Frame naming and targeting is used when the developer wants to associate the link of one frame with the output of another frame. For example, suppose there are two vertical frames. The left one consists of all the links and whenever the user clicks any one of them then the HTML document associated with that link is displayed on the right hand side frame without opening up a new window or affecting the contents of the left side frame. That means the left side contents remain static and the content of the right side frame changes.
These types of frames are very useful and are used to make web site navigation user friendly and interactive. One thing to be noted is that frame targeting cannot be done without naming the frame. The name is necessary because it becomes the identity of the frame and is used by the other frames.
How to do naming and targeting?
The naming of the frame is done using the NAME attribute and the targeting is done with the help of TARGET attribute. The frames can be targeted in different styles. It can be done on an A (Anchor) element, on a BASE element, on an AREA element and on a FORM element.
Targeting for Anchor (A) element:
The Anchor tag (A) which is used at the time of defining hyperlinks in the HTML document is also used while targeting the frames. It specifies the linked document which is to be displayed after the user clicks on a particular link in the frame. For example:
<HTML>
<frameset rows=45%,10%,45%>
<frame name=”upper”>
<frame name=”middle” source=”doc1.html”>
<frame name=”bottom”>
</frameset>
</HTML>
Now the following HTML code has to be written for the doc1.html document
<HTML>
<UL>
<LI><A target=”upper” HREF=”http;//www.italics.in”> Italics Home Page </A></LI>
<LI><A target=”lower” HREF=”http://www.contentmantra.com”> Content Mantra Home Page </A></LI>
</UL>
</HTML>
Whenever the user will click on the Italics Home Page then the web page will get displayed in the upper frame and if he clicks on the Content Mantra Home Page then the relevant web site will be displayed in the lower frame.
Targeting for a BASE element
In this the TARGET attribute uses a default window_name and target all the links towards the same window.
<BASE target=”window_name”>
Targeting for the AREA element
The AREA element type is defines by the Internet-Draft of Client-Side image maps. It is used with the image maps and defines a particular area on the client side image map. It associates a link with that area containing all the details and when the TARGET element is used then the output of the link can be directed towards a separate window.
<AREA shape=”shape” COORDS=”x,y,z…..” HREF=”URL” target=”window_name”>
Targeting for the FORM element
Without any defined target window the FORM element displays the output of the form submission in the same window used to submit the form. The TARGET attribute can be used to direct this output to another window.
<FORM Action=”URL” target=”window_name”>