Re: HTML prefixes / SSI (Basics/requiremts)

Jakob:

The reason .shtml is used by pages running on Apache servers and containing
SSI is to allow those owners of such servers to limit the pages that the
server must parse or scan for Server Side Include files. They set up this
limit by use of the .htaccess file in the server.

Note that the server does not care. It simply scans the type of file it has
been told to scan in the .htaccess file. A "newer" standard for this is to
use .html for pages containing SSI and to use .htm for those that do not
contain SSI.

However, one man's standard is another man's "silly, ridiculous idea" so it
should come as no surprise that this so called newer standard is not
universally accepted.

The main reason for using .html rather than .shtml is to allow Dreamweaver,
Drumbeat, FrontPage and other WYSIWYG editors to be able to save the files.
(Most will not save as .shtml) And even those that do will cause trouble
when you try to edit a file saved as .shtml. When you open the file, the
programs want to "convert" this weird thing to HTML and often they reformat
the page in the process, causing all sorts of problems.

So as you might imagine, for those using automatic page processors, this
.shtml is a pain in the posterior. Even those using NotePad are forced to do
some re-naming to make everything work. In fact, the problem has become so
notorious that some FTP programs include a means to rename them while up
loading. This is of little help for those using FrontPage Extensions, Cold
Fusion or many other self contained programs because they do not "FTP".

Bottom line. If you are using such a program, find a host that allows .html
for pages using SSI. There are hundreds out there.

The hand coding for a Server Side Include File is simple:

<p><!--#include virtual="filename.ext"-->

The word "virtual" is optional. It tells the server to look for the file
somewhere other than the root directory. Personal experience has shown that
it seems to work OK no matter where you store the file. Obviously you need
to include the path to the file.
Example <p><!--#include virtual="pathname/filename.txt"-->

The extension can be almost anything that a browser will support. It can be
.htm .txt .gif .jpg and on and on. Even a .doc file could be used but only
those viewers having Word on their machines, (or any other program set to
open Word files), would see anything.

The actual file is placed where ever you said it would be in the include
statement.

When the page loads, the server will locate the file and include it at that
spot in your page. Note: You will not see it if you open the file in a
browser on your machine unless you are running a server and it is set up the
same way your host's server is set up. So most simply take it on faith that
it will show up on the web. So far, mine always has ???

I realize that this only hits the high spots. For more, just type in Server
Side Includes in the average search engine and you will get hundreds of
pages to look at. Some of the others may be able to suggest favorites. If
you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Best wishes
Ted Temer
Temercraft Designs Redding, CA
temer(at)c-zone.net
www.temercraft.com/
www.newsredding.com/




> Morn' Gang,
> The first question which I am wondering about is the meaning of letters
> you find occassionally find beforing the html, like shtml and so on.
>
> 2.) How do I have to proceed if if embedding SSI in my files? Somehow
> the server has to process? Is there recommendatial material for SSI(with
> regards to an Apache Server)(preferabel books, secondly PDF)?
> Which list of HWG primarly deals with SSI?
>
> TIA, Jakob D�lling
>

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