5.6 HTML Page Structure
When you compile a LANSA Web function, an HTML page is created for each display (REQUEST or DISPLAY) in the function. Each display is divided into a number of page components:
- function layout (including default JavaScript and styles)
- standard header
- function HTML
- standard footer.
The page components are embedded using special LANSA tags such as <RDML LAYOUT>, <RDML MERGE> and <RDML COMPONENT>. For more details, refer to RDML Tags.
For example, a typical LANSA Web function might produce the following generated HTML page:
<RDML LAYOUT>
<!-- Process : xxxxxxxxxx Test Process -->
<!-- Function : xxxxxxx Display Sections -->
<!-- Page : 001 -->
<!-- Generated by - xxxxxxxxx -->
<!-- Created by user - xxxxxxxxx -->
<!-- Time and Date - xxxxxxxxxxxx -->
<form action="/<RDML MERGE="&CGI">/LANSAWEB?FUNCTION+<RDML MERGE="&SESSION">"
method="post" name="LANSA">
<RDML MERGE="&HIDDEN">
<RDML COMPONENT="STDHEADER">
<center><h1><RDML MERGE="@FUNCTION"></h1></center>
...main body of function will appear here...
<RDML COMPONENT="STDFOOTER">
</form>
When the page is presented to the client browser, there will be just one HTML page. For the developer, each of the page components can be separate documents which can be shared and reused. For more details about these components, refer to Standard HTML Page Components.
Using standard page components for items like layout pages, headers, footers, etc. allows the developer to create common and shared definitions for the HTML pages. This approach greatly increases productivity because the developer does not need to repeat common information. Application maintenance is also significantly reduced as the developer need only change a single definition instead of modifying each function.
LANSA ships a set of standard HTML page components. These standard page components can be embedded into other HTML pages or they can be used as default pages. Standard page components are used to minimize the maintenance effort. For more details about these components, refer to Shipped Default Pages.
For example, the component STDHEADER displays a company logo and includes all the application navigation buttons. The STDHEADER is embedded into the HTML generated for every LANSA Web function. To change the company logo, you would only need to modify one file, STDHEADER. You do not need to modify the HTML in every function.
Each LANSA Web function will include a standard header and a standard footer in the generated HTML. LANSA Web functions allow you to use various styles for your standard header. You can choose between a static (STDHEADER_STYLE1) or a dynamic header. If you choose to have a dynamic header, you have the additional choice of implementing either a scrolling (STDHEADER_STYLE2) or a non-scrolling (STDHEADER_STYLE3) header. LANSA allows you to configure a header which can be used for all pages for a particular LANSA process. For more details, refer to Header Styles.