How do Advanced Web Pages Work?

[xpalmer]

Hi I've gotten CSS and xhtml down, but I haven't touched any of the other stuff. I was wondering how more advanced websites work.

When you go and download a free CSS template from a website they have calendars and search functions etc. But the CSS template itself doesn't include any coding for them to work. I was wondering what is used to integrate the template with those functions. Also when you download a template, do they expect you to know how to do it or are there other scripts that you can download that you just copy and paste?

Also do advanced web developers write their own code to update pages online (like blogs or front pages), edit offline then reupload, or use wordpress/moveable type etc.

thanks (hope this is the right section).

[Wickham]

But the CSS template itself doesn't include any coding for them to work.

It probably does. In many cases it's just an id="..." or name="..." in the div tag that links the div with a javascript or PHP file which activates js or PHP code to do something.

There is probably a link in the head section to the js file like
<script type="text/javascript" src="expandcollapse.js"></script>
which you missed

and some PHP code like
<?php include ("iescrollbar.inc"); ?> which you won't see because it is processed at the server before downloading.

Also do advanced web developers write their own code to update pages online (like blogs or front pages), edit offline then reupload, or use wordpress/moveable type etc.

They probably use a CMS (Content Management System) like Joomla or Drupal which allows edits of password-protected sections without risk of disturbing the code.