I am making a cd using html pages created in MS Front Page. When I access my files on PC's with monitor set at 800x600 all is well, but at 640x480, the content is too large for pages to show as designed, and at 1024x768 they are too big - with the content, text etc too small. How can I get it so that whatever pc accesses my html pages on the cd that it automatically defaults so that my pages display as I designed them to display i.e. the full page shown in correct proportion to the display.<!--content-->Use tables and percentage widths rather than a set width<!--content-->If the pictures where 700 pixels wide, then make the table 700 pixels wide and work around that.<br />
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TE<!--content-->Percentges will definitely fix that. By using pixels for the objects in one resolution, it makes it too big and too small in other resolutions.<!--content-->This is a post I made a good while ago and should give you some insight into screen space etc. Hope it helps. <br />
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Without going into this too deeply, although I prob will the short answer is that it is very very very important. <br />
<br />
There are four main factors that will determine how a site is percieved, these being: <br />
<br />
Screen Size <br />
Screen Res <br />
Browser <br />
Platform (ie Mac, Web TV or PC) <br />
<br />
<br />
I hope screen size doesn't need explaining but to say that in my experiance people using 17" and 19" monitors at home still view sites at a 800*600 res... only because they don't know how to ajust the res. <br />
<br />
Screen res is an important function to plan for when writing a site. The res to design for is 800*600. Most surfers view at this res (51%), but that doesn't mean some surfers don't surf at 640*480 (6%). I think it safe to ignore the latter though. Often over looked is the live space of a screen. <br />
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A browser affects the live space. Just because a screen res is 800*600, that doesn't mean you get that to play with. Live space is the space you have when tool bars etc are removed. The lowest live space you should design for is (accounting for Netscape/Explorer) 778*406 on a pc and 751*427 on a mac, that is obviously at a 800*600 screen res. Various versions of explorer and netscape have diffrent live spaces, those just quoted would be the lowest of versions 5+. Combining these two you get 751*406. <br />
<br />
As you can see, the software changes the display. Hardware will also chnge the display. From the last paragraph you will see that PC's and Macs work a little differently. But there is a 3rd and much overlooked way of connecting to the web. Via a TV. TV's to put it bluntly are crap for internet viewing and interactivity. But people are buying more and more of them as an alternative to hogging up a PC or because they are cheaper. I am not sure what a web tv screen res would be, but the live space is 544*378. I would never design for web tv, but that depends on your content. If you are interested in more on web tv go to: <br />
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://developer.webtv.net">http://developer.webtv.net</a><!-- m --> <br />
<br />
As for your question as I may have digressed a little... <br />
<br />
There are two ways to combat the various diplays in a design aspect. <br />
<br />
1] Design your page at a fixed width, ie at a 800*600 res, with a live space of 751*406. This way mac and pc viewers will have no problem with your site. Perhaps the best way to start the design is with a table, width set to 751... and include everything inside that. <br />
<br />
2] The alternative is to dynamically author your site so that your page expands to fill the user area. If you do this... design your page with your monitor at 800*600 res then tweak it at a higher res. Why? The page may look great at a low res but empty at a higher res. <br />
<br />
I hope that gives you some insight and some design ideas. <br />
More than anything I hope it made sense.<!--content-->
<br />
TE<!--content-->Percentges will definitely fix that. By using pixels for the objects in one resolution, it makes it too big and too small in other resolutions.<!--content-->This is a post I made a good while ago and should give you some insight into screen space etc. Hope it helps. <br />
<br />
<br />
Without going into this too deeply, although I prob will the short answer is that it is very very very important. <br />
<br />
There are four main factors that will determine how a site is percieved, these being: <br />
<br />
Screen Size <br />
Screen Res <br />
Browser <br />
Platform (ie Mac, Web TV or PC) <br />
<br />
<br />
I hope screen size doesn't need explaining but to say that in my experiance people using 17" and 19" monitors at home still view sites at a 800*600 res... only because they don't know how to ajust the res. <br />
<br />
Screen res is an important function to plan for when writing a site. The res to design for is 800*600. Most surfers view at this res (51%), but that doesn't mean some surfers don't surf at 640*480 (6%). I think it safe to ignore the latter though. Often over looked is the live space of a screen. <br />
<br />
A browser affects the live space. Just because a screen res is 800*600, that doesn't mean you get that to play with. Live space is the space you have when tool bars etc are removed. The lowest live space you should design for is (accounting for Netscape/Explorer) 778*406 on a pc and 751*427 on a mac, that is obviously at a 800*600 screen res. Various versions of explorer and netscape have diffrent live spaces, those just quoted would be the lowest of versions 5+. Combining these two you get 751*406. <br />
<br />
As you can see, the software changes the display. Hardware will also chnge the display. From the last paragraph you will see that PC's and Macs work a little differently. But there is a 3rd and much overlooked way of connecting to the web. Via a TV. TV's to put it bluntly are crap for internet viewing and interactivity. But people are buying more and more of them as an alternative to hogging up a PC or because they are cheaper. I am not sure what a web tv screen res would be, but the live space is 544*378. I would never design for web tv, but that depends on your content. If you are interested in more on web tv go to: <br />
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://developer.webtv.net">http://developer.webtv.net</a><!-- m --> <br />
<br />
As for your question as I may have digressed a little... <br />
<br />
There are two ways to combat the various diplays in a design aspect. <br />
<br />
1] Design your page at a fixed width, ie at a 800*600 res, with a live space of 751*406. This way mac and pc viewers will have no problem with your site. Perhaps the best way to start the design is with a table, width set to 751... and include everything inside that. <br />
<br />
2] The alternative is to dynamically author your site so that your page expands to fill the user area. If you do this... design your page with your monitor at 800*600 res then tweak it at a higher res. Why? The page may look great at a low res but empty at a higher res. <br />
<br />
I hope that gives you some insight and some design ideas. <br />
More than anything I hope it made sense.<!--content-->