Chapter 14. Frames
Frames are
a method for dividing the browser window into smaller subwindows,
each displaying a different HTML document. This chapter covers the
structure and creation of framed documents, controls for affecting
their display and function, and some advanced tips and tricks.
14.1. Summary of Frame Tags
In this section, browser support for each tag is noted to the right
of the tag name. Browsers that do not support the tag are grayed out.
Tag usage is indicated below the tag name. Start and end tags are
required unless otherwise noted. "Deprecated" means that
the tag or attribute is currently supported but is due to be phased
out of the HTML specification and is discouraged from use (usually in
favor of similar style sheet controls). "Nonstandard"
indicates that the attribute is not part of the HTML specification,
but is supported by the major browsers. The attributes listed for
each tag reflect those in common use. See "WebTV and
Frames" at the end of this chapter for information on
WebTV's special handling of framed documents.
A more thorough listing of attributes for each tag, according to the
HTML 4.01 specification, appears in Appendix A, "HTML Elements".
<frame> | NN 2, 3, 4, 6 MSIE 3, 4, 5, 5.5, 6 HTML 4.01
WebTV Opera5 |
Defines a single frame within
a <frameset>.
Attributes
- bordercolor="#rrggbb" or color name
-
Nonstandard. Sets the color for frame's
borders (if the border is turned on). Support for this attribute is
limited to Netscape Navigator 3.0+ and Internet Explorer 4.0+.
- frameborder=1|0 (IE 3+ and W3C 4.0 Spec.); yes|no (NN 3+ and IE 4.0 +)
-
Determines whether there is a 3-D separator drawn between the current
frame and surrounding frames. A value of 1 (or
yes) turns the border on. A value of 0 (or
no) turns the border off. The default value is 1
(border on). You may also set the frameborder at the frameset level,
which may be more reliable.
Because Netscape and Internet Explorer support different values, you
need to specify the frameborder twice within
<frame> to ensure full browser
compatibility, as follows:
frameborder=yes frameborder=1 ...
- longdesc=url
-
Specifies a link to a document containing a long description of the
frame and its contents. This addition to the HTML 4.01 specification
may be useful for nonvisual web browsers, but it is currently not
well supported.
- marginwidth=number
-
Specifies the amount of space (in pixels) between the left and right
edges of the frame and its contents. The minimum value according to
the HTML specification is 1 pixel. Setting the value to 0 in order to
place objects flush against the edge of the frame works in Internet
Explorer, but Netscape will still display a 1-pixel margin space.
- marginheight=number
-
Specifies the amount of space (in pixels) between the top and bottom
edges of the frame and its contents. The minimum value according to
the HTML specification is 1 pixel. Setting the value to 0 in order to
place objects flush against the edge of the frame works in Internet
Explorer, but Netscape will still display a 1-pixel margin space.
- name=text
-
Assigns a name to the frame. This name may be referenced by targets
within links to make the target document load within the named frame.
- noresize
-
Prevents users from resizing the frame. By default, despite specific
frame size settings, users can resize a frame by clicking and
dragging its borders.
- scrolling=yes|no|auto
-
Specifies whether scrollbars appear in the frame. A value of
yes means scrollbars always appear; a value of
no means scrollbars never appear; a value of
auto (the default) means scrollbars appear
automatically when the contents do not fit within the frame.
- src=url
-
Specifies the location of the initial HTML file to be displayed by
the frame.
<frameset> | NN 2, 3, 4, 6 MSIE 3, 4, 5, 5.5, 6 HTML 4.01
WebTV Opera5 |
Defines a collection of frames or other framesets.
Attributes
- border=number
-
Nonstandard. Sets frame border thickness (in
pixels) between all the frames in a frameset (when the frame border
is turned on).
- bordercolor="#rrggbb" or color name
-
Nonstandard. Sets a border color for all the
borders in a frameset. Support for this attribute is limited to
Netscape Navigator 3.0 and higher and Internet Explorer 4.0.
- cols=list of lengths (number, percentage, or *)
-
Establishes the number and sizes of columns (vertical frames) in a
frameset. The number of columns is determined by the number of values
in the list. Size specifications can be in absolute pixel values,
percentage values, or relative values (*) based on
available space.
- frameborder=1|0 (IE 3+); yes|no (NN 3+ and IE 4.0+)
-
Nonstandard. Determines whether 3-D separators
are drawn between frames in the frameset. A value of 1 (or
yes) turns the borders on; 0 (or
no) turns the borders off.
Because Netscape and Internet Explorer support different values, you
may need to specify the frameborder twice within
<frameset> to ensure cross-browser
compatibility, as follows:
frameborder=yes frameborder=1 ...
- framespacing=number (IE only)
-
Internet 3.0 and higher only. Adds additional
space (in pixels) between adjacent frames.
- rows=list of lengths (number, percentage, or *)
-
Establishes the number and size of rows (horizontal frames) in the
frameset. The number of rows is determined by the number of values in
the list. Size specifications can be in absolute pixel values,
percentage values, or relative values (*) based on
available space.
<iframe> | NN 6 MSIE 3, 4,
5, 5.5, 6 HTML 4.01 WebTV Opera5 |
Defines an inline (floating) frame within a document with similar
placement tags to <img>. This element
requires a closing tag. Any content contained within the
<iframe> tags will display on browsers that
do not support inline frames.
Attributes
- align=top|middle|bottom|left|right
-
Aligns the inline frame on the page within the flow of the text. Left
and right alignment allows text to flow around the inline frame.
- frameborder=1|0
-
Turns on or off the displaying of a 3-D border for the inline frame.
The default is 1, which displays the border.
- height=number
-
Specifies the height of the inline frame in pixels or as a percentage
of the window size. Internet Explorer and Navigator use a default
height of 150 pixels.
- hspace=number
-
Nonstandard. Used in conjunction with left and
right alignment, this attribute specifies the amount of space (in
pixels) to hold clear to the left and right of the inline frame.
- longdesc=url
-
Specifies a link to a document containing a long description of the
inline frame and its contents. This addition to the HTML 4.01
specification may be useful for nonvisual web browsers.
- marginheight=number
-
Specifies the amount of space (in pixels) between the top and bottom
edges of the inline frame and its contents.
- marginwidth=number
-
Specifies the amount of space (in pixels) between the left and right
edges of the inline frame and its contents.
- name=text
-
Assigns a name to the inline frame to be referenced by targeted
links.
- scrolling=yes|no|auto
-
Determines whether scrollbars appear in the inline frame (see the
explanation of this attribute in <frame>,
earlier in this chapter).
- src=url
-
Specifies the URL of the HTML document to display initially in the
inline frame.
- vspace=number
-
Nonstandard. Used in conjunction with left and
right alignment, this attribute specifies the amount of space (in
pixels) to hold clear above and below the inline frame.
- width=number
-
Specifies the width of the inline frame in pixels or as a percentage
of the window size. Internet Explorer and Navigator use a default
width of 300 pixels.
<noframes> | NN 2, 3, 4, 6 MSIE 3, 4, 5, 5.5, 6 HTML 4.01
WebTV Opera5 |
<noframes> ... </noframes> | |
Defines content to be displayed by browsers that cannot display
frames. Browsers that do support frames ignore the content between
<noframes> tags.
| | | 13.8. Multipart Images in Tables | | 14.2. Introduction to Frames |
Copyright © 2002 O'Reilly & Associates. All rights reserved.
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