Dreamweaver - Using Templates

Author

Using Templates

msmithe

2005-07-31, 7:34 pm

Hi All,

I just got a new computer with windows xp pro operating system and installed
Dreamweaver MX. I've been using Dreamweaver since version 3.

I think I'm doing something wrong or something changed between version 4 and
MX. I created a template in MX and added the editable regions. For the site,
there are plain pages with nothing but content. I open one of the content
pages, click modify, template, apply to page. Select the desired template and
the template opens in the content page but doesn't ask where to place the
content. Now I have a template on the content page but no content. It's gone

In Dreamweaver 4 when I used the apply template page, it would ask choose
editable region for orphan content. I selected the region for the content and
the template is added to the page with the content where I want it. All I need
to do is save the page.

The only thing I can figure out for MX is to create a new page with the
template. Open the content page. copy the content form the page. go back to
the new page with the template and paste the content. Close the content page.
and then save the new page as the old content page. This is adding extra
steps, work and time.

As an experiment, I uploaded the templates created in MX and then downloaded
them onto the older computer with Dreamweaver 4. The templates work in
Dreamweaver 4, allowing me to apply the template to the content page and
selecting the editable region to place the content.

So it got me thinking that maybe I installed MX incorrectly or didn't set the
preferences right etc.

Thanks for you help.

M. Smithe

Murray *TMM*

2005-07-31, 7:34 pm

DMX6.0 or DMX6.1? There were quite a few template related things fixed
between the two (and sadly some that were not fixed as well). If the
former, please update to the latter at your earliest convenience.

> The only thing I can figure out for MX is to create a new page with the
> template. Open the content page. copy the content form the page. go back
> to
> the new page with the template and paste the content. Close the content
> page.
> and then save the new page as the old content page. This is adding extra
> steps, work and time.

But, it's the right way to do it. One should not apply a template to a page
with existing content, particularly if the template has more than one
editable region. The reason is that you must place ALL the content into a
single editable region, which would rarely be what is desired.

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"msmithe" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dcisbm$mal$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I just got a new computer with windows xp pro operating system and
> installed
> Dreamweaver MX. I've been using Dreamweaver since version 3.
>
> I think I'm doing something wrong or something changed between version 4
> and
> MX. I created a template in MX and added the editable regions. For the
> site,
> there are plain pages with nothing but content. I open one of the content
> pages, click modify, template, apply to page. Select the desired template
> and
> the template opens in the content page but doesn't ask where to place the
> content. Now I have a template on the content page but no content. It's
> gone
>
> In Dreamweaver 4 when I used the apply template page, it would ask choose
> editable region for orphan content. I selected the region for the content
> and
> the template is added to the page with the content where I want it. All I
> need
> to do is save the page.
>
> The only thing I can figure out for MX is to create a new page with the
> template. Open the content page. copy the content form the page. go back
> to
> the new page with the template and paste the content. Close the content
> page.
> and then save the new page as the old content page. This is adding extra
> steps, work and time.
>
> As an experiment, I uploaded the templates created in MX and then
> downloaded
> them onto the older computer with Dreamweaver 4. The templates work in
> Dreamweaver 4, allowing me to apply the template to the content page and
> selecting the editable region to place the content.
>
> So it got me thinking that maybe I installed MX incorrectly or didn't set
> the
> preferences right etc.
>
> Thanks for you help.
>
> M. Smithe
>

msmithe

2005-07-31, 7:36 pm

Thanks for the reply... I'm using Dreamweaver MX 2004.

I've been using MX for several weeks now and so far I don't see any advantage
over Dreamweaver 4... MX is adding extra steps because of the template changes.
We deal with a lots of content and flipping back and forth between pages to
cut and paste adds time, especially working with over 100 pages of content,
artcles etc. Yes I understand that everything must go into one region but our
templates are designed with that in mind. We may have multiple editable
regions, one of those editable regions is for the content. We also use a
several includes for navigation etc which makes updating the entire site easier.

Unless I can apply template to a page with content and can select a region to
put into, I'll probably go back to Dreamweaver 4.

I find it hard to believe the MX won't let you select a region to apply the
content.

M. Smithe

Murray *TMM*

2005-07-31, 7:36 pm

You keep referring to MX and I want to make sure you are talking about
DMX2004 version 7.0.1, right?

If that's what you are referring to, then I would need to see one of your
template pages to get a better handle on what might be happening.
Personally, I have never seen DMX2004 delete editable region content, and I
work with templates quite a bit.

As far as the differences between DMX2004 and DW4, they are massive in my
opinion, particularly if you are using CSS in any way. But it really does
depend on your workflow as to how these differences will affect you
personally....

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"msmithe" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dcj1pn$t1j$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Thanks for the reply... I'm using Dreamweaver MX 2004.
>
> I've been using MX for several weeks now and so far I don't see any
> advantage
> over Dreamweaver 4... MX is adding extra steps because of the template
> changes.
> We deal with a lots of content and flipping back and forth between pages
> to
> cut and paste adds time, especially working with over 100 pages of
> content,
> artcles etc. Yes I understand that everything must go into one region but
> our
> templates are designed with that in mind. We may have multiple editable
> regions, one of those editable regions is for the content. We also use a
> several includes for navigation etc which makes updating the entire site
> easier.
>
> Unless I can apply template to a page with content and can select a region
> to
> put into, I'll probably go back to Dreamweaver 4.
>
> I find it hard to believe the MX won't let you select a region to apply
> the
> content.
>
> M. Smithe
>

msmithe

2005-07-31, 7:37 pm

Hi Murray,

Thanks for all your help. Yes I'm using 7.0.1 version but discovered the
problem. I just started using this version this week.

We are revising some older sites that used shtml includes for header etc. so
many of the content pages didn't have the <html><head> tags but the
<!--#include virtual ="/head.shtml">. With dreamweaver 4 all we did was remove
the include tag applied the template to page and selected the editable content
region.

Version 7.0.1 needs those <html><head> in the code or it won't show the
option to pick where you want to place the content.

Yes the css feature is better than Dreamwearver 4 but I intergated Top Style
Lite with version 4 which helped a lot when using css.

Thanks

M. Smithe

Murray *TMM*

2005-07-31, 11:23 pm

That's good to know! Thanks for following up with the answer....

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"msmithe" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dcjiul$kor$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Hi Murray,
>
> Thanks for all your help. Yes I'm using 7.0.1 version but discovered the
> problem. I just started using this version this week.
>
> We are revising some older sites that used shtml includes for header etc.
> so
> many of the content pages didn't have the <html><head> tags but the
> <!--#include virtual ="/head.shtml">. With dreamweaver 4 all we did was
> remove
> the include tag applied the template to page and selected the editable
> content
> region.
>
> Version 7.0.1 needs those <html><head> in the code or it won't show the
> option to pick where you want to place the content.
>
> Yes the css feature is better than Dreamwearver 4 but I intergated Top
> Style
> Lite with version 4 which helped a lot when using css.
>
> Thanks
>
> M. Smithe
>