Tables, CSS or XML ?

Question

Hi there, I'm new on WEB design and programming, I'm using
the Studio 8 suite, and I've started from the dreamweaver "livedoc"
to create a site, there are three different ways explained in that
document tables, CSS levels and XML/XLT. What is the best way and
why?
I have some problems already to make it works with the CSS
levels, because once I've added the colour to the levels and to the
main page the levels aren't visible. Why? thank you.

Answer 1

> tables, CSS levels and XML/XLT.
CSS levels?
Here's a post I have repeated (and updated) more than once
here about layers
and tables -
you may find it helpful -
> If you need to use layers, then use them. If you want to
begin using
> CSS-P
> methods, then use them by all means! But learn how to
use them first -
>
>
http://www.great-web-sights.com/g_layerlaws.asp
>
> The word "layer" was first coined by Netscape when it
introduced its
> heinous
> and ill-fated <layer> tag with NN4x. It has since
been adopted by the
> community to generally refer to absolutely positioned
<div> tags, and
> Dreamweaver has
> propagated that usage. In fact, there is really no such
HTML thing as a
> layer, but for the purposes of this discussion let's use
the Dreamweaver
> sense of applying that term to absolutely positioned
<div>s.
>
> ==============================
> In plain talk, a layer is like a magic carpet - it
floats above your page
> content (any page content, including tables, images,
text, etc.). It is
> unaffected by page margin settings because it is not
really *on* the page.
> You can whisk it around on the page to provide motion
(using timelines).
> You can make it visible or invisible using any of the
actions appropriate
> to
> your browser selection (like onMouseOver, onClick,
onLoad, etc.). You can
> dynamically clip or scroll the contents of layers to
provide a windowed
> effect within a page. Layers are wondrous constructs
that let you bring
> your pages to life! Get to know them - they are your
friends....
> =================
>
> I would add in clarification and elaboration that layers
are positionable
> elements and as such allow you to put content at any
location you desire,
> regardless of the remainder of the content on the page.
>
> The downside to layers is the flip-side of their real
benefit. Because
> they
> are absolutely positioned, they will be static page
elements, i.e., they
> will not move to reflect changes in your browser
viewport size *unless*
> you
> apply some custom javascript to the page that makes the
layers move, or
> *unless* you use
> specific CSS-P techniques to make them move. There
> is no native support in HTML for moving layers - that's
why it must be
> done
> with custom js or advanced CSS.
>
> If you consider that a 'layer' is really just a
'division' or <div> tag on
> the page, and that you can use
> CSS to position this <div> tag, as well as control
the format of its
> contents and how it interacts with
> other content around it, then you can see how valuable
it might be for use
> as a page layout tool!
> This impression is certainly true. As you become more
familiar with CSS,
> you will learn how to
> replace a large part of your current page layout
methodology with pure CSS
> positioned page
> elements. But it's something you should take your time
with. It *is* the
> way of the future, so at
> some point we will all have to come to grips with using
CSS in this
> manner.
>
> Some people use layers exclusively for page layout
because of the ease
> with
> which they can be positioned. I do not recommend this
approach for anyone
> that is new to layers or to CSS in general because it
can be confusing and
> troublesome. This is partucularly the case if you will
have multiple
> layers, each
> containing nominally uncontrolled/unstyled text. Viewers
resizing this
> text in their
> browsers will see a disappointing overlap of paragraphs
that is surely NOT
> what you desire.
>
>
http://www.great-web-sights.com/g_layer-overlap.asp
>
> Tables, on the other hand, are most everything that
layers are not! They
> are flexible page elements, in that native HTML can
center, or right or
> left
> align a table - in other words, they can float around on
your page
> depending
> on the browser's viewport width. Although originally
added to HTML as a
> means of displaying tabular data *only*, tables quickly
became the
> principal
> structural element used in page layout. They can be made
rigid in order
> to
> provide a stable base for your page elements, including
text, images,
> Flash,
> etc. They are easy to use and to learn (more or less),
and behave in
> (mostly) predictable ways across browser and platform
combinations - but
> there are quirks that must be learned to use them
successfully. Luckily,
> most of these quirks are discussed here daily and are
illuminated on the
> several sites devoted to Dreamweaver/HTML issues,
including the Macromedia
> Technotes link in my sig below. In spite of these
quirks, however, if you
> intend
> to be a credible web developer, you must learn how to
build stable tables
> with
> your hands behind your back!
>
> So - to summarize...
>
> If you want motion on your page, you must use layers. If
you want bedrock
> for your page layout, you must use tables at this point.
Or not
> (particularly when you
> consider what you can do with CSS positioned page
elements and NO tables
> at
> all -
http://www.csszengarden.com).
And make sure that you understand this -
http://apptools.com/examples/pagelayout101.php
>
> Bear in mind that advanced use of these two page
elements can
> *significantly* blur these two criteria.
>
> And remember, the use of one does not preclude the use
of the other on the
> same page.
> Use them both if the spirit moves you.
>
> There you go....
>
>
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
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==================
"Francesco Marchese" <[email protected]>
wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi there, I'm new on WEB design and programming, I'm
using the Studio 8
> suite,
> and I've started from the dreamweaver "livedoc" to
create a site, there
> are
> three different ways explained in that document tables,
CSS levels and
> XML/XLT. What is the best way and why?
> I have some problems already to make it works with the
CSS levels, because
> once I've added the colour to the levels and to the main
page the levels
> aren't visible. Why? thank you.
>