Knowing when not to use frames _ Setting targets and links No one wants to be "framed," whether that means being falsely accused of something you didnt do or trapped in the HTML frameset of a Web site with no escape. Appreciating not only the best way to create frames, but also the best way to use them to enhance site navigation is important if you dont want to leave your visitors feeling stuck in your pages. Many experienced Web designers say you should never use frames. I take a more open approach - I dont recommend frames, but I think you should decide for yourself. Besides, I can think of a few instances when frames come in quite handy, such as when you want to bring in content from another Web site and still maintain your own navigation and logo. Of course, you should do this only with permission from the other site (see the sidebar later in this chapter, "Resist using frames when you link to other peoples Web sites"). To help you make the most of this HTML design feature, this chapter not only covers how to build HTML framesets in Dreamweaver, but also discusses when frames are most useful and when you should avoid them. Frames add a wide range of design possibilities, but they can also create confusing navigation systems and can be very frustrating to viewers. As you go through this chapter, consider not only how to create frames, but also whether they are really the best solution for your Web site project. Appreciating HTML Frames Frames add innovative navigation control because they enable you to display multiple HTML pages in one browser window and control the contents of each framed area individually. Web developers commonly use frames to create a design with two or more sections within one browser window. Each section consists of a different HTML page, and you can place links in one section that, when selected, display information in another page in a different section within the same browser window. Web pages that use frames, such as the one shown in Figure 7-1, are split into separate sections - or individual frames. All the frames together make up a frameset. Behind the scenes, each frame of the frameset is a separate HTML file, which makes a page with frames a little complicated to create, even with Dreamweaver. If you choose to create your frame files in a text editor, you have to juggle multiple pages, working on each frame one at a time, and you can see what you create only when you preview your work in a browser. The visual editor in Dreamweaver makes creating frames a lot easier because you can view all the HTML files that make up the frameset at the same time and can edit them while they display in the way in which they appear in a browser. As a navigational feature, frames enable you to keep some information constant, while changing other information in the same browser window. For example, you can keep a list of links visible in one frame and display the information each link brings up in another frame, as the site shown in Figure 7-1 does. Figure 7-1: This Southwest Scenes Web site uses frames