Cross-browser AutoScroller - Frequently Asked Questions
(www.flevooware.nl/dreamweaver)

 

This FAQ answers the following questions:

  1. What kind of content can I put in the AutoScroller?
  2. Can I populate the AutoScroller with content from a database?
  3. Is it possible to reference an external HTML file for the contents of the AutoScroller, rather than have the actual HTML in-line for every page that displays the AutoScroller?
  4. How can I make the AutoScroller stop scrolling when I 'mouse over' a link, and re-start scrolling when 'mousing out' again?
  5. How can I adjust the scrolling speed?
  6. Can I make the AutoScroller move with a fluid/centered layout when the browser window is resized?
  7. The AutoScroller won't scroll in Netscape 4.x
  8. Can I make the AutoScroller scroll seamlessly, without the 'gap' at the end of the scroller content?

What kind of content can I put in the AutoScroller?

The AutoScroller consists of 2 nested, absolute positioned DIV tags, so you can put any HTML formatting you like in it.

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Can I populate the AutoScroller with content from a database?

Yes, as stated above, because the AutoScroller consists of 2 nested, absolute positioned DIV tags (= regular HTML elements), you can put any content you like in it.

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Is it possible to reference an external HTML file for the contents of the AutoScroller, rather than have the actual HTML in-line for every page that displays the AutoScroller?

Using SSI (server-side includes), it is very well possible to have the content for the scroller coming from an external file.

You'll find basic information about SSI at http://www.dwfaq.com/tutorials/dynamic/SSIs.asp, but a simple search in Google will return lots of links about this subject.

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How can I make the AutoScroller stop scrolling when I 'mouse over' a link, and re-start scrolling when 'mousing out' again?

You need to apply the 'AutoScroller - Stop/Continue' behavior to each of the links in the scroller. In fact you need to apply it twice for each link:

  1. for the onMouseOver event: to stop scrolling
  2. for the onMouseOut event: to continue scrolling

Here's how to do that:

  1. Insert the AutoScroller in your page.
  2. Put your own content (including your own links) where the default AutoScroller content is.
  3. Then for each link in your scroller content:
    1. put your cursor somewhere on the link
    2. select 'Cross-browser AutoScroller - Stop/Continue' from the FlevOOware flyout in the Behavior panel
    3. fill out the dialog for the Start action
    4. click OK
    5. select onMouseOut in the event list
    6. again, select 'Cross-browser AutoScroller - Stop/Continue' from the FlevOOware flyout in the Behavior panel
    7. fill out the dialog for the Stop action
    8. click OK
    9. select onMouseOver in the event list

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How can I adjust the scrolling speed?

In the 'Cross-browser AutoScroller - Stop/Continue' behavior dialog (available from FlevOOware flyout in Behavior panel), you have the option:

  1. to change the time interval (number Ms) between 2 scroll movements, and
  2. to change the number of pixels it scroll with each movement.

Try experimenting with those options.

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Can I make the AutoScroller move with a fluid/centered layout when the browser window is resized?

The AutoScroller is an absolute postioned DIV, which means that it gets a fixed position in relation to the top/left corner of the document. Thus its position does not change when the browser window is resized, whereas eg. a centered table does.

If you want the AutoScroller to maintain a position in relation to eg. a centered table, you will need to 'snap' the layer to something (eg. an image) within that table. The free "SnapLayer" extension available at www.projectseven.com can do that for you.

Use SnapLayer to 'snap' the entire AutoScroller to something (an image) in your centered page, and apply it to both the onLoad and the onResize event of the <body> tag. The AutoScroller will then move with the page content when resizing the browser window.

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The AutoScroller won't scroll in Netscape 4.x

By default, the AutoScroller defines the styles for the content layer embedded in the <head> section of the page, but chances are you've somehow altered those styles and now all or some of the styles for the nested layer are directly on the layer itself.
However, Netscape 4.x chokes on styles defined directly on nested layers and will refuse scrolling.

To fix this, you can run Yaromat's "Layer2Style" extension (available from http://www.yaromat.com/dw/index.php?t=Command&r=layers), or move these styles manually to the <head> section of your page.

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Can I make the AutoScroller scroll seamlessly, without the 'gap' at the end of the scroller content?

A DHTML scroller is not really scrolling. What is happening is that a layer under another layer is being moved below the upper layer's clip region.  Content in the layer below that falls outside of the clip area is hidden as a result, and the appearance is as if the content was 'scrolling'. And obviously that moving layer with the actual content can only be in one place at a time.

For the AutoScroller this means that the content layer will only be repositioned at the bottom of the upper layer's clip region again when all content has moved/scrolled by. And then the upward movement can start all over again.

A seamless scrolling effect can be achieved by using more than one content layer and making them take turns in the scrolling movement. But AutoScroller is just a very simple, basic scroller and thus doesn't support that.
Scroller Genie however (= commercial extension: http://www.dmxzone.com/showDetail.asp?NewsId=4952) is far more advanced and does support seamless scrolling.

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