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Windsor, CT 06095
(860) 285-0172
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Your Website Should Be Easy to Edit

Frameworks

A Framework defines the "look" of an Invisible Gold powered site. There can be several, and it makes sense redisign your Frameworks over time. Each page can have its own, or inherit the one from its parent. If none are chosen, one in a directory called "default" is used.

Set the Framework for a page by logging in with Edit rights, and click on the Advanced button. Each directory under /Frameworks will be listed.

Home.htm and Default.htm
Inside each of the Framework directories is basically just a one or two page HTML website. These need to have relative image paths. You are welcome to put the images into subdirectories if you want. (The same goes for .CSS, .JS, or whatever files the page calls.)

When the homepage on an Invisible Gold site is loaded, it first looks for a file in the correct Framework directory called Home.htm. If this file doesn't exist or you are loading a page other than the homepage, it looks for Default.htm.

Note: This is assuming there is no filename in the address. If you tried to load a page like https://invisiblegold.com/slideshow.htm, then it will look for a file called slidehow.htm in the current Framework directory.

Note: There is a feature with Advanced Commerce sites to take users to a page called MyAccount.htm after logging in. (It is is the System Settings.) You can create a Framework file that uses this to orient users.

Special Tags
Every Framework file requires a $FULLPAGE tag which adds a content area. You can also insert other tags such as $ROOTDIR for the homepage address of the site. You can insert $ID for the "ID" of the page. For example, https://invisiblegold.com is the homepage address, and /support/docs/authoring/frameworks/newitem/ is the id of a page.

You normally should use relative paths to any images or CSS files in your Framework files. However, if you need to do it manually, you can insert $FRAMEWORKDIR.

Other tags that may be useful are:
$PATH - This gives the exact path to the current page on the server. (It's just a combination of $ROOTDIR and $ID with a /Data/ inserted in between.)

$LOGO and $LOGO2 - You should insert one of these at the bottom of the site. This will be replaced with "Powered by Invisible Gold" and add the login link.

Note: All of the Special Tags can be inserted in the Content, Frameworks, and Custom Templates.

GetHTML
To add interactivity to the site use GetHtml tags. These are database calls that pull information for display on the website.

You might use something like <gethtml data="extendedobject" id="/" mode="nav" object="default"/> to insert a navigation bar on the left.

Or, you might use something like <gethtml data="breadcrumb" id="." mode="breadcrumb" object="default"/> to insert a breadcrumb path to the current page. (ex: )

For more information, read the GetHTML tags section. Once you get beyond the basics of designing Invisible Gold powered websites, you will find these tags enhance your websites the most.

Get HTML tags can be inserted in the Content, in Frameworks, AND in Custom Templates.

CSS
Many Invisible Gold Templates include CSS tags. You are welcome to start with the file default.css provided in the /Frameworks/Default directory.

Note: This file is upgraded with each new version.

You can put your own tags into this file. However, it might make life easier in the future if you simply create an additional CSS file and refer to it in your Framework HTML files.

Special Framework Files
Keep in mind that you can create a custom email.htm and receipt.htm that are used for email newsletters and order receipts. It's very common to make these very simple files with just a banner graphic and a simple table..


See Also:
Online Documentation Home, Advanced: Using Drop Down Menus With Calendars, New CSS Menus, Overview, Directory Structure, Frameworks, Custom Templates, Web Designer Tip: Customize the Page Title, Creating Drop Down Menus, GetHTML Tags

Keywords:
Authoring, Frameworks

Invisible Gold, LLC was founded in 2001 as a web design and internet software company. The owner, John Waiveris, wanted to enable people to manage their own websites. John is active in the Windsor community and the Invisible Gold website software is used daily by 600 businesses.

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(860) 285-0172
support@invisiblegold.com

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