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Basically all I'm asking is whether there is a known issue with Dreamweaver templates having a negative impact of seo? Jo

Hi, It would be better to put this page online so we can view them. A lot of people are reluctant to download code. So fumbling a bit in the dark. When you publish your flash file try setting the background to transparent. Jo.

Hi, recently we outsourced a project to a freelance web designer. It was only a 3 page site and we're trying to give him a start. When he built the site he used a Dreamweaver template which I've never bothered with. But it seemed to work so we published it. But now we've noticed that although the site has been up for over a month it still hasn't been indexed by google although I've verified the site with google. This is a first for me cos every other site I've done is picked up pretty quickly. Any ideas?

Hi, I use this method which works fine for this particular project but may not do for yours as it will distort your background image - but maybe it wont be too distorted to get away with??. Help yourself to the code if it's any use at http://www.arecadesign.co.uk/deleeuw/deleeuw2.html (Still a work in progress obviously). Jo

To give you an accurate quote it would be useful to know how many images you want to include in the gallery - that's where the bulk of the work is.

Just checked the link out. This is useful but the image is scaling both ways? This would mean my light blue horizontal background would scale to and so become smaller than the header tag (or taller!?) or am I missing something . . . .again . . .

Thanks very much W. I'm just going to check that link out now. Also you anticipated my next question because I do intend to use a regular background: Thanks again. I'll let you know how it goes. Jo

Hi I want to create an effect that I've seen loads of times on the web - where a background image fills the full width of the browser window without distorting vertically, only horizontally to fit window width. I want the background to remain the same height as a header div tag in the main content area of the site. And I want it to stay aligned to the header tag not matter what resolution the site's viewed at. See attached image for clarity. I've sussed one background image method out but it distorts both ways so isn't usable in this case. I'll try and work it out myself meantime but I hope someone can save me some time. Thanks, Jo

That is more corporate looking and a bit conservative. I guess the important thing is to know who you're talking to. Try and get some sense of what they like.

The design on the right is really really nice. I'd deffo go with that layout. Would question styling the navs as images though (how else could you use that font) because of seo. But visually it's really nice. You going to use the blue background/cityscape image as a whole background image? That would look fantastic. I'm not too excited about the left hand image though to be honest but maybe you're thinking I've got to show them dull stuff too. If that is the case why not go for something much corporate in style - sort of typical business layout. The contrast between 2 distinct styles would make a good point about the range of your design skills. Good luck! Jo

Just one last point on this. Coincidentally I'm working on a Wordpress blog today and just choosing a theme. Guess what, look at how they all have navs on the right!!! Confusing or what!!!? I like the idea of putting the navs wack down the middle mrchristoph - now I expect the discussion will be horizontally or vertically???

Yeah, I'm not sure what those heat maps tell us. Logically if they're right and we all built sites based on that info just to ensure that users stuck around and went to where we wanted them to, then wouldn't the web become a bland bland BLAND experience. Compare shop windows when we walk down the high street. They're all trying to get punters through the door but what an amazing array of designs we get. Web design should respond to the same criteria. At the same time working within the technical limitations of the web as a media platform.

Thought my Walt Disney analogy was a good one though. Quite pleased with myself there!! Of course whatever we do, it's go to proved to work by strenuously testing it in all browsers, the most common resolutions etc etc etc Hey Wickham, it's Friday afternoon mate, get yer weekend hat on :-)

!!?? What's that when it's at home?

Interesting that last comment. I've done designs with navbars top, bottom, left and right. Basically following what the client instructs. I've also seen some fantastic designs with the navs on the right and it works fine. I'm wary of this attitude that we have to design for the lowest common denoninator (in this case "small window resolution" users). If Walt Disney had this attitude he'd never have done what he did because some people still only had black and white TVs. Know what I mean. Probably more important is where you put the navs in the code. Best for SEO if it goes above or below the site subject content?? Go for it. If you're a designer get creative and play with the medium. It's fun, it's creative and it's lovely to come across new ideas. Obviously within sensible limits but this "thou shalt not" attitude is stifling creativity. No disrespect meant Wickham!! :-)

I see that now, but would that stop everything working completely. Excuse my ignorance of php - it's a new years resolution to get it sorted. Thanks,

