FrontPage Help
Split or merge frontpage tables
FrontPage behaviors and layers
Use your table layout to make a FrontPage template
Many of us 'Web Designers' have a concept and think we can take over the world. We can of course take over the world, but planning is essential to your mission. This tutorial shows you how to make a template for your site.
Consistency
I bet you have already built a site or two? I bet the only sites that have a consistent feel are those that you made using themes! Its ok we have all done it and I'm sure will again do it in the future. However, users like to feel at home. If your font changes on every page and the page colour is different too, it makes the site feel un-professional and sloppy. That's fine for a site that just friends and family are going to look at but if you do want to conquer the world, consistency is king.
Design
There's no way around this, no short cuts. Basic pen and paper design is required here but one technique that is often used is the 3x3 table.
| LOGO | Banner | Box Ad's |
| Navigation | Content
|
Box Ad's |
| Box Ad's | Footer | Box Ad's |
Build the table
You should already have fired up Front Page and you should have a blank page in front of you.
Goto File - Save As and save your file as Template page.
Next click on the page and do the following.
Goto - Insert Table and in the drop down box highlight 9 little
box's
This will create the table for you. Don't worry if you haven't got a logo, banner or any content. All we are interested in is creating the basic layout
Click anywhere in your table and then Right click- table properties.
You will notice that the table width is probably set to 100%! This is ok and may benefit you but in reality, it can play havoc with you intended layout.
At the time of writing there tends to be two sizes that we work to. 800x600 pixels and 1024x768 pixels. Whilst the larger viewing size is becoming more popular, many of your potential users will be viewing in the small 800x600 screen. Now if you set your table width to 100% the table will expand and contract to fit the screen it is being used in. So your lovely design may have to stretch or shrink on demand! How can you control the layout?
The most popular way is to design your site using a table width of 750 pixels. Why? Well 750 pixel wide tables will view the same in both sizes!
This page has been designed using the % way - That is the page will look similar in all browser sizes. FLUID!
I know its as clear as mud! But trust me. For now change the table width to 750 pixels! Don't worry about the height.
Eye Candy
You should have a table like the one above? Now all you have to do is start to make it look attractive. Most sites, do not use borders around the tables as in most situations it interferes with the look of the site. If you have borders that you don't want, now is a good time to get rid of them. using tables