Server Side Includes with CSS and Nesting of Divs/Blocks

Never attemped this - new to CSS

[Webwork]

How often do you fill the content of pages, laid out using CSS, with content fed by SSIs?

Is it problematic to "fill in" a page, formatted using CSS, by using multiple SSIs? For example a header SSI, one or more navigation SSIs, a footer SSI, an annoucement SSI, etc.

What type of problems might I expect using SSI and CSS layout? (I admin colo Win2K servers that host my sites.)

My basic layout is 2 Columns, Left column 75% width, right column 25% width of body.

I would like to nest boxes/divs within each column for the purpose of further laying out the page, something I could easily accomplish with a 2 cell table with a second table nested in each cell, dividing the nested tables into cells.

Here's the basic CSS layout scheme, starting at the top, that will be applied to various niche directories:

LeftCol -- SSI Header with website name and logo -- Right -- Link homepage(Possibly fed by SSI to ease changes)

LeftCol -- SSI Link structure to search specific subject of directory -- Right -- Link "Advertise here"(Possibly fed by SSI to ease alternative messages)

LeftCol-- Link establishing "you are here" in search structure (hoping there's a script that can auto-generate the link) -- Nothing in right column

LeftCol -- Directory Links -- RightCol - 3 or 4 SSI, on atop the other, containing button ads, "specials/deals" announcements, possible tower ad feed, possible AdSense feed.

As always, if my little project ever gets legs remind me how you were once kind to me so I can return the favor.

[edited by: Webwork at 1:54 am (utc) on Sep. 23, 2003]

[Ryan8720]

You shouldn't run into any problems. It works the same as a table-based layout. Just make sure that you only put in what you want to put into the include file. Extra <div> or </div> can cause alot of problems.

[Shadows Papa]

Greetings, webwork.
I use something related - ASP. I have a floating menu run by scripts that is put into the page by an "include" because I didn't want the long script in the page and it's edited freqently, a text menu at the bottom of each page using an include - same reason, when it changes I want to change just one file, not 50, and finally a footer with the copywrite info (scripted so it's always current), page modified date, etc. using an include statement. It's all formatted via CSS in the ASP page itself. I've not seen any issue other than one must watch ASP pages and scripts in includes because of the order in which the server feeds up the stuff (and watch FrontPage with forms and ASP!).
I really don't see any issues, however. I'd try to keep the included items, like the footer, etc. as basic as possible - like "content" only, for simplicity, but that's just me, and I'm a beginner to CSS, been doing ASP only for under a year.

Shadows Papa

[Webwork]

Would anyone care to "point me to" (heaven forbid you post a link) a page laid out with CSS where 3 or more blocks are filled with data fed from SSIs?

I guess I can attempt to play with this. My lurking anxiety is that, somehow, the text will overflow, not be centered, etc.

Obviously I lack both experience in this realm AND courage.