Creating a template file on slate.mines.edu is easy. There are two different scripts: one for web pages in the regular/general web server area, and one if you are creating a web page in a student web space. The procedure is slightly different for students, because Server Side Include's (SSI's) cannot be run from the student area on the main server (http://www.mines.edu/). Students, though can use SSI's (and CGI's) on our alternate server http://www.students.mines.edu/.

Steps:

1. Login onto slate.mines.edu. You must already have an account, and have an area were you are authorized to create web pages. Faculty or staff, if you need web space, contact webmaster@mines.edu. Students who would like a student web space should click here.

2. Change directories to the location you want to create the template file (e.g., cd /www/fs_home/glee/).

3. For pages in the regular area, run the following command:

   /csminfo/bin/mk_csm_silverblue_temp page_prefix;

   For pages in the student area, run:

   /csminfo/bin/mk_csm_stu_silverblue_temp page_prefix

   The page_prefix; is required. Use the page prefix/filename you would like in place of page_prefix. The file created will be named page_prefix.shtml (Student area: page_prefix.html).

4. You can now edit the template web page. There are a few "keywords" within the file that you will want to change. There is also a specific area in which you should put your information. See the notes below:
   PUT_YOUR_TITLE_HERE:
   Replace this with you page title. There are two occurances. The first one defines the title of the browser window. The second one, is the Bold face page title just below the top menubar.
   YOUR_USERNAME_HERE:
   Replace this with you slate username. There are two occurances at the bottom of the page.
   Put your content here.
   This is where you can put in your specific information. It's best to work between the NORMAL EDITTING AREA and END NORMAL EDITING AREA comments.

Create a frameset with the banner image/links in the top frame

Example web page with frameset.

Using your own web authoring tools, you can create a frameset.

For a web page in the regular/general web server area, set the source for your top frameset as:
    /inc/csm-silverblueFrameTop.shtml

For a web page in a student web space, set the source for your top frameset as:
    /inc/csm-silverblueFrameTop.html

Download and edit this page

If you don't want, don't care about, or can't use SSI's, you can download the template file using your browser. Most browsers let you do this using the File -> Save As... menu option.

Before you do this, consider the following advantages of SSI's that you will lose (ie, the reasons we recommend using option #1 or #2 above):
• If you use SSI's, the Last Modified date at the bottom of the page will be updated automatically everytime you edit the page. Without SSI's, you need to update this manually, remove it, or write a Java Script.
• If you use SSI's, when we make minor updates, or corrections, to the menu toolbars, your pages will automatically be update.
• If you use SSI's, when we update the look of the pages in a few years, likely the look of your page can be automatically updated to conform to the new look. If you don't want this to happen, you may not want to use the SSI version.

Use graphics components from this page

If you want to customize your page using these graphics, you can download and use or modify any of the following:

• SilverBlue Image: PNG Format (created using Macromedia Fireworks)
• SilverBlue Image: JPG Format
• SilverBlue Image, No Menu Links: JPG Format
  The Menu Links in the original image were created with the following specifications:
  • Text Font: Tekton, 13pt, Bold, Italic
  • Bullet Font: Marlett, 13pt, Bold, Italic, -3 Baseline Shift (the bullet was produced with an "h")
  • Font Color: #FFFFFF
  • Additional Info: Smooth Anti-Alias