Displaying part of a page first? - Is it the HTML or the graphics?

Jaiem's picture

They have: 1,191 posts

Joined: Apr 1999

I've noticed that when some web sites are loading they have a banner or header that appears first while the rest of the page is still loading (to the best of my knowledge these are non-frame sites). Webmaster forums is a good example. The ad buttons on top appear first while the rest of the page is still loading.

How is this done? Is there a special why of writing the HTML code to make it happen? Or does it have something to do with the graphics?

Thanks.

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John Pollock's picture

He has: 628 posts

Joined: Mar 1999

I do this by placing the top part of the page within a separate table from the main area. This way, the top loads quickly, while the rest of the page takes as long as it needs to finish loading.

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Jaiem's picture

They have: 1,191 posts

Joined: Apr 1999

That's the way I have my pages too and it doesn't seem to be working.

Any suggestions?

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Original Artwork...Professionally Tied Saltwater Flies...Unique Books, Gifts and More!
ArtsNFlies.com

They have: 5,633 posts

Joined: Jan 1970

A way to increase the loading time of the main table is to use images without a width and height attributes. That way the table cant be displayed until the image is loaded (at least in NS, I'm not sure about IE's Layout engine).

This should dramatize the effect.

Later,

Malte

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Jaiem's picture

They have: 1,191 posts

Joined: Apr 1999

goKewl - I'm confused. You're saying that if I use height and width on graphics the rest of the table will load first and then the graphics? Or if I don't use height/width the table will load first then the graphics?

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Original Artwork...Professionally Tied Saltwater Flies...Unique Books, Gifts and More!
ArtsNFlies.com

They have: 2,390 posts

Joined: Nov 1998

Malte means that NS will not load a table until the whole of the images are loaded (if you do not use width/height tags) as otherwise the loading process is very messy while imgs load and rearange the layout.

Hmmm, still confused? I would be Smiling
JP

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