How to Navigate Web Pages Using Frames

For Communicator 4.x with Windows 3.xWeb pages created with frames divide the computer screen into two or more active windows. For an example, see the frames demonstration on the University Libraries home page.

It is not easy to navigate a site that uses frames. Netscape Communicator offers several features to assist the user in working within the frames environment.

Frames Navigation

To MOVE BACK TO A PREVIOUS FRAME

When working in a frames environment, special navigation techniques must be used in order to move forward and back inside a particular frame. Let's say that you have clicked on a link and the file loads into one of the frames. How do you return to the previous item in that frame?

You can either:

Click on the Back arrow (top left of screen), OR:
Press down on the right mouse button (not on a link or an image) and hold it. A pop-up window will appear with two choices. Slide down the mouse until you highlight the choice, Back. Let go of the mouse button. The previous file will appear in the frame.

To MOVE FORWARD TO A FRAME

If you have loaded several new files into a particular frame and have traveled backwards using the above procedure, you can then go forward again one by one through the files.

You can either:

Click on the Forward button, OR:
Press down on the right mouse button and hold it. A pop-up window will appear with two choices. Slide down the mouse until you highlight the choice, Forward. Let go of the mouse button. The next file will appear in the frame.

To DOWNLOAD, E-MAIL OR PRINT A FILE WITHIN A FRAME

To print, download, or e-mail a file within a frame window, it is usually best to load this frame into a separate full-screen window. Especially in the case of printing, Communicator asks that the frame be "selected" before acting on it. In other cases, you need to be sure that the frame you want is the file that you are downloading or mailing. Sometimes your target frame is exactly what Communicator will download, e-mail or print, but this is not always the case. To ensure success, load the frame into a new copy of the browser. Communicator allows you to open a second copy of the browser for this purpose.

To accomplish this, use the right mouse button as follows:

Place your mouse pointer in the frame you wish to work with
Hold down the right mouse button. A pop-up window will appear with several choices. Slide down the mouse and highlight, Open Frame in New Window
Let go of the mouse button. A new copy of Communicator will launch with the frame loaded into the entire screen.
Print, download, or e-mail the file

To return to the frames environment: (Win 3.x only)

Press down the Alt key and hold it. Then tap the Tab key. Let go of both keys and you will be returned to the original copy of Communicator. OR, simply close the newer copy of Communicator.

Other Frames Features: The Right Mouse Button

The right mouse button offers additional flexibility within the frames environment.

1. IF YOUR MOUSE IS POSITIONED INSIDE A FRAME (but not on a link or an image):

Open Frame in New Window: Loads the current frame into a new copy of Communicator
Back: Returns to the previous file loaded within that frame
Forward: Moves forward through the history list of the particular frame
Reload Frame: Retrieves the current frame from the server
View Frame Source: Brings up the HTML tags of the current page
View Frame Info: Brings up the page information screen, which lists various structural, date, and security information
Add Bookmark: Adds the current page (within the frame) to the Bookmark file
Send Page: E-mails the current page (within the frame)

2. IF YOUR MOUSE IS POSITIONED INSIDE A FRAME AND ON A LINK

These additional functionalities are available:

Open in New Window: Loads the destination of the link into a new copy of Communicator
Open Frame in New Window: Opens the entire current frame in a new copy of Communicator
Save Link As: Saves the destination of the link to the drive of your choice
Copy Link Location: Copies the URL of the link into the Windows Clipboard for pasting into another Windows application

Laura Cohen | 8/97
lcohen@cnsvax.albany.edu