Template Frequently Asked Questions
General Template Questions
What changes have been made to the templates since their release?
There have been some updates to the template since their first release. Depending on when the templates were downloaded some changes may be required. For information on these changes refer to the Template Updates page.
In addition to changes to the template code many changes have been made to the associated style sheets. As long as the style sheets are referenced at their original location, no modifications to the template code is necessary for style sheet changes.
What should I use for the Unit/Organization link above the page name? Is it necessary?
The Unit/Organization link is in place to associate a page with it's sponsoring department. This link is not necessary on the departmental or organizational homepage, but it is recommended on all other pages within the site.
Do my pages have to be XHMTL 1.0 strict compliant or validate under CSS and HTML checkers?
The Missouri State template itself is XHTML 1.0 strict compliant. Ensuring that the content inserted into the template complies with XML, HTML and CSS standards will eliminate many issues that might arise during the development process; however, it is not required.
Should global navigation links be used? What about the links that used to be in the black bar of the old template?
The new template has shifted away from utilizing global navigation. Instead the link bar should point only to pages which are relevant to that particular page. Visitors can use the breadcrumb links to navigate back through the site if needed.
What is the absolute URL to the Missouri State style sheets?
The absolute path to the global and campus style sheets are as follows:
- <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://www.missouristate.edu/styles/global.css" type="text/css" media="all"/>
- <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://www.missouristate.edu/styles/sgf.css" type="text/css" media="all"/>
It is strongly recommended that developers not save these style sheets locally. Referring to these pages using the path above will allow for centralized updates to the style sheets.
Does the template include the necessary accessibility markup?
The Missouri State web templates include the necessary accessibility markup for the template's content and layout. It is important to note that all content inserted into the template also needs to be accessible. For more information on making web pages accessible refer to the Web Access Compliance Team web site.
Will Web Press use the new templates?
Web Press is a Web Content Management System offered to units in the Missouri State University system.
- Allows the content providers, the authors and editors, to focus on content and not the technical details of web page development.
- Funded through a Title III grant and the Web Press component began in Oct 2004.
- Course-related and personal web pages will not utilize Web Press.
- Web Press uses the new template, for all web development.
- Web Press offers a fully functional user interface that will not require coding skills to create a complete web site.
- Web Press is currently in a pilot program stage. We hope to offer Web Press to all University developers by February 1, 2005.
Can I use my WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor to make changes to the template?
Most WYSIWYG web page editors can make changes to the template. WYSIWYG editors will work; however, caution should be taken during the developing process as the following problems can arise:
- Clicking on div tag borders can assign a fixed width to that item.
- The page will likely be rendered differently in a web browser.
- Code created by the editor will likely not be XHTML compliant.
- It is easy to insert text into the wrong section of the template.
- Important code segments of the template can be deleted during text editing.
Should I save the style sheets locally to my site?
It is strongly recommended that developers not save the global and campus style sheets locally to their site. Referring to original path will allow for centralized updates to the style sheets.
How should I include my own style sheet?
If a customized style sheet is required, add the link to the customized local style sheet in the code below the other style sheets. Placing it last will cause the custom style sheet to override the global and campus style sheets when any conflicts occur.
Troubleshooting the Template
Why does the template look broken in my web page editor such as FrontPage or DreamWeaver?
Most WYSIWYG web page editors have trouble rendering cascading style sheet content. To preview what your site will look like, you must preview it in a browser.
Why did the template wrap, or push down, content in another column?
The most frequent cause for a section of the template wrapping or being pushed down when content is too large for an area. The second most likely cause is accidentally assigning fixed widths to the containers.
The template layout consists of 4 columns, each one 179 pixels wide with a 10 pixel gutter between columns. The various versions and sections of the template are created by merging one or more of those columns to create different layout effects.
What happens if I accidentally remove a tag or section of code in the template?
Removing a <DIV> tag or other critical element of the template is one of the most common errors that breaks the template. Text editing in a WYSIWYG can place content in the wrong container or delete critical code. If you are experiencing issues with the template, ensure that each section of the template is still present and in the correct order. If you are unable to determine the cause of the error, it is often best to copy the page contents into a fresh copy of the template.