Lesson 2.09 — Using Tables for Page Layout
If you want to create pages that follow what I call the de facto web layout standard, you can certainly use a table to do so. Here's the basic idea:
- Set the whole page up as a table
- Code the left navigation as a column, perhaps with a background color or graphics to set it apart
- Place a thin blank column next to the navigation column to separate it from the content
- Code the main body of the page as another column, containing two elements:
- The title bar or banner
- The content area of the page
Pretty easy, huh? The basic concept is not difficult, but as Mies van der Rohe used to say, "God is in the details". Unfortunately, when you're coding tables, the details can get downright devilish, especially if you're doing tables within tables! However, you now know enough to implement a page like this, so why not try it!
Well, that's it for lesson two! Go to The End to hear all my promises for the future.