editing mutiple html files

[user]

I'm hoping someone can help me with this quirky problem.

I'm making a website for my family (it's not online yet), using this great
java script menu I found a few years ago:
http://www.destroydrop.com/javascripts/tree/

So here's the problem, the site has ballooned into 270+ HTML files, so if I
want to edit (add/remove) anything in the menu (not the rest of the HTML
file) - I have to edit all 270+ HTML files. Now I know a simple PERL script
would solve this problem, but I'm PERL illiterate.

I use Notepad 90% of the time, but I have FrontPage 2003 and WeBuilder 2006.

Is there any program that would save me hours in copying/pasting all these
files?
I defiantly don't want go back to a Framed Design.

Thanx for the help in advance

USER MAN

 

[Michael Laplante]

So here's the problem, the site has ballooned into 270+ HTML files, so if
I want to edit (add/remove) anything in the menu (not the rest of the HTML
file) - I have to edit all 270+ HTML files. Now I know a simple PERL
script would solve this problem, but I'm PERL illiterate.

As long at the script text is identical there are lots of search'n'replace
programs that will rip through a directory of files and replace all the text
in one sweep. Two that I know of are Inforapid Search and Replace and
Notetab Lite. Both of these are free. If you opt to use Notetab Lite, you'll
have to have all the files open -- the program can open them all in one go,
the only limiting facter would be your memory AFAIK.

Notetab had the advantage in that if there is some slight variation in the
text you can re-move all text formatting from all your files (I'm talking
things such a line returns, tabs, etc not your HTML formatting), run the
replace routine then have Notetab reformat the html files according to rules
that you define. Or, you can opt to use html tidy which I believe integrates
with the program.

M

 

[David]

I'm hoping someone can help me with this quirky problem.

I'm making a website for my family (it's not online yet), using this great
java script menu I found a few years ago:
http://www.destroydrop.com/javascripts/tree/

So here's the problem, the site has ballooned into 270+ HTML files, so if I
want to edit (add/remove) anything in the menu (not the rest of the HTML
file) - I have to edit all 270+ HTML files. Now I know a simple PERL script
would solve this problem, but I'm PERL illiterate.

I use Notepad 90% of the time, but I have FrontPage 2003 and WeBuilder 2006.

Is there any program that would save me hours in copying/pasting all these
files?
I defiantly don't want go back to a Framed Design.

Thanx for the help in advance

USER MAN

make your menu a include file and then in your page just include it
using either .shtml or .php

IE

<?php include("/path/to/mainmenu.inc") ?>

when displayed your menu will appear where the above line was placed
within your web page.

You could also use SSI to do this

 

[Andy Mabbett]

there are lots of search'n'replace programs that will rip through a
directory of files and replace all the text in one sweep.

....but be sure to work on a copy of your site, and test thoroughly
before replacing the master copy!

 

[mbstevens]

I'm hoping someone can help me with this quirky problem.

I'm making a website for my family (it's not online yet), using this great
java script menu I found a few years ago:

http://www.destroydrop.com/javascripts/tree/

I looked at the link and then went to the examples. No <noscript>
navigation is created by the program. I hope you did it by hand for
your own pages.

You should have provided a link to your own site, too.

So here's the problem, the site has ballooned into 270+ HTML files, so if I
want to edit (add/remove) anything in the menu (not the rest of the HTML
file) - I have to edit all 270+ HTML files. Now I know a simple PERL script
would solve this problem, but I'm PERL illiterate.

You want a preprocessor or CGI page generaton or SSI.
Google for all and evaluate.
I'd also simplify my life and get rid of that javascript navigation.

 

[William Hughes]

Is there any program that would save me hours in copying/pasting all these
files?

As has been mentioned, using SSI (Server Side Includes) is likely the
best way to deal with your problem. If SSI is not an option, there are
other possibilities...

IFRAME (Inline FRAME)
http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/html40/special/iframe.html
Sort of a browser-side include. I use it on my website (see sig),
since my ISP does not enable SSI.

Preprocessing with a third-party utility. I like XCHANGE from SadMan
Software (http://www.sadmansoftware.com/xchange/index.html), but there
are others.

 

[Ed Mullen]

As has been mentioned, using SSI (Server Side Includes) is likely the
best way to deal with your problem. If SSI is not an option, there are
other possibilities...

