Re: Tables loading question

At 04:04 PM 6/14/01 -0700, Chris Hawkins wrote:
>1) Is it less time to load a one row, one cell table than one with 
>multiple rows and cells?
>2) Would the next download after the big table,  be the first nested table 
>at the top, that's within the one big cell? (then the next and the next etc.)
>3) What exactly is the browser interpreting  -- the table tag structure or 
>every single thing in the table?  Does that have a specific weight in itself?
>4) and HOW do i test something like this?

Hi Chris

I will try to take a stab at answering this, although I might be incorrect 
in a couple of points.

>1) Is it less time to load a one row, one cell table than one with 
>multiple rows and cells?

Generally, the simpler the table the faster the download. So one row, one 
cell table should load faster. But it still depends on how much stuff is 
inside the tables itself.

>2) Would the next download after the big table,  be the first nested table 
>at the top, that's within the one big cell? (then the next and the next etc.)

Usually, as I understand it, the server processes in order of code writing.

As to the last two questions, I am not sure of the answers.

What I would suggest is not using nested tables if you can help it. Use 
multiple tables, aligned or organized as you need. The reasoning has less 
to do with how fast it actually loads, vs how fast it appears to load. That 
appearance of speed can help with pages that are actually slower to download.

For example, have a header table width="100x". Then below two tables, one a 
side nav width="25x" align="left", and a contents table width="75x", which 
will fit against the side nav table. Then finish with a footer table 
width="100x". The individual tables will load as fast as they can, but pop 
up finished (sans images that might still be loading) for the viewer to 
see, one table at a time. The whole page may still be loading, but the 
viewer thinks that the page is loading more quickly than it actually is, 
and can begin their perusal of your site, and be willing to wait for it to 
finish.

Does that make sense? If not, I can try to explain better, or maybe if you 
have a test page, I can work with that to help describe the above a bit better.


Kimiko Drew
macruimmon(at)earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~macruimmon/
a web designer in The Camarilla
White Wolf's Official Fan Club

Nothing happens unless first a dream. - Carl Sandburg 

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