Help with Creating A "Choose Layout" Script!!!

They have: 2 posts

Joined: Aug 2004

Hello, I was wondering if someone could tell me how to do this?

Okay this is what i want to do. Im makeing a website and it has a few layouts. I want the users to be able to change the layout of the site to the one they like best. And i need a cookie that will remember what layout they chose even after they restart.

An example of what I am talking about is at dbgtn.com on the right side of the screen there is a drop down list that says choose layout. I want it to do exactly what that does. If someone could help me then i would greatly appreciate it! Smiling

KarenArt's picture

She has: 354 posts

Joined: May 2001

Really the only way to do this right is by changing style sheets.
I am using a cgi script right now to change html headers and footers (and select images) but it's a pain and sooooo not worth the trouble.
I can't wait to switch to a more intuitive way to do it.

You can use php or asp to switch between styles or (if you don't want to use php pages) you can go with a simple javascript switcher.
There's a simple (and very good) css switcher at http://www.alistapart.com/articles/n4switch/.

Best of luck! Laughing out loud

gotta finish redesigning my sites so I can show them again.

The purpose of education is... to get more jokes!

He has: 1,380 posts

Joined: Feb 2002

Ok, I have a better way...use PHP to start

#1- Create different headers and footers that are text files (header1.txt, header2.txt, or name appropriately)
#2- Create the different style sheets
#3- Don't include the stylesheet reference in your header, make that in the body as <?=$style?>
#4- And based upon whatever they choose, $style would equal the appropriate category, that would choose the headers/footers and the stylesheet

They have: 2 posts

Joined: Aug 2004

Um.. you all are thinking i meant "style" as far as font and size and stuff. What i want is for the whole look of the page to change (ie different images, layout, but same content).

Plus I don't know a thing about headers and footers... Never used them before. All I kno about them is in MS Word they go on top and bottom of the page Smiling

EDIT: I am using PHP for my different layouts so that it has the same content for each layout

Megan's picture

She has: 11,421 posts

Joined: Jun 1999

We knew what you meant. The most common way of doing this is to design the site with CSS first, then change the stylesheet. See the CSS Zen Garden for reference.

Kyle's directions use a combination of php includes (headers/footers) and style sheets.

He has: 1,380 posts

Joined: Feb 2002

I knew exactly what you were talkign about.... Wink

A header and footer is basically a breaking-up of your page layout. So you design the template, and then break it up, based upon where you want your content. So for example:

<?php
include('/header.txt');

echo \
"this is the body text, inside of an open div\";

include('/footer.txt');
?>

That would be the extent of any given page. More or less.

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