Trouble with server-side includes

[Roderic Potter]

Hi group, I am new here, I would appreciate any help:

I am a webmaster for an engineering society here in Ottawa, Canada.

Each month I create an HTML newsletter using Dreamweaver MX and save it as a
document. Then to send it out I use Outlook Express, create a new document
from HTML, point it at the newsletter, and the email appears wonderfully for
me to send out.

I have realized that I also put large chunks of the newsletter in various
locations on the website, i.e.. this story here, that story there etc.

So I would like to create the newsletter and other areas of the site from
server-side includes, which would preclude me from having duplicated code
everywhere.

This creates the problem that when I create the new document in Outlook
Express, it does not understand the server-side calls and presents me with a
blank page.

I ask these questions:
Should I be using a different piece of software to create the html email,
one that will understand server-side includes, and if so, which one?

I notice that when I am developing a document in Dreamweaver that has
server-side includes, the includes appear reasonably well in the preview
pane, and also when I use the preview in browser option. However if I save
the document and load it directly into IE, the server-side stuff does not
appear. I expect this is because I am simply running a stand-alone PC
without any web-server running locally. If this is the case, is there a way
I can perhaps emulate an Apache server on my machine without installing the
full server system?

It has been suggested that I could get around the problem with OE by
creating the original document with includes, drop it on my website at my
ISP, load it into IE, view source, and select all to capture an html
document that OE would understand for sending. But the question here is
whether the full source is viewable behind the scenes in IE, or will the
source just show the calls to the includes?

I hope someone can help me with this, I would appreciate it greatly!

cheers

Roderic Potter Rodders CAS ...motivation is keyT Building System Surveys
AutoCad System Design & Customization ( 613.266.2134 7 613.839.3226 8
(e-mail address removed) * 155 Pineridge Rd. RR#3 Carp ON K0A 1L0

 

[Sid Ismail]

: I ask these questions:
: Should I be using a different piece of software to create the html email,
: one that will understand server-side includes, and if so, which one?


Create a website, and email them a URL. Easiest.

Sid

 

[Toby Inkster]

This creates the problem that when I create the new document in Outlook
Express, it does not understand the server-side calls and presents me with a
blank page.

Of course it doesn't -- only the server understands them -- hence the
name: "server-side includes".

As Sid said, create the document and send them the URL -- perhaps with a
brief summary in the e-mail:

To: (e-mail address removed)
From: (e-mail address removed)
Subject: Weekly newsletter (13 Aug 2005)
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 07:41:28 +0000

In this issue:

* Civil engineers - boring or not?
http://ottawa-eng-soc.ca.invalid/nl/20050813#civil

* An interview with Ottawa University's Head of Engineering
http://ottawa-eng-soc.ca.invalid/nl/20050813#interview

* A review of the new book "How to Fix an Engine"
http://ottawa-eng-soc.ca.invalid/nl/20050813#review1

and many more reviews, articles and news items from around the
world.

Read the newsletter by visiting:
http://ottawa-eng-soc.ca.invalid/nl/20050813

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To unsubscribe, visit:
http://ottawa-eng-soc.ca.invalid/nl/[email protected]

To see our archives of back issues, visit:
http://ottawa-eng-soc.ca.invalid/nl/index

 

[Roderic Potter]

Thanks for this Toby, you put in a lot of work and I appreciate it.

I knew some time ago that I could have adopted this approach, which is
without doubt much less complicated.

However it was decided that the formulation of an html newsletter that is
actually "pushed" to the membership is much more likely to result in the
recipient "reading" the material. I guess this is an arguable point.

Anyway I will continue to try to find a solution to the problem through
other means...

cheers to you and Sid

 

[Andy Dingley]

However it was decided that the formulation of an html newsletter that is
actually "pushed" to the membership is much more likely to result in the
recipient "reading" the material. I guess this is an arguable point.

If you send out a HTML-only newsletter then we _will_ hunt you down and
kill you.

MIME email means that you can easily include the text-only version at
the same time.

 

[Stan McCann]

Thanks for this Toby, you put in a lot of work and I appreciate it.

I knew some time ago that I could have adopted this approach, which
is without doubt much less complicated.

And, IMO, more acceptable.

However it was decided that the formulation of an html newsletter
that is actually "pushed" to the membership is much more likely to
result in the recipient "reading" the material. I guess this is an
arguable point.

Very arguable. Since email works best with plain text (avoids HTML and
the possibility of running javascript or other scripting languages
without my permission or knowlege), I have my email program set to
never open an HTML email; they get deleted unread.

"Pushing" HTML in an email to some people simply results in an unread
deleted message.

Anyway I will continue to try to find a solution to the problem
through other means...

Maybe do your HTML newsletter on your website and send out plain text
versions in email. So, you don't have all of your formatting in an
email. I, for one, prefer it that way. Before denying HTML emails, it
was awful to open an email and see some of the colors, graphics, and
whatnot that people "think" is cool.

 

[Neredbojias]

With neither quill nor qualm, Stan McCann quothed:

Before denying HTML emails, it
was awful to open an email and see some of the colors, graphics, and
whatnot that people "think" is cool.

Yes. Some of the things people do in life are just horrible so I think
I'll commit suicide.

 

[Neredbojias]

With neither quill nor qualm, dorayme quothed:

Now don't you be doing this yet... you know there is some unfinished
business still... that dance you have to have. Afterwards you will be a new
man...

dorayme

From the way you made it sound, I'd be a new woman.

 

[dorayme]

From the way you made it sound, I'd be a new woman.

No, you misunderstand for a simple reason. You need to see
the film and pay close attention. I am not making a sexual
or anatomical point here. I know this is hard for you with
your preoccupations to understand. But please try. I am
trying to help you out here.

dorayme

 

[Neredbojias]

With neither quill nor qualm, dorayme quothed:

No, you misunderstand for a simple reason.

That's usually the case.

You need to see the film and pay close attention.

It's hard to do 2 things at once.

I am not making a sexual
or anatomical point here.

Why not?

I know this is hard for you with
your preoccupations to understand.

When you've got it, flaunt it.

But please try. I am
trying to help you out here.

Out of what? When I was in Germany, they have these real skinny toilet
seats there and I fell in the crapper, but that was a long time ago.
Obviously I got out, and, as far as I know, nothing's come up since even
suggesting that I might need help out of it.