Usually when you look at a web page, you assume you are seeing a single web page.
This is not always the case. "Frames" allow the designer to actually display more then one page at a time, which often times simplifies having to code and reload the same information over and over on every page. For example, a navigation menu & a company logo. Frames allow you to place those items on one page, that stays visible and the data that is changing with all the different links the view clicks, just changes in another area of the window. A good proportion of the web sites today utilize frames for ease of design, navigation and a quicker load time.
An Example of creating frames:
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As you can see by the animated graphic:
- Start with a single page, it's called the FRAMESET
it is actually invisible in the background, but is the file that is called up to view.
- Then it is coded to divide up the page into the different frames you want.
- Then create page to fit into each of the areas
- FrameSet can have numerous frames in all sorts of different layouts to suit your needs
So going by the example shown above, where you seem to be viewing 1 page, you are actually working with a layout of four separate pages:
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1 = Frame Set (invisible)
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2 = Main
3= Top
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This is not without drawbacks though:
- People viewing with the older browsers ("Browser Impaired Viewers) will have problems that their computer won't understand the code it's being sent, so you have to make another set of single pages for them to use without frames, or chose to just have them receive a message that they can't view your site until they upgrade.
- Having blended or continuous background patterns look a lot cleaner if you "hide" the frame borders. Easy enough to do, but then you must make sure all of your different pages don't extend beyond the space allowed for them, or scroll bars will appear and break up the appearance of the seamless page. You can choose to turn off the scroll bars, but as explained below, that also can be problematic.
- Window size- Everyone will have their windows set to whatever size is best for them to view on their monitors. This becomes a problem again with the scroll bars and keeping the static frame from extending past the size of the window. If scroll bars are turned off, and they can't see the bottom of the page, then they have no access to it.
- Browser compatibility -size is also tricky when you take into account that there are LOTS of different combinations of browsers, platforms, and versions out there, and they tend to display even regular text at slightly different sizes. This makes coming up with the perfect sized frames so everything works a bit difficult.
In NO WAY am I suggesting that frames shouldn't be used! Lots of people love frames, some hate them, and a lot of us like them as long as they are done properly. But keep in mind, there are adjustments to be made to make the appearance as consistent as possible across the board.... Like keeping menu titles SHORT, Static Logos SMALL, and maintaining the main information area with enough room so the viewer doesn't have to hunt for the information they were looking for.
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