[NTLUG:Discuss] Web pages graphics question

[kbrannen@gte.net]

Jack Snodgrass wrote:
> There are some 'tabs' on this page:
> http://multizilla.mozdev.org/
> 
> What is the easiest / quickest way to reproduce tabs 
> ( there is an 'on' and 'off' version of each tab ) so 
> that I can generated my own on/off tabs for my web
> page? 

Look at the source of the page.  It's a pretty typical way to do it.  Each tab 
is a cell in a table, the background color of the cell indicates if you're "on 
that page".  If you want it to have a special look, you can make it an image 
(as mozilla did), or you can just make it text.  A common thing to do is to 
create 2 small images for the left & right edges to give the tabs a rounded 
look, with the text you want in the middle.

Generally speaking, that is all part of the header of the page, and is 
dynamically generated.  It could be static, for example maybe you have a 
program to dynamically generate all the pages so each will be different, but 
be static for the web server.

...
> If I have more text than I have tab 'width', 
> I'm not sure how I can just expand it. 

Depends on if you want the tabs to be uniform in width.  If yes, then you'll 
have to size them based on the widest tab.  If not, then let them vary. :-)

> 
> Gimp seems awful complicated if all I want to do is
> generate some tabs. 

I agree.

> 
> I'd like to be able to have a list of words and type 
> 'go' and have some program read my words, generate
> tab images and be done with it. If I want to fix a spelling
> error or add more tabs, I update my file of words and type 
> 'go' again. 
> 
> Are there any programs that will let me do something like
> that? 

Probably, though I'm not aware of them; but then I wouldn't bother.  Just 
create the 4 small curved edge graphics (1 for each side for a set, then a set 
with the ON color and a set with the OFF color), and place the whatever words 
you want in the middle.  You'll probably want to force the width & height of 
each cell.

HTH,
Kevin