Does anyone know if it is possible to make a simple html drop box menu that instead of displaying links that are written right into the code, it would get the link information from a text file hosted on another server?

Here's my issue. I'm running a "network" of websites who all include a drop box with links to each of the other network members. The problem is that from time to time a new website comes into the network, and it's such a pain having to go around and change each site's drop box code separately. What I'd rather do is to have each of the site's drop box code "sucking" the information from one singular text file that I'd have hosted on my main site, then I'd only have to update the one file, and it would change all of the drop boxes..

Is this possible?

Here's an example of one of the sites http://mmaa4u.com, the drop box is on the upper right..

Maybe this would work?
http://think2loud.com/using-jquery-a...drop-down-box/

Oh yes, it's certainly possible. What racer_x just posted would work, though I'm guessing you probably don't want anything like jQuery or XML. So as far as I know, there are two ways to do this:

1. Use a PHP include. The only problem is that you would need to change your file name from index.html to index.php. Your server would also have to support PHP, but that probably isn't an issue seeing that almost all servers do.

2. Use a server-side include, otherwise known as an SSI. This would probably work better in your case, seeing that it would probably be a lot of work to change all of your page's extensions to .php, as well as the links inside them.
However, some web servers require that you name your file .shtml rather than .html in order to enable the parsing of your file by the server. If server side includes don't appear to work, try renaming the page with a .shtml file extension.

Either option that you choose, your text file will probably end up looking like this:

<div id="partners">
<form name="form1">
<select style="font-size:10px;color:#006699;font-family:verdana;background-color:#ffffff;" name="menu" onChange="location=document.form1.menu.options[document.form1.menu.selectedIndex].value;">
<option value=''>Please choose</option>
<option value="http://adrynylyn.com">ADRYNYLYN</option>
<option value="http://mmaa4u.com">Modern Martial Arts</option>
<option value="http://teamfearnone.adrynylyn.com">Team Fear None</option>
</select>
</form>

</div>

- Steve

PHP is defininitely the way to go.

You could also enable parsing of PHP in .htm, .html files by editing your .htaccess file. Just add the following code to your .htaccess file (usually located at the root of your server):

//For .html
AddType application/x-httpd-php .html 

//For .htm
AddType application/x-httpd-php .htm

Just a friendly note: unless your dropdown-menu is just linking to external websites, it would be a good idea to use absolute links (i.e. http://website.com/page.html vs. page.html). This is especially an important factor if you are working with large websites.

-Moatist

Good point guys. I was trying to think of a way similar to how the Twitter widget(for example) populates a list from an external website with javascript.

BTW - ryangassxx, I forgot that ajax won't include for external sites I think, sorry about that.

Just use an SSI call in the box to one external file containing the links.

Nice job. Looks like you got it taken care of, I think.

I'd recommend using PHP and using the full URL http://www. and not just page.php/.html.

You would have to upload the php file you are including to each website unless you can just include the http://www. full url. I can't remember if you can or not I forget. I think you can't but I'm not positive.