errors on laytop which I can't replicate on pc

[Donna Kempster]

Hi all, I'm hoping someone will be able to give me some advice. We run a network with a pc and a laptop on it. Recently when ever we upload the little eskimo website the changes don't layout properly when viewed from the laptop. Also it often shows some of the code on the screen. I can't replicate it at all on the pc here or at home or the laptop we have at home either. I read a thread from Tracey where things were different on one machine to another and followed the advice to clear cche, cookies etc but it has made no difference.

I wondered if anyone had any advice on what might be causing it ? A long shot I know.

This is one of the pages that is not rendering properly
http://www.littleeskimo.co.uk/acatal...Bean_Bags.html

The images should display to the right of the left hand column but are displaying below it on the laptop. Also the first product (butterfly playhouse) when clicked on dosn't display properly either?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated as I am totally lost?

Thanks

D

[leehack]

First question is whether they are both using the same version of browser?

[los_design]

Resolution Differences?

[Donna Kempster]

First question is whether they are both using the same version of browser?

No I don't think we are. The laptop is IE7 and the pc is IE6 but at home I use IE7 and I can't replicate it there either.

I've looked at resolution as that was my first port of call but that doesn't do it either?

Thanks

D

[leehack]

I think you need a bit of rethink to be honest Donna. You have a very narrow site so that you can cater for 800 wide screens i presume, yet your site content is set to 800 wide which means it will break on an 800 screen as you actually need to give an 800 screen 760-770 width. You also have masses of space, i love space but it looks empty, not easy to read IMO.

Such large numbers now have 1024 screens at least and it's about time 800 width was dropped for good IMO on ecommerce sites. Remember at all times your target audience for sure, but do we really expect people buying online and using broadband to not be using a screen size which probably 95% of ecommerce sites require nowadays?

Go for 1001 width for full 1024 screen or about 970 for bordered centered, you are just not using things as good as you could at the moment IMO. In other words why alienate 90% of your visitors to cater for 10% of them, you have to aim at the masses online and try and cater for the others, not the other way round.

[dave_finlayson]

Loks like there is a coding error in your simple search. Revert the layout and see if that helps.

You also have coding errors at the bottom round the terms and conditions text

This:-

<class="text_terms_conditions">

should be:-

<div class="text_terms_conditions">

and this:-

</class="text_terms_conditions">

should just be:-

</div>

I'm guessing some browser configurations are more forgiving of these errors, hence the discrepencies in the displays.

[los_design]

I think you need a bit of rethink to be honest Donna. You have a very narrow site so that you can cater for 800 wide screens i presume, yet your site content is set to 800 wide which means it will break on an 800 screen as you actually need to give an 800 screen 760-770 width. You also have masses of space, i love space but it looks empty, not easy to read IMO.

Such large numbers now have 1024 screens at least and it's about time 800 width was dropped for good IMO on ecommerce sites. Remember at all times your target audience for sure, but do we really expect people buying online and using broadband to not be using a screen size which probably 95% of ecommerce sites require nowadays?

Go for 1001 width for full 1024 screen or about 970 for bordered centered, you are just not using things as good as you could at the moment IMO. In other words why alienate 90% of your visitors to cater for 10% of them, you have to aim at the masses online and try and cater for the others, not the other way round.

Sound advice, 'curry this' with a visit to your site stats to see the actual piccie of what your visitors are using and you will see that (as usual) Leeski is on the money.

In light of the above post, I would endeavour to correct the errors first, then attack the display discrepancy if it still exists thereafter (sorry...been reading a contract...thereinafter known as a pile of s£"t )

[Donna Kempster]

Hi guys thanks so much.

I'll try and sort that coding error Dave. I am going to look at the site widths etc now I assume I change them in the actinic style sheet?

Darren I looked at the stats - never looked at that bit before ( ) and our biggest by far c49% is 1024 x 798 (changed my screen to that and YUK!). Can't quite believe this si the preferred screen size but there you go who am I to say. THis si why you never let marketing people loose on a website!

So agreed need a re think on width and need to view the site in different resolutions also me thinks.

Will ask for more advise very soon am sure.

Thanks again, much appreciated. Donna

[los_design]

Best place to go when looking to redesign Donna...

stats give you a big hand in deciding where to go.

Have fun.

Regards
Daren

[Donna Kempster]

Hi Guys

thanks for all your help. I've re-done the LE site to accomodate 1024 - I've been working in that resolution all week - how that can be 50% of surfers I don't know - gives me a headache!

if you get a chance to take a quick look at the littleeskimo.co.uk site I'd appreciate it. There is rather a large gap between the first block of images and the little pink layout which I can't work out how to close up - any clues appreciated!

Thanks again Donna

[leehack]

You have 3 <br/> in your code above the table plus you also seem to have an empty table with nothing in it. Download Firefox + Firebug and click on 'inspect' and then hover your mouse in this area and you will see the code in question. It's within the first row of the table with the cellpadding of 10.

I reckon you could go 4 sections wide and maximise products on show without cluttering things up.

[acompton]

Has a nice, clean look. Lots of products on the front page. I like it. I'm feeling quite inspired (to clean up mine, not purchase - sorry).

You've abandoned the traditional credit-cards-and-delivery-info on the front page approach which I was lead to believe was a must-have. I wonder what the panel will make of that?

I've just spent time getting my front page down in size after complaints the it didn't fit (it was less than 1024 but more than 800).

[leehack]

Personally Alan, i believe that this information should be available on every page of a site. I don't like trying to second guess on which page a user might be when they need this as there is no logic IME. Put it in an easy to find place and in that place across all pages and i think that is best.

With regards to widths, i think it is important to be focussed on what you are trying to achieve. If you do a size something like 850, it's madness IMO as you are too wide for 800 screens and too narrow for 1024 screens.

770 wide for 800 screens
970-980 wide for bordered centered on 1024 screen
1001 wide for full 1024 screen

You then have fluid layouts, but for me i am not a fan as a ecommerce site that moves in a range from 600 up to 1900 never looks good IMO. Mine are always fixed widths unless i am asked to do it differently.

[pinbrook]

I was probably the last of the designers to accept that 800 was dead, even i've now dropped all suppport for this res.

according to my stats 1024 - 768 is the most common res, closely followed now by 1280 x 800 (ie widescreen) get your site looking good in bith these res and you will have cracked 85+% of visitors.

[pnagames]

i am interested to find this out as well but cant see this on my stats

can anyone tell me where it is on the awstats pages?