I want to try to get away from needing the FP extensions before I attempt to add a few php scripts. I 'm trying to follow the directions laid out by this previous post - http://www.lunarforums.com/lunarpages_frontpage/i_tricked_frontpage_and_now_its_theme_is_my_css_mwahahahaha-t41481.0.html
The first part was easy enough (copying files), but then it gets into tables. After playing with these in the beginning I quickly gave up on them. Now it seems I need them to hold the look of my site. Before I move on to changing the custom link bars (which I have set vertically down the left side) I have to set up what I assume should be two tables. I already have the top, bottom and left (link bar) borders saved, so in between the top and bottom I imagine there should be two tables. One to contain the new link bars and a second to hold the main content of the page. The problem I'm having is that the left table centers the link bars, so that as the main content expands and enlarges the overall size of the page, it drags the link bars down and to the center of that table.

After looking into this myself, I first found that one option would be to find and insert a spacer gif. This, I think, should allow me to fix and hold the size of of the left table while allowing the right (larger table holding all of the main content) to expand. But in looking into this further it seems that this method is outdated and no longer really used. I can't find another way around it though. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

By the way, I created the tables by first adding a layout table, expanding it to the width of the page then using split cells under the table menu.

Frames are to be avoided for many reasons but some simple tables will do the job.

This graphic shows a simple main frame layout that works in many sites. http://steubenlakes.org/framelayout.gif.

Actually my example is only one table. Insert a table that is three rows high by two columns wide. Then merge the two columns in the top (banner) row. Similarly, merge the two columns in the third (footer) row.

Depending on what you want in the content area, you may wish to insert another table inside the content area.

The purpose of a table is to establish areas (cells) so you can place content, menus, navbars, text, pictures, etc. and have it stay in the correct area. So yes, if you place buttons in a cell, they will stay in the cell.

Typically the buttons would be in a cell of the larger table. In my example there is just one table with several cells for the various page elements.

Not more than one minute after sending that last post I realized what I was overlooking. After selecting the cell, right clicking and selecting cell properties, I set the vertical alignment to "top."
It seems once again I made a mountain out of a molehill and overlooked the simple fix.

Thanks again Rick for your input.