<FRAMESET></FRAMESET>

Replaces BODY on a page using FRAME

Element used to define the physical characteristics of windows on a page.

   <html>
        <head>
        <title>An unseen page that defines frames</title>
        </head>
==>>      <frameset frameborder="0" framespacing="0" border="0" rows="*">
==>>        <frameset frameborder="0" framespacing="0" border="0" cols="135,*">
           <frame name="LeftSide" src="leftside.htm" scrolling="auto" marginheight="2" marginwidth="2">
            <frame name="RightSide" src="rightside.htm" scrolling="auto" marginheight="5" marginwidth="5">
==>>        </frameset>
         <noframes size="+1">
          <body>
             .
             .
          </body>
          </noframes>
==>>      </frameset>
       </html>

I spent a good deal of time on the frame page discussing what I was trying to accomplish in this example. Some of this is repetition. The example shows the basic structure of my home page. The frameset elements provide the basic physical layout of the display that the view sees in the browser. The frame elements provide the details for the physical areas and the noframes element gives the browser some instructions on what to do if it doesn't support frames.

In my first frameset line I set the frameborder, framespacing, and border to 0. I set the rows to "*" to let the frame take whatever rows are available. In the second frameset, now working within the confines of the first definition, I also set the frameborder, framespacing, and border to 0. But now I use the cols definition to divide the space vertically for the look I want to achieve. I specify 135 pixels wide for the first column and "*" for the second column. I've read that I could have used percentages and let the browser window dictate how many pixels I get. I didn't want to leave it to chance so I hardcoded the value.

You'll notice I then close out this definition, do the noframes stuff and then the last thing I do is close out the first frame element.

HTML 3.2 Final

Not a word.

Netscape

First ones on the block. The frameset element contains the following attributes:

frameborder: Number of pixels around the frame. I haven't played with these parameters so I don't know exactly how they affect the display of the frames. When I get some more time I'll do that and come back to tell you.
framespacing: Number of pixels between frames.
border: Number of pixels to display as a border around the frame. If you put 0 then there is no border, just like on links.
rows: Number of rows the frame(s) occupy. If you don't tell the browser then it assumes the number is pixels. You can specify a percentage by putting a "%" after the number (and keep the number between 1 and 100). This would provide for dynamic allocation of the available screen size. Or you can put an "*", which I've always assumed means take everything that's available. I know there's a more technical definition but this works for my purposes. You can specify more than one value by separating them with ",". So you could end up with mutliple windows down the page.
cols: Number of columns the frame(s) occupy. Same values as for rows.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Nothing to add.

Internationalization

Nothing to add.

The Rusk Family . . . "the Legend Continues"

Michael T. Rusk
Comments to author: mrusk@radix.net