Using the same template for each page

[J Smith]

I'm making a website where each page has the same design, obviously its
a bad idea to put the same code/html in each page so what is the best
way to do this?

What I'm doing at the moment is putting a file called 'index.php' and a
file called 'content.php' in each directory. 'index.php' would set a
variable called $content with the full path for 'content.php' then it
would have an include() statement which called a script outside
public_html called 'template.php'. 'template.php' would be the basic
template for every page and where the content is it would have the line
'include($conte nt);'. Here's what my scripts basically look like:

--
/www/mysite/public_html/subpage/index.php:

<?php
$content = "/www/mysite/public_html/subpage/content.php":
include("/www/mysite/private_html/template.php");
?>
--
/www/mysite/public_html/subpage/content.php:

<h2>Content goes here</h2>
--
/www/mysite/private_html/template.php

<title>mysite </title>
<h1>welcome to my site</h1>
<?php include($conten t); ?>
--

This all works as it should, but I'm just wondering is there a better
way to go about this? I've found that it creates a lot of work when I
move or rename directories and also when I move the scripts between
servers as the full path will change and every index.php will need to
be updated. Sites like eBay and Amazon have the same design for each
page, how are they likely to be doing it?

[rush]

"J Smith" <ha**********@g mail.com> wrote in message
news:11******** *************@f 14g2000cwb.goog legroups.com...

I'm making a website where each page has the same design, obviously its
a bad idea to put the same code/html in each page so what is the best
way to do this?

There are several ways to accomplish what you would like, and the best one
is more matter of personal preferences tha and absulute category.

Aside from approach, you could use some of existing template systems, or you
could base your work on XML+XSLT approach.

I am obviously biased, but should you choose to try out TemplateTamer,
please do not hesitate to mail me if you have any questions.

rush
--
http://www.templatetamer.com/
http://www.folderscavenger.com/

[max]

On 29 Aug 2005 06:01:01 -0700, "J Smith" <ha**********@g mail.com> wrote:

I'm making a website where each page has the same design, obviously its
a bad idea to put the same code/html in each page so what is the best
way to do this?

What I'm doing at the moment is putting a file called 'index.php' and a
file called 'content.php' in each directory. 'index.php' would set a
variable called $content with the full path for 'content.php' then it
would have an include() statement which called a script outside
public_html called 'template.php'. 'template.php' would be the basic
template for every page and where the content is it would have the line
'include($cont ent);'. Here's what my scripts basically look like:

--
/www/mysite/public_html/subpage/index.php:

<?php
$content = "/www/mysite/public_html/subpage/content.php":
include("/www/mysite/private_html/template.php");
?>
--
/www/mysite/public_html/subpage/content.php:

<h2>Content goes here</h2>
--
/www/mysite/private_html/template.php

<title>mysit e</title>
<h1>welcome to my site</h1>
<?php include($conten t); ?>

If you have access to an MySQL database (and most web hosts offer this for
notta lotta money these days) you can have an index file carrying a list of
content records in a database.
The principle behind it is that you identify to your content.php file which
record in the database you want to display.
Unless the directory structure is essential to your design, you should be
able to do without it.

In index.php, you might have -

$TableName="tit les_of_content" ;
$Query="SELECT title_of_conten t FROM $TableName";
$Result=mysql_d b_query ($DBName, $Query, $Link);
while ($Row=mysql_fet ch_array($Resul t))
{
print("<a href=\"content. php?id=$Row[title_of_conten t]\"></a>");
}
This prints out a clickable URL for each "title_of_conte nt" record in the
database; run your cursor over the list and you'll see the id= change.

In content.php, you have -

$TableName="tit les_of_content" ;
$Query="SELECT * FROM $TableName WHERE title_of_conten t='$title_of_co ntent'
";
$Result=mysql_d b_query ($DBName, $Query, $Link);
while ($Row=mysql_fet ch_array($Resul t))
{
do things
}

Put
php "passing variables" tutorial
into google and try any one of the numerous results you feel comfortable
reading.

HTH.

[Christopher Pomasl]

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 06:01:01 -0700, J Smith wrote:

I'm making a website where each page has the same design, obviously its
a bad idea to put the same code/html in each page so what is the best
way to do this?

<snip>

I do the following:
I have Menu.php and Trailer.php in the "components " directory.
Each page then does:
include (components/Menu.php)
content
include (components/Trailer.php)

Menu.php includes the standard header and a menu bar but also includes a
sidebar which (someday) will contain content from our calendar. From here
you can also add whatever code that needs to be executed for every page.
I use this for login and session handling, personalizing the header for
the logged in user, etc.

Since we have the sidebar, the Menu.php ends with a table. The first
column in the table is the sidebar and the <TD> for the second column (the
content) is written.

The content then displays from the page issuing the include(Menu).

The Trailer.php script then closes the </TD> and writes out the footer for
the page.

This keeps the standard stuff in singular places and the content whereever
it needs to be.

Chris