete as in a non-frames
mode.  If you go to a site outside the frames page only the last page is
referenced.  Parallel to this, the "back" arrow does not really take you back
one page at a time to any sites outside the framed page(s).

I found that handling the <frames> <noframes> tags a problem, or at least a
limitation.  You cannot apparently have multiple occurrences of these tags in
the same document.  The second occurrence is ignored.  (Since the
<frames> can take the place of the <body> tag this is understandable.)  Yet,
there are situations where I would find it very useful to be able to mark
various sections of a page <frames> - <noframes>.

At this time I think frames are best suited for referencing different pages at
the same site.  For example, I like the option on many framed sites to quickly
go to different areas of their site without having to go back to a TOC.

   --  Bob
____________________________________________________________
Bob Bocher,  WI Dept. of Public Instruction, Division for Libraries...
Box 7841 Madison, WI 53707   voice: 608-266-2127   fax: 608-267-1052
bocherf at mail.state.wi.us
If the above email bounces, try:  rbocher at mail.badgerdial.net
http://www.state.wi.us/agencies/dpi/www/bob.html