IFRAME (Inline FRAME)
http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/html40/special/iframe.html
Sort of a browser-side include. I use it on my website (see sig),
since my ISP does not enable SSI.

Preprocessing with a third-party utility. I like XCHANGE from SadMan
Software (http://www.sadmansoftware.com/xchange/index.html), but there
are others.

Since the site already is dependent upon javascript, and if SSI, CGI,
PHP, or other server-side solutions are not possible to achieve the
desired effects, one could use a javascript file for the menu which is
loaded dynamically when each page is accessed. Hence, change one file
and all the menus for all html files are changed. It's what I use to
manage 203 html files on my site.

Yes, yes, all the javascript arguments come into play. However, the OP
said the site has a limited audience (as does mine). Life (and the
Internet) is about compromises. This one can work if you understand the
trade-offs and know your audience. To each his own, FYI.

http://edmullen.net/siteinfo.html

--
Ed Mullen
http://edmullen.net
http://mozilla.edmullen.net
http://abington.edmullen.net
I'm a psychic amnesiac. I know in advance what I'm going to forget.

 

[Toby Inkster]

the site has a limited audience (as does mine).

A little rant, not in any way directed at either of the two above
mentioned sites, which I'm sure are brimming with wonderfulness...

I can't stand the concept of a "target audience". Why can't people/
companies just be honest and say that their product is "of limited or
no appeal to the general public".

Every creator/inventor/designer/artist/author would love to reach the
entire global audience (think of the sales!), but their lack of
ambition/confidence/brilliance/vision leads them to create products
that fall short of the ideal.

When they realise that vast segments of the world population are
disinterested in their creations, they are comforted by the notion
that these people are "not their target audience" and thus may be
ignored.

"Yes, I'll create my website with hundreds of popups and lots of
Flash navigation, and my target audience will love it because my
target audience is people-who-love-hundreds-of-popups-and-Flash-
navigation, or more specifically my target audience is people-who-
love-my-site."

The notion of a target audience itself becomes a moving target. One
doesn't refine ones product to meet the needs of the target audience;
one redefines the target audience so that it neatly co-incides with
the people who would already buy your product.

And thus the product is not improved.

</rant>

 

[dorayme]

....

The notion of a target audience itself becomes a moving target. One
doesn't refine ones product to meet the needs of the target audience;
one redefines the target audience so that it neatly co-incides with
the people who would already buy your product.

And thus the product is not improved.

</rant>

That was a good rant, much truth and enjoyable. One little
niggle: you left out the opening tag.

 

[Toby Inkster]

One little niggle: you left out the opening tag.

<!ELEMENT RANT O - (#CDATA) -- preformatted rant -->

 

[Andy Mabbett]

A little rant, not in any way directed at either of the two above
mentioned sites, which I'm sure are brimming with wonderfulness...

I can't stand the concept of a "target audience". Why can't people/
companies just be honest and say that their product is "of limited or
no appeal to the general public".

Because the "target audience" is often part of the "general public".

Every creator/inventor/designer/artist/author would love to reach the
entire global audience

A fallacy.

(think of the sales!), but their lack of
ambition/confidence/brilliance/vision leads them to create products
that fall short of the ideal.

Nonsense. Do you really think Rolex want to sell watches for everyone?
They could make them from cheap plastic and sell them for a quid or two,
if so.

When they realise that vast segments of the world population are
disinterested in their creations, they are comforted by the notion
that these people are "not their target audience" and thus may be
ignored.

Indeed. So?

"Yes, I'll create my website with hundreds of popups and lots of
Flash navigation, and my target audience will love it because my
target audience is people-who-love-hundreds-of-popups-and-Flash-
navigation, or more specifically my target audience is people-who-
love-my-site."

Now you're switching from companies, their designers, and their
products, to their websites, Apples and pears.

The notion of a target audience itself becomes a moving target. One
doesn't refine ones product to meet the needs of the target audience;
one redefines the target audience so that it neatly co-incides with
the people who would already buy your product.

And thus the product is not improved.

And how would you improve, say, a Ferrari, so that everyone could own
one?

BTW, please see <[email protected]>

 

[Toby Inkster]

Nonsense. Do you really think Rolex want to sell watches for everyone?

Not everyone, no; but *anyone*, yes.

 

[Toby Inkster]

<[email protected]>

Because they're dumb.