[thelist] Netscape Frame Column Sizes [ not an answer, really ]

benjamin deboute deboute at fr.clara.net
Fri Jul 7 11:58:59 CDT 2000


At 00:02 08/07/00 +0800, you wrote:
>Ok, frames. Why are Netscape frameset sizes slightly smaller than IE. For
>example, I have a site where the frame set is stated as <frameset
>framespacing="0" border="0" cols="*,150,650,*" frameborder="no" noresize>.

ooooooh yes, i know this cry, i hear you fellow interface designer.

>The size of the frame is crucial for the contents to display correctly. In
>IE, no problem, in Netscape, the 150 frame is smaller than 150 pixels!
>Anyone have any ideas?

In fact, the point is stranger than that.
When you resize the window, you can see that the slight pixel difference 
grows or decreases [ never the same way ], bound to some strange laws 
beyond the comprehension of mere mortals.

I asked my frame loving devmastah, he knew this bug but no way to fix it.
I hacked around it for two days. Nothing.

so....if you want you users to have no difference in the NN or IE layout ( 
'cuz i bet you use clean pixel calculated backgrounds )...don't use 
backgrounds...
If you develop internally, if frames are an important part of the interface 
( context-driven menus, info streams ), and if you interface is $x time 
sexier than the precedent, make your choice.
Mine was :: 'it's nicer than the one before, even w/ this slight pix diff. 
If you want it right, and are under win, install IE [ you'll even get the 
css  ]. Else, you've got all the fonctionnalities and a nicer but not 
perfect design'.

When facing voodoo bug, one must decide on his own conscience what matters 
or not.

I also had another frame problem with flash action-scripts / 
javascript...the voodo shit was that in a basic page the script was good, 
when typing the instructions in the js console it worked, when in IE it 
worked, when the flash file has been replaced by still gifs it worked.
?????
i decreased the number of nested frameset and it worked....
Seems that NN's got a DOM pb w/ 6+ frames...


So...
i don't have any answer about your question, and i'm desperate that it 
doesn't have any.
Anyone's got a clue ?


<tip type="php" author="benjamin deboute">
the externalisation of layout variables is something you should really 
think about if you've got some server-side power.
1.It allows you to make a quikie preference page for your users ( save that 
in plain txt / SQL ... ) and makes them happy ( if you're the kind of 
'orange nerd', you'll get a 50/50 ratio of 'it sucks' and 'it's cool' ).
2.It allows you to make designs that you like and allows 
BlackAndWhiteLayoutRules people not to throw out each time they log-in
3.It allows vision impaired users to tweak fonts
........

so...
tell apache to auto-prepend a header.top filled with includes, css 
commands, htlm,whatever you want, and each time you encounter a 'color=', 
'background=', 'size=', border attributes..., let's drop a <?=$sexy_color;?>.

if($firepower!='intense') { cache_pages(); } else { have_fun(); }
</tip>





More information about the thelist mailing list