Many users of other web design applications frequently ask if Xara Xtreme or Xara Web Designer can create frames. The short answer is not exactly.

On the other hand, you can create the illusion of frames using a simple IFRAME script. Using this script, you can include an existing web page or website in your frame using a placeholder. The IFRAME script tells the browser to replace the placeholder with the content of a specific web address. But sometimes it is easier to demonstrate than it is to explain. A frame is worth a thousand words or something like that.

Create your web page frame in Xtreme or Web Designer. Make your page large enough to accommodate the site or page you wish to include.

Add you page elements as you would for any website including a banner and navigation buttons, logos, etc.

Determine the content area of the web page or site you wish to include. Add a rectangle to this size. The website may be deeper and/or wider in which case the page will scroll within the space (shown as a gray rectangle above). The color of the rectangle is not important as it is just a placeholder and will be replaced with the specified website.

Select the placeholder rectangle. Open the Web Properties dialog (Shift Ctrl w). In the Placeholder tabbed section, add the code shown above. Replace mywebsite.com with the URL for the website you wish to include. Use the angle brackets and all punctuation exactly as it appears.

If you plan to use more Iframes on your page give each one a unique name, for example, iframe2, iframe3, etc.

Click Apply. (Always remember to click Apply. If necessary have this tattooed on the inside of your eyelids or at the very least place a Post-It note on your screen. Any changes you make are lost unless you press Apply).

For more information and options related to Iframes visit this page.

Press Export & Preview Website or File > Preview Website to see how the IFRAME is working. You may need to adjust the placeholder rectangle if you have scroll handles or if the rectangle is larger than it should be. It is kind of a trial and error process.

Click here to see the example shown above. Notice that you can navigate the entire site, the Xara Xone is this example, without leaving the frame.