Web Page Layout
Reading: Internet Literacy, chapter 20. Note: This is a review module that can be skipped by students who have already had a basic course in Web page authoring. If you plan to work through this module, on the other hand, you will need a copy of the Internet Literacy textbook described in the textbook section of this course outline.
Topics
This class introduces the concept of using tables to create advanced Web page layouts. You'll learn how to use tables to organize Web pages into rectangular regions called cells. Then you'll flow text and pictures into table cells to create advanced Web page designs. You'll also learn to recognize the HTML tags that create tables. Note: It is generally better to use CSS instead of tables to create Web page designs. Back in the 20th century, before style sheets got invented, tables were the way to create all kinds of Web page layouts. Today, however, it is best if you use tables only when the data you are formatting is truly tabular. Thus, what you learn in this chapter still is relevant, but only if your data is tabular. If your data is not tabular, it is better to create your layouts with CSS.
Creating a Table
To learn how to create a table with Dreamweaver, follow the steps in Table 20-1; if you are using Nvu, follow the steps in Table 20-3.
Changing Table Text Attributes
When you enter data into a table, you may want to change text attributes such as font size, color, bolding, or italics. To learn how to do this, follow the steps in Table 20-4.
Adjusting Table Parameters
After you create a table, you may decide you want to change the table size, border, or background color. To learn how to modify the table parameters, follow the steps in Table 20-5.
Inserting Images in Tables
You can insert images inside any table cell. If the image is larger than the cell, the cell will expand to the size of the image, unless you've limited the size of the cell to a fixed pixel width or height. To work through an example, follow the steps in Table 20-6.
Subdividing Table Cells
It is possible to subdivide any table cell by creating a table inside the cell. This puts a table grid inside the cell, providing another layer of structure on the Web page. To learn how to add such a structural dimension to your Web pages, follow the steps in Table 20-7.
Making a Table Cell Span
By default, each cell in a table is confined to just one row and column. To vary the layout of a table, you can expand a cell to make it span more than one row or column. To learn how, follow the steps in Table 20-8.