Import a text file into a live web page

[mrlegs]

This is probably a really basic thing to do, but is beyond me at the moment! I am putting together a standardised Home Page for the school, Firefox stylee, and want to have text on there taken from a .txt file which will also be kept on the server, but accessible by the Head/secretary etc for dates, messages etc.

The trouble I'm having is I don't know how to get the .html code to go to a text file and read it. Any suggestions/ideas?

[localzuk]

You can't do it directly with html, but you can with some form of language - either client or server side.

Personally I would say the easiest way would be to use shtml. http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/howto/ssi.html

Or you could use php, and the include tag: http://uk.php.net/include/

Or in javascript like this: http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol4/javascript_no9.htm

Or, if you're feeling evil, you could use an iframe to do it: http://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_iframe.asp

[Joedetic]

To extend on what localzuk has said. If you're using Apache as your webserver then a nice PHP include is what I'd use.

If you're using IIS and don't want to switch to Apache or install PHP for IIS then you could use the SSI method that localzuk has linked to within IIS. A bit of googling will tell you how to enable shtml and SSIs within IIS.

[fooby]

Maybe its overkill but have you looked at the EduGeek Joomla! package? this is a full featured site in one package ready to deploy on a web server.

search here for it, its pretty smart.

[mrlegs]

It certainly seems like the direction the school is heading, and I know Joomla is quite effective as an intranet device.

Thanks for all the ideas folks. I will attempt them in order!

[Domino]

I'd also suggest sharepoint

we use it for our intranet and its been great!

[limbo]

Surely you can just just the include option that should work in basic html??

<!--#include file="file.txt"-->

[webman]

Surely you can just just the include option that should work in basic html??

<!--#include file="file.txt"-->

That only works with server-side SHTML.

[Friez]

If you have PHP:

<?php
readfile("somedoc.txt");
?>

If you want to do this in STRAIGHT HTML (no serverside stuff needed) you could use regular frames:

<FRAMESET rows="100%">
<FRAME src="somedoc.txt">
</FRAMESET>

or for the uber hack: rename the .txt to .htm!!

or, you MIGHT just be asking for a simple thing like how to link to other documents rather than show the document on a .htm, to do this you just use a hyperlink like so:

<a href="somedoc.txt">Some Description Here</a>

[localzuk]

Just a quick note though - frames are not very accessible to those with poor eye-sight etc...