I have one page of content (a links page describing all my sites) that appears on all my sites which are all on the same server. Right now, if I make a change or add a new site, I need to edit each page on every site. I would like to be able to edit one page and have the changes appear on all sites. I assume I need some sort of script to do this but I don't know what language or even if I do need a script. Is this even possible? Any ideas of where to start... or where to start looking?

its easy to do that using php... something like a global declaration..

server side includes

Originally Posted by bogs

its easy to do that using php... something like a global declaration..

Unfortunately, I am not familiar enough with PHP to know what that means or how to use a "Global Declaration". And after a search for "global declaration" I am not much further ahead. If it can update similar pages on multiple sites, then I would be interested in hearing more.

Originally Posted by chrishirst

server side includes

From the link you provided above it seems that SSI is for a single site. How can I use it to update pages on multiple sites?

PHP can include HTML from remote pages, for ASP you'll need to use what amounts to a scraper.

I would just do a Server Side Include, or, as I call them, HTML includes.

<!--#include virtual="path to file/include-file.html" -->

Hope it helps!
- Steve

Originally Posted by stevej

I would just do a Server Side Include, or, as I call them, HTML includes.

<!--#include virtual="path to file/include-file.html" -->

Hope it helps!
- Steve

Now we are getting close I think, but how would bring just a part of the page that the info is on. For example, the content is inside an html page but I don't want to import the entire page as it would look odd on another site with a different design so I need to import just part of that page. Do I need to add some markers or something? How would the include then call just that section of the page?

Well, you don't even need to import a html file. For instance:

<!--#include virtual="path to file/include-file.txt" -->

It could just be a .txt file.

- Steve

SSI won't work across different sites.

You HAVE to use scripting.

Originally Posted by stevej

Well, you don't even need to import a html file. For instance:

<!--#include virtual="path to file/include-file.txt" -->

It could just be a .txt file.

- Steve

But this cannot be used across multiple sites, can it?

What do you mean? You could put the code on multiple sites, and then change the one text file.

- Steve

Which would however mean uploading or syncing the text file to multiple sites, which is what EditFast is trying to avoid.

Originally Posted by stevej

What do you mean? You could put the code on multiple sites, and then change the one text file.

- Steve

So, if the txt file I want to use is on "mainsite.com" would this work:


site2.com
<!--#include virtual="http://mainsite.com/include-file.txt" -->

and this

site3.com
<!--#include virtual="http://mainsite.com/include-file.txt" -->

So, if the txt file I want to use is on "mainsite.com" would this work:


site2.com
<!--#include virtual="http://mainsite.com/include-file.txt" -->

and this

site3.com
<!--#include virtual="http://mainsite.com/include-file.txt" -->

Yep, that would[edit]SHOULD[/edit] work.
- Steve

Originally Posted by chrishirst

server side includes

Very nice article, thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by stevej

Yep, that would work.
- Steve

Well, that's it then. I will try it out later today and let you know if it works (or if it doesn't). Thanks very much for your help, Steve, and everyone here. It is appreciated.

A quick and easy way without using scripting is to use iframe to include those information on every page.
You still have to edit all the pages. Or use one of those editor that can search and replace across files.

Originally Posted by stevej

Yep, that would work.
- Steve

Steve, I can't seem to get this to work. I used <!--#include virtual="http://gvls.com/aboutus.txt" --> on this page: http://gvls.com/english/aboutus.htm

I uploaded the txt file to the root directory but it does nopt show up even though the filke being called is on the same site. What am I doing wriong?

post #10!!!!!