Take 2...IE6 problem with some CSS

[george]

it IS a shame that the forum search is so pants though...

*Noah herds the animals into the big boat in pairs...*

[TraceyHand]

*Noah herds the animals into the big boat in pairs...*

helpful to the last, Mr M

[george]

Anyway - a lot of posts from newbies result from a lack of good documentation from Actinic.

I have a little example.

How do you set the overall page width in v8?

(A very regular question on here).

[leehack]

Same way you have a new carpet fitted at home George, you learn how to do it and have a go yourself or contact someone who knows how to do it.

[Goz]

Originally posted by george
How do you set the overall page width in v8?

Ooh! Ooh! I know this one. Please sir... me sir.... I know this one....

[TraceyHand]

Well, I've been trying to tell him all day but he clearly doesn't believe me so, go for it, Andy!
Tell 'im I sent ya

[jont]

Same way you have a new carpet fitted at home George, you learn how to do it and have a go yourself or contact someone who knows how to do it.

Now I know why he has bare floorboards

[Goz]

OK Tracey, here goes - within Actinic, I'd be on the home page and then I'd do an Offline Page Preview. I copy the URL from the address bar and open that page with Dreamweaver. Then I'd search for the word "width" and find one with a big number after it. And I'd make it even bigger! Save and close, refresh my page in IE and job done!

[george]

I was referring to the documentation (thats why I used the quote) on the page width setting/how to adjust it but never mind still a good excuse to ridicule someone eh?

[Goz]

Sorry if you've taken offence George. Wasn't meant to ridicule. Just a late at night bit of flippancy.

Real answer should be :

• Open Actinic Help.
• Switch to the Search tab
• Type "page width"
• Look through the results to find the reference to width for main area (it's on "The 'General' Tab - Changing the Global Design Settings for your Site")

[jont]

• Open Actinic Help.
• Switch to the Search tab
• Type "page width"
• Look through the results to find the reference to width for main area (it's on "The 'General' Tab - Changing the Global Design Settings for your Site")

I think you have proved his point (damn you Andrew ) .. George was talking about the overall page width but the help and tab settings are for the main content area which can probably confuse if a newbie.

There is a line between what help Actinic can write before it merges into a study of HTML and CSS

[RuralWeb]

There is a line between what help Actinic can write before it merges into a study of HTML and CSS

perfectly put Jont - IMO there should be a warning when you first open the design tab that you do need to know a bit of html/css if you use it. People assume that they can go in there do things, it all go wrong and then blame Actinic for thier mistakes. there is NO manual than can ever be written to cover all the possible things that can be done in Actinic - You would first need to cover the subject of html/css and we all know how big those books are on thier own.

[Goz]

Doh! Wrong twice! I sit corrected. I should have read George's post fully! Time to bow out of this thread before I really embarrass myself..

[TraceyHand]

I was referring to the documentation (thats why I used the quote) on the page width setting/how to adjust it but never mind still a good excuse to ridicule someone eh?

thing is, G... changing the overall page width depends on a whole lot of other factors
Which theme is being used (if any) and whether it's a CSS site or using tables.
It's not a straight forward answer to what should be a straight forward question.
I don't think anyone was intentionally taking the p*ss.

[leehack]

If you understand html and css, you will never expect actinic to teach you it as you know how complex or involved it can be, actinic is an ecommerce package not a 6th form college.

If you do not understand html and css at all, then 1. you should not be getting involved as its often a recipe for disaster and 2. you will always be expecting actinic to do something to help you, which you cannot realistically expect. BUT you only understand point 2, if you understand point 1, if not you just moan about lack of this and lack of that.

It's a package trying to do everything, there is going to be voids or areas missing. Convince everyone to pay £500 more for it and more of those gaps will be filled out better. Having said that why not buy a £10 book and read it for a few hours and then do some tutorials on the web and within 30 hours you will have an understanding on what you need to do.

Only someone who does not know html and css, could ask for a package to teach it to you, but that will only become apparent once you know, chicken and egg situation i guess.

One thing that will ultimately help on this would be a wizard to create your site, how wide would you like it sir? 1000px please, what width for your left sidebar - 170px please etc etc.