Template dimensions

[Ghost]

What are optimal document dimensions when you are creating a template for a website. (You may list dimensions for each 'type' of website if you wish)

[Ryan Fait]

Always keep it around 770 pixels wide or less. No one likes sites that require horizontally scrolling.

[jamesbowers]

yeah just remember that some people out there are still viewing in 800x600, and therefore you want it to be about 770 or less just like ryanfait said. As for the height, that obviously depends on how much you have on the page. HTML pages can be long, whereas if you're making a flash website, you'll want to keep the height at around 500? That's also to do with the 800x600 resolution issue.... man i reckon they should do away with that rubbish resolution when Vista comes out!!!

[ukgeoff]

Ryan is right about about the width. If you are going to design a fluid web site, then you need to have a design that can reduce to this width and still work/look like you intended it too.

Keep in mind that fluid web sites, if you are not careful, can also look the pits when viewed at a wider resolution than you perhaps intended.

As far as the length of the page goes, try not to have pages longer than two to three screen fulls as people also hate scrolling endlessly on down.

And remenber the 'above the fold' maxim.

As this isn't actually a graphics issue, I'm moving this thread to the html forum.

[moojoo]

The problem is much bigger than 800x600 resolutions unfortunately. Even users with 1024x768 or 1152x870 say with IE at the helm have 800x600 or less of actual view port in their browser. So as stated 770 is usually safe.