[Javascript] How can search engines see a js include for navi gation?

[Esther_Strom at hmco.com]

Josh,

I think you've misunderstood what Bob was suggesting. Take the same
navigation you have in the .js, and write it once - inside <noscript> tags
- in the .js file. You do NOT have to duplicate this on every page. So if
you make a change to the navigation, you change it in the javascript, and
in the <noscript> - but both are in the .js file, so it's still only
changing in one place.

Esther


                                                                                                                                       
                      "josh at urbicon.co                                                                                                 
                      m" <josh                 To:      <javascript at LaTech.edu>                                                        
                      Sent by:                 cc:                                                                                     
                      javascript-admin         Subject: Re: [Javascript] How can search engines see a js include for navi gation?      
                      @LaTech.edu                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                       
                      03/22/02 10:24                                                                                                   
                      AM                                                                                                               
                      Please respond                                                                                                   
                      to javascript                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                       




Hi Bob,

Right, i can do that but that's what I want to avoid. If do that then I've
lost the advantage of an include because I still have to write out the nav
stuff for every page. And, if I change the nav code in the include (and the
site structure), the nav code in every<noscript> will then break. what to
do??

- josh


on 22-03-02 17.14, Filipiak, Bob (Contractor) at filipiab at atsc.army.mil
wrote:

      Duplicate your navigation inside <NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT> at the bottom
      of your include.js file. Then every page that includes it will also
      have the <NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>



      Bob Filipiak
      (Contractor)
      Microsoft®
      C E R T I F I E D
          Professional
            -----Original Message-----
            From: josh at umwow.com [mailto:josh at umwow.com]
            Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 11:06 AM
            To: javascript at latech.edu
            Subject: [Javascript] How can search engines see a js include
            for navigation?

            Hello,

            New to the list. My first post. Hi.

            I'm building a site where I would like to use an include for my
            navigation. I know how to do it but read about a caveat on this
            page:

            http://javascript.about.com/library/weekly/aa102901a.htm

            "Caveats

            There are a couple of potential downsides to using this
            technique.  First, search engines do not process JavaScript, so
            any content written by your scripts will not be indexed by a
            search engine.  This can be a problem if you are using the
            include file as your main way of providing site navigation.
            Unless you provide another way for the search engine to see
            your links, such as using the <noscript> tag, the search engine
            will not follow your JavaScript generated links to subsequent
            pages."

            Using the <noscript> tag seems to defeat the purpose of an
            include because you'd have to put it on every page. So, how can
            I put my navigation in an include that is still searchable?
            Another way in Javascript? SSI?

            Links to resources for the solution are appreciated.

            - Josh Draper