Hi, Can someone please advise me on this. I've read the pinned article on the top of this forum but too inexperienced to understand it. Also, really don't want all those expletives as well!! So, the stage I'm at is this: HTML <form method="post" action="sendmail.php"> <fieldset> <legend>Please enter your contact details and your enquiry in the fields below:</legend> <br /> <p> <label for="fullname">Name:</label> <input type="text" name="fullname" id="fullname" class="txt" /> </p> <p> <label for="email">Email Address:</label> <input type="text" name="email" id="email" class="txt" /> </p> <p> <label for="telephone">Telephone:</label> <input type="text" name="telephone" id="telephone" class="txt" /> </p> <p> <label for="enquiry">Enquiry:</label> <textarea name="enquiry"></textarea> </p> <br /> <p><label for="comments">How would you like us to contact you:</label><br /> Please telephone me: <input type="checkbox" name="contactbyphone" value="Yes"> Email me the details please: <input type="checkbox" name="contactbyemail" value="Yes"><br /> </p> <p></p> <p><input type="submit" value="Submit" /> <input type="reset" value="Reset" /></p> </fieldset> </form> And the php (which I'd prefer in as an external document) <?php if(isset($_POST['submit'])) { $to = "TOEMAIL"; $subject = "Contact Form Test"; $name_field = $_POST['fullname']; $email_field = $_POST['email']; $telephone = $_POST['telephone']; $enquiry = $_POST['enquiry']; $contactbyphone = $_POST['contactbyphone']; $contactbyemail = $_POST['contactbyemail']; $body = "From: $name_field\n E-Mail: $email_field\n Message:\n $message"; echo "Data has been submitted to $to!"; mail($to, $subject, $body); } else { echo "You're reading this cos the form was built by a complete n*bhead"; } ?> Any advise greatly received. Jo.

Hi, What's best is to have the images externally and call them in to your main movie. So you're just loading one image at a time. Here's the actionscript I use: Actionscript: stop(); // this.createEmptyMovieClip("containerMC1_mc",2); this.createEmptyMovieClip("containerMC2_mc", 1); // var top:MovieClip = containerMC1_mc; var bot:MovieClip = containerMC2_mc; var delayNum:Number = 4; // time in seconds between images var timerNum:Number; var iNum:Number = 0; var swfArray:Array = new Array("homeanimation1.swf", "homeanimation2.swf", "homeanimation3.swf","homeanimation4.swf","homeanimation5.swf"); var swfArrayMax = swfArray.length - 1; // function swap():Void { var t = top; top.swapDepths(bot); top = bot; bot = t; } function delayFunc():Void { timerNum = setInterval(function () { doNext(); clearInterval(timerNum); }, delayNum*1000); } // var mclListener:Object = new Object(); var MCL:MovieClipLoader = new MovieClipLoader(); MCL.addListener(mclListener); // function doNext():Void { swap(); trace("Loading / PLaying: "+swfArray[iNum]); MCL.loadClip(swfArray[iNum], top); } doNext(); // mclListener.onLoadInit = function():Void { top.onEnterFrame = function():Void { if (this._currentframe == this._totalframes) { trace("Finished playing - "+swfArray[iNum]+", delaying "+delayNum+" seconds"); iNum = (iNum == swfArrayMax) ? 0 : ++iNum; delayFunc(); delete this.onEnterFrame; } }; }; To be honest this question will probably get better results on www.actionscript.org. But good luck anyway. Jo

No problem. Wish I could help more. I wasn't trying to use your predicament as an opportunity to promote something I've done but if it helps keep your client happy, sure, pass on my details (I guess via this forum for now)if they'd like a copy of the interactive wheel. Cheers, Jo

Hi, Your situation sounds very familiar - we all end up under this sort of pressure. I've never used Joomlah but have used Wordpress and Dot Net Nuke (although I wouldn't touch the latter with a barge pole again!). I guess when you use an open source software like Joomlah and the rest you're restricted by the template you choose, unless you've learned how to create your own templates. I prefer to build from scratch with css and xhtml. It just gives you so much more freedom to create without the restrictions of working within a predefined framework. Is it not possible to start again without Joomlah? I did a site for a client very similar to yours (a life coach) and seems to have very similar content. Check it out if you want for ideas: www.qccgroup.com Your client might be interested in the "Wheel of life" tool that I built for my client in flash. Not perfect by any means but easier to manipulate and change. Good luck! Jo

Hi, Not sure what you guys mean by sprites. What I use is the sliding doors technique - one image with 2 states and offset coordinates. See the following tutorial: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/slidingdoors/ Hope it helps. Jo

Thanks, I discovered that using negative values leaves a big gap. Weird that isn't it! I'll give it a miss.I think it's a habit to nip in the bud.

Hi, Is it advisable to position a page element using negative values? I'm just getting my head around position without using "absolute" for everything. As all good amateurs do apparently!. I'm finding it a bit frustrating because you position one element, create another and everything shifts. Then you have to work out what goes first in the code and what method to use - float, relative, clear . . . I know I've got to get this sorted but it's tricky I find.

Actually, as I try to do it without using absolute positioning, it seems to be a lot more complicated to position things. One element impacts on another. No doubt I'll get the hang of it . . . eventually but it does seem a lot more complicated at first. And to be honest, I'm not entirely clear on what the advantages of using this method are. The css doesn't seem any lighter - there seems to be a similar amount of code.

This is what I need to understand. It's too easy when you get comfortable working in one way, and getting workable results, to stick to it. Your advice is really clear and I'll use it in this design and going forward. Thanks for your time!