Re: OT: Need HTML Help

On Apr 16, 2:00 am, JF Mezei <jfmezei.spam...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Jim Duff wrote:
As mentioned else-thread, using css instead of tables is the way to go.
  Tables certainly have their uses, but they should be restricted to
table data, not used for general page layout.

for some reason, "tables" have become to HTML what "goto" has become to
programming languages. Frankly, there are situations where a table is
far easier and simpler to use than some style sheets that require an
inordinate amount of coding.

In the case of his example with submit buttons on the left and content
on the right, it would appear to me that a table is well suited. It
isn't abusing the tables with multiply nested tables etc.

Whatever you do, you should ensure that your (x)html and css is valid.

http://validator.w3.org

You are 100%. Whatever you do, make sure your pages are valid. I've
seen non-compliant pages fail to get through some proxy servers
depending upon the server's configuration settings.

Always check your work in at least two browsers (IE + Firefox).
Without a DOCTYPE, browsers render in "quirks mode" and the output is
usually unredictable. The strict DOCTYPE declaration puts them in
compliant mode so that they will usually render the same output (at
least with IE 8 and FF 2). The Canadian government has already adopted
one of the CLF (common look and feel) specs required for doing
business in Europe. The spec name just escapes me for the moment.

A few final points about the evolution of this technology. During the
browser wars both Microsoft and Netscape introduced non-compliant
tags. Since W3C couldn't get them to cooperate on fixing their various
implementations, all non-compliant tags were dropped in strict HTML
(and XHTML) so don't use things like FONT COLOR (or BORDER COLOR) when
you should really be changing colors with a SPAN tag referencing a
STYLE declared in the CSS area of the document HEAD.

Why use STYLEs? When these pages hit a device without a fully
implemented browser (Blackberry, PDA, Cell phone, JAWS (which is a
browser for the blind)) the STYLEs are discarded. This is easier to do
if the styles are all located in one place. It will also make your
pages smaller (think of styles as sub-routines). Also, IFRAME, TABLE
and BUTTON objects (tags) are not allowed in this new XHTML/CSS strict
universe and I have seen them all implemented in CSS.

p.s. Don't dismiss the JAWS/BlackBerry argument. Your problems will
explode whenever your employer decides to employ a call center
operator that is vision impaired =OR= the big boss wants to access
some of your pages on his Blackberry (he will get the idea from one of
his CEO buddies at the country club)

Neil Rieck
Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge,
Ontario, Canada.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/links/cool_openvms.html
http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/links/openvms_demos.html
.