Member Avatar for mjb73

Does anyone know the best way to insert this
into this I would like to insert this menu into the black area (replacing "some simple text or some links here")

Is there a server side include that allows me to work offline?

Thanks for your time.

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Brief summary and practical options based on the replies from and : server-side includes are processed by a web server, so they won’t work over file:// — a local server is required for “offline” testing. Netfirms typically supports PHP, so using PHP includes is a simple, supported route; SSI is an alternative if the server is configured for it. Below are concise, actionable choices and quick troubleshooting notes.

Server-side include (SSI) approach
Keep the menu as a single fragment (no <html>/<head>) and have the server insert it at request time. Typical SSI syntax:

<!--#include virtual="/includes/menu.html" -->

Use virtual for docroot-relative paths, file for filesystem paths. Ensure the server is set to parse the page extension you use (commonly .shtml) and that includes are enabled.

Local development / PHP
If hosting supports PHP (see ’s note), convert pages to be served (rename to .php) and use PHP’s include/require for the shared menu. For offline testing, run a local server (examples):

php -S localhost:8000
python -m http.server 8000

Or use a bundled stack (XAMPP/WAMP/MAMP) so includes are parsed exactly as on the live host.

Client-side / build-time alternatives
For static hosting or build-based workflows, either load the menu at runtime with JS:

<div id="nav"></div>
<script>
fetch('/includes/menu.html').then(r=>r.text()).then(t=>document.getElementById('nav').innerHTML=t);
</script>

or assemble pages at build time with a static site tool or a simple concatenation script so files remain plain .html for deployment.

Troubleshooting checklist

  • Verify correct path (relative vs absolute) and that the include file contains only the nav markup.
  • Confirm server parses the file extension chosen (.shtml/.php).
  • Check CSS specificity if styles don’t apply.
  • Use View Source to see whether the include was inserted or not, and clear caches.
  • On Netfirms, confirm feature availability in the control panel (PHP/SSI).

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for Airshow

mjb,

Both links are broken I'm afraid (404).

SSI is a server-side technology, which composes web pages from common chunks (includes) stored on the server, plus any stuff that is unique to each particular page. It does not contribute to your ability to work offline.

However if the question is, "can I run an SSI-enabled web server on my own computer", then the answer is "yes". I run Apache HTTP Server with SSI enabled under a windows operating system. (This arrangement is considered OK for local development but not for a live server where Unix is definately preferred for reasons of security). Other web servers may also support SSI but I have no experience.

Apache is open source and extensively (if not actually well) documented.

Hope this helps

Airshow

Member Avatar for mjb73

Thanks Airshow for your advice. my apologies for the broken links.

Member Avatar for almostbob

I use netfirms hosting
mysite is accessible as as well as mysite.com

all netfirms hosting is php enabled(*nix) or asp enabled(eeww MS hosting)
use php to include your menu
change filename.html to filename.php and add <?php include('menu.php') ?> where you want the menu to appear

read all about it at your control panel
devphp is a freeware local php development IDE
the standalone templates arent worth crap
the cms packages available for install from the control panel are better
but you have to read the instructions

Member Avatar for mjb73

Thanks almostbob for your help. I will look into these options being offered at netfirms.

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