I'm sure you will hear lots of reasons (mostly all legitimate!) why you
shouldn't use frames, but here are three areas where frames are really
useful.

1. If you want to check if a visitor has done some thing when he leaves your
site (note NOT when he leaves a certain page), run all your pages in a
single frame, and put the 'onUnload' code on this frame.

2. In a complex web application where you don't want to keep redrawing the
same information (e.g. See the www.msdn.microsoft.com site)

3. Maintaining state. How do you pass information from one page to another?

a. Server side session variables (e.g. in ASP and PHP)
b. Pass the information backwards and forwards on a query string or hidden
element (OK for a few variables, but can quickly become unwieldy, but see
the new ASP.NET)
c. Cookies (Ugh!)
d. Use frames, and keep all the information in a 'session' frame, and access
the information using JavaScript

HTH,
Frank

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Cole" <ken.cole(at)smiths-aerospace.com.au>
To: <hwg-techniques(at)hwg.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2002 7:21 PM
Subject: Frames - To Use Or Not To Use


G'Day Everyone,

Firstly I hope this is the correct forum for this question.  Secondly I
am not trying to start nor wish to start a religous war.

Can someone point me to some good and unbiased views on the pros and
cons of using frames?

Should I, Shouldn't I?
What about frameless browsers?
Any security reasons why to/not to use?
Anything else I should consider?

Thanks

Ken Cole

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