Favourites Panel Disrupts My Web Page Layout

Novice Web Designer Needs HELP!

[blackhawkbttf]

i'm a novice and i need some expert advice. I have designed my web pages with dreamweaver, but when i preview in internet explorer and then open the favourites Panel this shifts my whole page to the right - losing what i have on the right hand side of the web page. What do i need to do, to change this so that the page compresses, so that i don't lose any of the layout? Thanks in advance

[bill]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld blackhawkbttf

Design your page with percentages instead of pixels for page width and then your page will adjust to the different size browser window. Your audience will thank you...it's called fluid design and there are a bunch of threads here discussing the benefits of this.

[blackhawkbttf]

hi,

Still stuck i'm afraid. I have created the page using layers only. No tables. do i have to use tables only, as i can get these to percentages easily and it works with these. But I can't move these about freely like Layers. And when i put a layer inside a table the effect isn't the same it doesn't adjust itself to the browser window. Help!

[bill]

I never mentioned tables ;) just percentages.

It sounds like you're using a WYSIWYG editor...since you're saying layers I'd assume DreamWeaver. You're probably using absolutely positioned <div>s in your code. It sounds like you'll need to study up on CSS and HTML a bit. Your current designs may look good on your PC, but may look quite different on someone else's.

I would suggest you read through our WYSIWYG, HTML & CSS forums. Each forum has a Library section that might be of use for a summary of some of the best posts.

[smokeyb]

A quick way to do it may be to: create a table 100% x 100% then sub-divide it up or nest tables to achieve your layout (instead of layers). You can either fix the dimensions of the cells with content or the border cells to constrain it's layout, but you may have to fiddle with it a bit. HTH

[grahamstewart]

create a table 100% x 100% then sub-divide it up or nest tables

NO... please don't do this.

You already have a layout in DIVs that works, there is no point in taking a (huge) step backwards and using tables for layout (especially not nested tables... urrrgh).

[rogerd]

Blackhawkbttf, try visiting some major news or commercial sites with your favorites panel open - do they display well, or are they also cut off?

You can't design for every possible screen width and expect to have your site display properly. Fluid layouts (percentages) can help, but even those will usually break down when the window gets small enough.

If your site displays in a similar fashion to most of the major sites you visit, you are probably OK - few people will surf in a window that requires horizontal scrolling for every site they visit.

These days, it seems like most web designers assume a minimum screen width of 800 pixels, and design for 760 or so. Surfers with smaller displays than that are going to run into horizontal scrolls at many, many sites.

Welcome to WebmasterWorld!

[blackhawkbttf]

Hi,

Really grateful for all your help. I think i have cracked it now. Using Tables and cells and percentages not PX.