web pages with user selected content

preferably client side...

[ringsoft]

Hi

Here's what I'd like to do: have a web page where the visitor can select from a list of options - selecting different paragraphs of text from provided lists, maybe selecting an image from a list, and adding some content they provide themselves.

When they've completed their selections, they are taken to another page where their content is neatly presented and can be printed off. In effect, creating a custom document using a mix of content which is provided, and their own.

Can this be done clientside with javascript? Or does it need a serverside technology?

I've seen something close, but not quite there on DynamicDrive, but any suggestions are welcome.

TIA

[JAB Creations]

If I were you I wouldn't go wild on customizable clientside code. To a degree yes it can be useful but it depends on how much time/money/effort you'll want to put in to it and how well it will pay off.

[rocknbil]

Yeah it's a bit of work. :-) Simplest method (for me) was server side. First you need a login in case any cookies you set are lost. Then you store preferences selections associated with that user in a DB table somewhere. You can use this method to configure page templates, organize content, style sheet selections, etc.

To avoid dynamic output and query strings you can use static pages with server-side includes for all of the variable data. There's a whole list of things to encounter and consider - security, user error, etc., so as Jab says, it depends on how much time and $$ you have to throw at it and the bottom line is how much traffic or profit it will bring you by doing so.