Second thread

**photolady** · June 22nd, 2006, 10:12 AM

What is the most efficient language to use these days? I have in the past used HTML but have not built any webpages/sites in about 6 years. So, I know it's changed a lot since then.

Which one is easiest to use?

**Tuttle** · June 22nd, 2006, 10:17 AM

For the actual web page code, it's still HTML (or XHTML now), although there's more emphasis on using CSS for style information rather than embedding it in the HTML code.

For server-side scripting, the big popular ones are PHP and ASP.NET, although ColdFusion etc are still popular enough.

**JPnyc** · June 22nd, 2006, 10:23 AM

HTML or XHTML are required for any website. CSS isn't a necessity, but you can't get terrific results without it. Javascript is still the clientside procedural language.

Serverside, it's a wide open ballpark. There's more ss languages than there are diners in NY. PHP is up there, along with Java as JSP, ASP, and ASP.NET. But you'll also find C# and Perl.

**photolady** · June 22nd, 2006, 10:23 AM

although there's more emphasis on using CSS for style information rather than embedding it in the HTML code.

And you totally lost me because I have no idea what CSS is or how it's used. Could you explain this please?

Joe.........HUH? LOL Get too technical and I run.

**JPnyc** · June 22nd, 2006, 10:27 AM

Cascading Style Sheets are used for styling HTML now. No longer the older HTML attributes inside the tag. This separates the styling from the HTML and puts it all in once place (in the head of the doc) You used to see <body bgcolor=", but now you would see
<style type="text/css">
body { background-color: #FFF; }
</style>
</head>
<body>

**photolady** · June 22nd, 2006, 10:36 AM

The only thing is VDR doesn't have the ability to show me what it looks like as you iniate the code, so how can I tell what that looks like when in use.

I want to learn how to create webpages with using code, and using any other codes needed, like the CSS thing. I seem to remember there being something about CSS when I used Macromedia's software those years ago. Usually I just used a wizzywig software to build webpages.

**liam858** · June 22nd, 2006, 10:42 AM

You should be able to view it in Frontpage, i'm guessing you used the wizzywig in Dreamweaver...although the example Joe posted above isn't gonna show you a lot, as it is an example i think.

Try this:

<table>
<tr><td class="subtext">this is line 1</td></tr>
<tr><td class="subtext">this is line 2</td></tr>
<tr><td class="subtext">this is line 3</td></tr>
</table>

Copy+Paste into FP, then edit the text to say whatever you like, then File|Preview In Browser.

Liam

**maxximilian** · June 22nd, 2006, 10:50 AM

Funny....I never really got comfortable with CSS and still code directly into each page. I suppose I should get out of the dark ages and use them....but old habits are hard to break....

From the server side....it seems like PHP is the rising star...and most every forum I visit uses it.

Photolady....think of a Cascading Style Sheet like it is an artist's palette. As you paint your picture you are constantly going back and forth for a dab of this and a drip of that. An webpage does the same thing....going to the CSS to get colors, text attributes, etc....

The upside is that many pages can use the same CSS....just like an artist can paint many picture with the same palette.

**JPnyc** · June 22nd, 2006, 11:05 AM

CSS is the present and future. Once you do learn it, you'll see it's more efficient and more powerful. Check out the source code on this page I wrote for a friend of mine. If you used a table for those thumbnails, you'd need 122 tags, not counting the actual image tags, thats 122 just for the table.. I used a total of 6.

**Train** · June 22nd, 2006, 11:10 AM

And when you do use css, you have to watch it as it will break some versions of IE.
There is a work around that other browsers do not see, and this workaround causes the older versions of IE to just jump to the end of the .css.

Clear your IE cache, come back to vdr.
Now get off the the net, Go back into your cache and open the .css items up in notepad.

**JPnyc** · June 22nd, 2006, 11:12 AM

You're referring to the !important hack? Yep, that's a useful one alright. I use it anytime I have a situation where FF and Opera agree, and IE doesn't.

**Train** · June 22nd, 2006, 11:28 AM

LOL

Yes I was. Also noticed the cut back in the amount of .css you use.
Nice to see. IE 5 did not break on me a few weeks ago when I had to use it.
Yep that old of a browser was all that was on that rig.

**JPnyc** · June 22nd, 2006, 11:31 AM

Cut back where, here on VDR? I haven't changed a thing here in ages, css anyway. I added a feature or 2 but didn't touch the styling.

**Train** · June 22nd, 2006, 11:34 AM

Sure seems less than what found sometime ago. But then, it has been quite some time since I checked things out too.

**photolady** · July 3rd, 2006, 12:11 PM

but old habits are hard to break....

Maybe that is why CSS never appealed to me. The only time I tried using a CSS, it didn't work or I didn't understand how to put it in the code so it did work. I think it was a background I was trying to use a CSS for and not really knowing what I was doing, of course it didn't work.

So what do most of you use for creating webpages?

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