Strange boxes instead of text

[Sincraft]

Greetings all!
Hopefully someone can figure this one out as I am clueless..

When viewing my webpage that I recently put up, I see STRANGE boxes instead of text in Netscrape 4.74. Net 6 and ie 6 view it fine (well now).

My source code MAY be a bit sloppy, but everything seems ok with other browers AT THE MOMENT...until I can figure out how to test it via other terminals. I am running the same version of IE as my girlfriend but she saw issues that I couldn't. Fixed them, and just wondering what other ones are out there. RIGHT NOW however, I am getting VERY strange boxes instead of the text. OR it shows the text briefly then reverts back to the boxes.


Possible Help:
I have Ilayers (if that helps) and other various scripts running. The only script running during the text issue is the HVMenu (which runs fine and is seen fine). But the rest of the text is rather fubard.
Also, I was having problems formating text. Dreamweaver is forcing me to use BOLD on every font. I lived with it as it didn't really look bad. But I am wondering why I couldn't just use normal fonts/sizes etc. I shut default to css off but I still see style thingies in there. (k, not really up to speed on some of this). Anyway. Maybe someone could help without me publically placing the address on here. Or maybe I could PM it?

THANK YOU!

Also, does anyone know how I can view it using a MACs version of IE and netscrape? Is there an emulator and will it work the same.

[ronaldb66]

I can't help you with the Dreamweaver bit, other then that I've worked with it as well and never had any problems with it trying to make all text bold.
I didn't spot any ilayers as well, but if you use them: NN 4.x does not support them, and both ilayers and layers (Netscape proprietary) are no longer in any standard and their use should therefore be avoided at all cost. Using CSS, regular box level elements (like divs) can create the exact same behaviour, and are standard compliant (and widely supported).

As for CSS: using font elements to style text is generally accepted to be a very bad coding habit. I strongly recommend getting the basics of CSS down, like font styling and coloring, and stop using font elements as fast as you can. Although DW's support of CSS is far from perfect, basic styling is no problem.

[brothercake]

The little boxes you see means that Netscape doesn't understand the individual characters. I can't actually remember what causes that - it might be the page's character encoding is wrong. Or it might just be bad luck - if you remove random chunks of HTML it might just start working again.

But why are you still trying to support Netscape 4 with rich content anyway? It's irresponsible imo, and precludes you from making interoperable pages.

btw - no, there's no mac emulator. The only way to test on a mac is to have one.

[sidvorak]

Sincraft,
I have had the same problems with netscape 4 and Macromedia's dropdown menu script. Possibly your HVmenu script is causing the same problems. Try taking it out to test if it is the problem.

Also, you can use browsercam (http://www.browsercam.com/default.aspx) to view your pages in different browser and operating systems. not as good as having multiple computers with multiple OS's...but cheaper for sure ;)

Cheers,
Simon (http://www.simondvorak.com)

[Sincraft]

Brocake..
Irresponsible? I have been out of things for awhile. I was mostly, as an IT Manager, clueless on many of the rules and regulations for what works and what doesn't. Overall, I didn't think I did too bad of a job for not coding a site for over 7 years or even looking at a bit of html until this last page. It was kinda a favor to someone who supplies me with the product on his website for great profit to me...so it's a scratch my back, scratch yours type o' thing. :) If the market was SO flooded with designers and companies, I would seriously consider doing this on the side because I really enjoyed it (for the most part)...but it's issues like this that drive me nutz.

Anyway, thanks for the input guys.
Sid and Ron, thanks. I will try both suggestions..great .nfo

So overall, whatcha think of the site? Do you guys see anything squirly going on? Fyi I have to change the front page to something a bit more 'flashy' as per the client. :( So what you see now may change a BIT in a day or so on the first page.

S

[sidvorak]

Sincraft,

squirly=<p align="center"><b><font size="5"><i>Manufacturers of Natural<br>Stone Products</i></font></b></p>

I lifted that off the Apex Surfaces site.

use <em></em> instead of <i></i> and <strong></strong> instead of <b></b>

Also, why not use a more accessible form of navigation. With javascript off, your nav menu disappears. Try using something based on unordered lists, css and javascript to get better functionality (http://www.brothercake.com/scripts/listmenu/).:thumbsup:

Cheers,
Simon