Dreamweaver - Re: The most efficient approach to create a website in Dreamweaver

Author

Re: The most efficient approach to create a website in Dreamweaver

Tim G

2006-02-25, 6:15 pm

"Silvertype" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dtq56n$9h4$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Hi guys,
> I am relatively new to using the Dreamweaver and wonder what is the most
> efficient approach to develop a website with it. What I have been doing is
> that
> I would usually take the image file (the layout of the website created by
> the
> graphic designer in it's psd form) and slice it into portions in
> photoshop.
> After that, I would save the slices as html pages and import them into
> dreamweaver for further editing. While this method is fast, it has its
> limitations. For instance, it would always create a few extra rows of
> "spacer.gif " images which reside at the end of the page. While they are
> not
> really visible, they don't really do a thing either and if you try to
> remove
> them, they will mess up the page real bad. So through this thread, I would
> like
> to find out how most of you create and layout your pages and hopefully,
> help
> novices like myself to discover a better approach in web development.
> Thanks.

After you have your mockup in Photoshop, visualize your page in "blocks."
Think in terms of HTML. Then, rather than exporting HTML slices, export
graphic slices only. Create your containers in DW, using CSS to deploy the
graphics as background images.

Throughout the process (already from mockup stage), keep the issue of text
expandability in view. You don't want your page to break if more text is
added, or if the user resizes the text in the browser.

All of this means that you need to acquire a sound working knowledge of HTML
and CSS.

HTH.

tim

.: Nadia :. *TMM*

2006-02-26, 6:14 pm

Excellent advice from Tim,
Never let a graphics editor output your html. Your page will be restricted
to a fixed layout - that will break at the least provocation... eg: adding
content to table cells may cause them to expand and break out your design.
Increasing the text size is a browser can also 'break' your layout.

As Tim suggested, slice up your images - decide what can be used a
background images for your containers (either divs or table cells) and use
css to accompish this.

These basic css tutorials will get you get started on the road to using CSS
layouts
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/dr...s_concepts.html

--
Nadia
Team MM Volunteer for Dreamweaver
--------------------------------------------
http://www.csstemplates.com.au - CSS Templates | Free Templates
http://www.DreamweaverResources.com - Dropdown Menu Templates|Tutorials
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/dreamweaver/css.html - CSS Tutorials
-------------------------------------------------

"Tim G" <webservicesNOSPAM@pactumgroup.com> wrote in message
news:dtqf9n$lt8$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>
> "Silvertype" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
> news:dtq56n$9h4$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>
> After you have your mockup in Photoshop, visualize your page in "blocks."
> Think in terms of HTML. Then, rather than exporting HTML slices, export
> graphic slices only. Create your containers in DW, using CSS to deploy the
> graphics as background images.
>
> Throughout the process (already from mockup stage), keep the issue of text
> expandability in view. You don't want your page to break if more text is
> added, or if the user resizes the text in the browser.
>
> All of this means that you need to acquire a sound working knowledge of
> HTML and CSS.
>
> HTH.
>
> tim
>