How to use tables with DFM2HTML

[reuterr]

Hello everyone,

due to an often asked question of how to implement a table, here's a description of how to deal with that:

After you've created your table with WORD or something similar you just have to store it as a website.
There is an option you can choose if you do a store via the "data" link in the upper left corner of the window.
It opens a pulldown menu where you find "store as webpage".
The table is now stored with an *.htm extension, i.e.: MyTable.htm
Depending on your WORD release you might be asked, after selecting "new" document, if it's supposed to be an ordinary "empty document" or a "webpage". If you choose here "webpage" its gonna be stored with an *.htm extension anyways.


Now you have to define an iFrame and also insert your WORD-table-document into the DFM2HTML document by just selecting a "file"-object which opens a common upload window where you can choose your htm-doc to be stored into your dfm-doc and thus becoming a part of your entire homepage.
There is one VERY IMPORTANT thing to pay attention on: A page-object which belongs to a page-control-object cannot become an iFrame.
You have to insert another(child)page-object into this (parent)page-object and make this an iFrame in its context menu under "page"TAB and "Implementation".
In this object's "Misc" TAB you click on "special styles", "additional HTML attributes" and type in - in this case: src="file1.htm".
That field can contain any path information to your document/table. It also could read src="mytables/file1.htm" or src="http://www.myhomepage.com/mytables/any content.htm" or whatever....just the path to the doc or even another website.

I've attached an example in this ZIP.

tableiframe.zip

This one contains a table with pictures. HEADS UP! In this case WORD creates an identically named binder which has to be imbedded manually since binders cannot be imported via "file"-object.

tableiframe_V02.zip

After unpacking you'll find a binder "iframeexample", a "iframeexample.dfm" and a htm-doc "any content" (that's the table - to edit this: right-click on it and choose WORD). Keep in mind that you have to define your local directory path in the page properties under "publish" if you wanna play with it.
Click on "iframeexample" binder and in there on "index.htm".
You'll see in your browser the table displayed in this mini-homepage as described above.
Vary the size of your browser window to see how it auto-adjusts to it.
Also check out the "iframeexample.dfm" document to figure out how it's been done.

I hope this helps.
Cheers



p.s.: if I couldn't make everything clear, come back here.

[janfrank]

I think - but correct me if I haven't got it quite right - I've found a slightly less complicated way to include a table.

You begin by making up a table in a spreadsheet program (I use OpenOffice) and add all the lines, change the font sizes and weights, change the sizes of the cells and generally make it up to suit. You then save it as an *.html file on your hard disk, perhaps in the Temp folder as table101.html

Next you open the Temp folder, right click on the table101.html (right hand mouse button) and in the sub-menu that opens select Edit. Immediately the whole disaster in HTML language opens - frightening, isn't it? You now copy all of it (Edit>Select all [Ctrl + C] and paste it into the white window that opens at the foot of the main DFM2HTML window when you put a HTML/Script object on to a page.

If you now press [F5] you will see your table projected in all its glory. One other advantage is that the table is automatically included in the web site or web page when you upload it to the server - you don't have to upload a separate *html page.

[reuterr]

Hi there,
I'm a little bit confused.... Less complicated???
Maybe it's because I just use WORD (rather than excel) for creating tables that your procedure doesn't work.
All I got was one text block, no table at all.... And what happens if you're dealing with pictures, like in the 2nd ZIP?

The only way of having the table properly shown in an HTML-object was creating it, displaying it in a browser, copying the source code and inserting this into an HTML-object in the editor, like you described. But: No pics at this point, plus you have to deal with the original WORD or EXCEL document once changes of content need to be done. Doing that in the HTML-object in the editor is not quite what you call "less complicated".

The additional thing you have to do anyway if your table contains pics, you also have to copy/insert or drag/drop the corresponding pic-binder into your final html-website-binder.

To your upload comment: As I described in my 1st post you just implement your separate html-doc via a file-object. That's just 2 clicks and you have it imported in your dfm-document.

I also think it can be an advantage to have the table accessible like standalone, once you want to update or alter it somehow. You just do your changes in WORD, upload it and you're done, incl. pics. No need to deal with the entire homepage. And the few steps needed either way (inserting an HTML-object vs. an iframe) aren't making any difference in "workload", are they? Anyway, whatever works best for anyone.

I once tried using EXCEL instead of WORD, stored it as an html-page and had it displayed in an iframe. There was one thing which I didn't like about it: It was not variable in width, thus generating a horizontal scroll-bar too depending on the window size. If I understood you right, you have to care about the size of the entire table, which would not leave the possibility to show it in an iframe which is auto-adjusting to the browser-window. To my experience exactly that flexibiltiy is what the most users ask for, if it comes to tables. Especially when using frameset layouts where the center part is supposed to hold the table.

May I ask you to come back here with a screenshot of the results you get, or a website where you did it your way...?
Thanks and Regards

[janfrank]

yes, there's not much difference between the two methods as far as work load is concerned. The table(s) I need are for a restaurant menu where the German owner of the restaurant - once I've set up the web site - updates his menu once every six months. He knows very little about computers (he's a marvelous cook) so I was trying to work out a simple way for him to up-date the table. I am not such a good cook, and I am not a very savvy person regards computers. I have attached a screen shot of a sample menu - I hope this works The original was written using OpenOffice Spreadsheet

[reuterr]

Hi or Olâ,
as I mentioned earlier: Whatever works best for your friend.
The browser appearance of the table would be alike either way.
If you're done with the website, sent a note to Joerg Kiegeland to have it imbedded in the user-pages.
All the best.