I need to make one menu file for all page so when I need to add or delete and item, I don't have to change all pages on my site. What do you think is the best idea? if I use server side include (like php include), first php should be installed on the server and the menu doesn't "know" what page is displayed now so I can't disable the current page link menu item link or change the color. Some people use java script to do the same idea but user should have java script enabled to see the menu and I doubt this is earch engine friendly too. Some people use frames but I hate it and I know most of you do too for many reasons. What is the methode you use to acomplish that?
PHP is able to know what page it's displaying, you just need to do a bit more coding. Look on php.net for server variables.
The worst thing about the php solution is that I have to rename all my pages to .php and update all the links . I have heard about editing .htacess with "ddType application/x-httpd-php .htm .html" but unfortunately my host doesn't let me edit .htaces file. Do you suggest another design where I don't include menu in all pages?
Use html server side includes. Use the x-bit hack, and you won't have to change file names, only do a chmod +x *.html. This assumes Apache or other standards compliant server. IIS is an unknown for me. :shrug: cheers, gary
Do you know any free utility -or ideas- to change all the links in your site from .html to .php? Because with normal text editors you have to open the pages one by one and they would change the extension inside the page text too.
There's no need to change page names, and I don't recomment it. You'll lose your indexed pages on search engines and your PR. You should make a "virtual file renaming" with RewriteRule on your .htaccess file.
you don't need to lose your pagerank - simply 301 redirect all your old pages to your new ones and you keep your google ranking. Quite easy to do - just Google it!
Page rank is not a problem because my site is almost new So other than page rank, do you recommend changing the files extension to php for all my site or it's better to stay .html?
IMO is better to have .html extension. Some bots are not getting/indexing pages when there are too many parameters in URL. You can "insert" those parameters in .html page with "mod rewrite" feature on your .htaccess. Example: yourSite.com/page1.php?par1=val1&par2=val2 yourSite.com/page1/par1-val1,par2-val2.html, of whatever syntax you like .