1. Server-side includes Library and Information Services University of St Andrews

2. What are server-side includes (SSI)? Mechanism of employing the web server to perform certain tasks displaying files as part of other files displaying information dynamically (dates, URLs) Server support needed

3. File extensions:.html .shtml Files containing SSI are html files Server only parses files with extension.shtml for SSI Rename/save any files that contain SSI directives as.shtml

4. SSI directives Code inserted into html source of a document Syntax: Various elements (e.g. “include”, “echo”, “config”) and attributes to go with these elements

5. SSI elements: include Syntax: Inserts a file into another file Including file: file that contains the SSI directive Included file: file that is displayed as part of another file

6. Including and included files SSI demo SSI demo Some text … some more text … School of Pottery University of St Andrews St Andrews Fife KY16 9AJ Email: pottery@st- andrews.ac.uk Including fileIncluded file

7. Including and included file SSI demo SSI demo Some text … School of Pottery University of St Andrews St Andrews Fife KY16 9AJ Email: pottery@st-andrews.ac.uk some more text …

8. SSI elements: echo Displaying URLs dynamically Syntax: Displaying last modified date dynamically Sxntax: Displaying date and time dynamically Syntax:

9. SSI elements: config Configure current and last modified time stamps Syntax: Directive appears immediately in front directive for time stamp will display e.g. Wednesday, 12 November 2003

10. Timefmt: values Server dependent Some values that can be used in St Andrews: %aAbbreviated day name %AFull day name %dDay as number (1-31) %bAbbreviated month name %BFull month name %mMonth as number (1-12) %HHour as number (24-hour clock) %IHour as number (12-hour clock) %MMinute as number (00-59) %SSecond as number (00-59) %YYear

11. Why use SSI? For templates: to ensure consistent layout Content management on institutional web sites Control privileges of various web masters Avoiding unnecessary duplication of repetitive content Ease of updating Time management