Should I use frames or iframes and if not what are the alternatives?

You should avoid frames as they can get messy and interfere with search engines, etc. with iframes you get the extra complication of backwards compatibility (they just don't work in older browsers). There are usually 3 reasons for using frames or iframes:

1. As a simple scroller - I'd recommend you use DHTML as the good ones work in more browsers than iframes do. See here for ideas:

How do I make a cross-browser scroller?

2. To load remote and/or heavy pages - you can get a similar effect without using an iframe:

How do I make a cross-browser iframe effect?

3. To make updating your site easier - I know DW and some other highend code editors make this easier but I'd recommend you use something like PHP:

http://www.gurusnetwork.com/tutorials/php/phptemplate/phptemplate.html

http://www.gurusnetwork.com/tutorials/php/phptemplate2/phptemplate2.html

or SSI:

http://www.gurusnetwork.com/tutorials/ssi/ssi1_intro.html

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Whatever you need iframes (and frames in general) for there are usually better solutions to the problem and they are well worth exploring.

______________________
Emperor

(Added by: Emperor on Mon 14-Jul-2003)

(Edited by: Emperor on Mon 14-Jul-2003)