Documentation: Merging the BODY

Directive Pairs Guide BODY Merging

Short Version

  1. Put SSI-Containers in your Master Page.
  2. Put matching SSI-Fillers in your other pages.
  3. Point those other pages at your Master Page by giving each of them a correct SSI-Template directive.
  4. Done!

Long Version

HTML Master Pages performs very simple, ID-based BODY tag merging that easily enables web site authors to design and predict how resource documents will be merged into Master Pages and any other chained Master Pages thereafter. Only BODY content that is wrapped in SSI-Filler DIV tags is substituted into matching SSI-Container DIV tags. Everything not so wrapped is ignored. Ignored (and unmatched) content in a resource document is discarded. Ignored content in a Master Page is preserved. If you are chaining Master Pages, remember that what was initially a Master Page becomes a resource document when the next merge in the chain commences and this process repeats from the top.

Continue reading for an exploration of what all this means.