Intro to Server-Side Includes (SSI) in MX
Server-Side Include Page
1. Open a new page by clicking File > New.
2. Click on the General tab and select Dynamic Page in the Category box and your server model in the Dynamic Page box.
NOTE: In this tutorial ASP VBScript is being selected. Be sure to select your server model.
3. Save the page as theMenu.asp by clicking File > Save As and naming it theMenu.asp.
NOTE: In this tutorial the .asp file extension is being used. Be sure to use the proper file extension for your server model. For ColdFusion use the .cfm extension, and for PHP use the .php file extension.
4. Insert the layer to hold the menu by clicking Insert > Layer. In the Layers Panel (F2), click on the layer that you just inserted and use the settings below in the Property Inspector (CTRL + F3).
5. Click inside the navLayer and then click Insert > Nowhere Link and use the following settings in the Nowhere Links window.
NOTE: This creates a null link that will simulate a link. Alternatively, you can type text for the link, highlight it, and then click on the folder icon next to the Link box in the Property Inspector and select a file to link to.
6. Click at the end of Link One and then hit the ENTER key to insert a new paragraph.
7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 to create the following links:
Link Two
Link Three
Link Four
Link Five
8. Now you need to use a Design Time Style Sheet so that you can apply the appropriate class to the <p> tags for the menu. To do this click Text > CSS Styles > Design Time Style Sheets and use the settings below in the Design Time Style Sheets window.
9. Click inside Link One and then click on the <p> tag in the bottom of the Design View window. The paragraph should now be highlighted. Right-click on the <p> tag and select Set Class > navButts.
10. Repeat Step 9 for the four remaining paragraphs.
11. Now you need to go into Code View and delete everything on the page, except the navLayer and the links. Click View > Code.
12. Highlight from the top of the page at Line 1 up to and including the <body> tag. Hit the DELETE key on your keyboard to delete it.
13. Highlight the closing </body> and </html> tags and hit the DELETE key on your keyboard to delete them.
14. The following is the only thing that you have remaining on the page.
<div id="navLayer" style="position:absolute; width:160px; z-index:1; left: 20px; top: 120px;">
<p class="navButts"><a href="javascript:;">Link One</a> </p>
<p class="navButts"><a href="javascript:;">Link Two</a></p>
<p class="navButts"><a href="javascript:;">Link Three</a></p>
<p class="navButts"><a href="javascript:;">Link Four</a></p>
<p class="navButts"><a href="javascript:;">Link Five</a></p>
</div>
15. Save the theMenu.asp page and close it.
Next: Inserting the Server-Side Include
Overview
Creating the Base Page
Server-Side Include Page
Inserting the Server-Side Include
Notes and Afterthoughts