Summary of commonly used methods and techniques in Dreamweaver

This article brings you a summary of commonly used methods and techniques in Dreamweaver. It has certain reference value. Friends in need can refer to it. I hope it will be helpful to you.

Dreamweaver has many rich user wizard functions, which makes it look irresistible. These easy-to-follow tips will guide you in creating a new site smoothly.

Connection Window

Dreamweaver’s user interface is divided into several windows. When in working mode, the screen can only accommodate several windows. In order to preserve the true operating state, the best strategy is to dock open windows together. You may have tried dragging the title bar of the window. This can be done in many programs, but it does not work in Dreamweaver.

The trick to realize window connection is to use the mouse to drag the tab bar of the window instead of the title bar. Try clicking and dragging the tab bar of one window over another window. When you see a black border appear, release the mouse button and you will find that the two windows have been combined. Now you can connect as many windows as you like and merge them into one, saving a lot of screen space and allowing you to see what's actually working. But please note: the loader window, properties window and site window cannot be connected.

Data Entry

Dreamweaver allows you to enter data directly into a table, which is much easier than cutting and pasting content into cells again and again. But if the data to be input contains insert/table data commands, there will be some trouble. Unfortunately, Dreamweaver can only import .txt files with delimiters. If you want to process Word or Excel files, you can first output them as .txt files and then import them into Dreamweaver. You will find that this processing method is as wonderful as a dream!

Delete, restore, repeat

Entering data into a table can save a lot of time, but one of the most useful features in Dreamweaver is its history window . In this window, once the document is opened, every subsequent operation performed is recorded, so that you can track the operation and simply undo or repeat the last step. Just select the last step in the history window and press the Delete key, or drag the slider to a certain step to delete several steps at once. Similarly, click the Replay button in the window to perform a step again.

It’s strange that you can’t save more than 50 steps, right? This is the default value. To increase this value, select "Edit/Preferences", make sure you are on the "Normal" function page, and enter a higher value in the "Historical step maximum value" field. Please note that the larger the number of save steps you set, the more content will be consumed.

Extension! Expand!

By using extensions, you can add more performance to Dreamweaver. Many developers create extensions and make them available for free to more people. You can visit Macromedia's site to exchange works with everyone. When running Dreamweaver, select "Command/Get More Commands" and the browser will automatically launch and go to the exchange site. Before you start collecting all the new tips, first download Extension Manager, which will make tracking extensions a breeze.

The following tips are helpful for developers who manage large sites and work with other web developers.

Create Album

Creating thumbnails for many graphics at once is a tedious task, especially if you are not an experienced graphics expert. It doesn't matter, Dreamweaver has a new feature, it can be like a graphic design assistant for you, completing the thumbnail design work according to your requirements. After you tell Dreamweaver which folder contains the graphics, it creates a thumbnail for each graphic in it, a page containing the complete graphic, and an index page that holds all the thumbnails. In order to use this feature, you need to install Fireworks first.

First, establish the file structure: place all graphics files into a folder.

Then, select "Command/Create Web Album" and set the corresponding options. Don’t overthink titles and subtitles; this information can be revised later. It is important to specify the source drawing folder as well as the destination folder because this information determines which files are processed. Also decide on the thumbnail size, format, and other options.

When you click OK, Dreamweaver transfers control to Fireworks, which starts batch processing of files, creating a very nice small photo album or a continuous product catalog. If you have a lot of photos, set it up and let it run, then go take a break and Dreamweaver and Fireworks will do all the work.

Create custom commands

Do you remember that one of the most useful features of Dreamweaver is the history window? It's no joke, Dreamweaver is able to create new command sequences based on the actions listed in the history window.

To create a command, simply perform the steps you wish to record. Then, in the history window, select the step you want to save, click the "Save As" icon in the lower right corner, give it a name, and click OK. At this point, your custom command appears in the "Commands" menu and is ready for use.

Working with others

For web developers who work with other people, he does not have to worry about others modifying the files you share. Dreamweaver uses the check-in and check-out systems to protect open files. The following tips will help you extend and customize Dreamweaver. During the implementation process, you need to edit some Dreamweaver configuration files, so please make a backup of the original files first.

Create custom objects

The object window is useful for quickly inserting items into the page, such as forms, frames, etc. To create a custom object, first create a file that contains the code you want to insert into the document. For example, to create CNET Builder.com's news box, first download this code and save it as newsletters.htm. Then, to create a new panel in the Objects window, create a folder under Dreamweaver/Configuration/Objects with a name you want, for example, My Objects. Place the file newsletters.htm into this directory. At the same time, a graphics file representing the new object is required. You can create a graphics file yourself, or simply let Dreamweaver insert a normal icon. If you create the icon yourself, please be sure to create an 18 X 18 pixel GIF file. Save the graphics file in the same directory with the same name as the new object. Graphic files here are available.

Now, restart Dreamweaver or choose to reload into Extensions (press the Ctrl key and click the object window pop-up menu). You can see a new function page in the object window, and the graphics are the ones you set. that. You can drag this new object onto the page just like any other object. If you are familiar with JavaScript, you can create more complex objects and other extensions, such as floating panels, behaviors, and more. Alternatively, you simply download ready-made objects from Macromedia Exchange. View the complete object code.

Re-layout the menu

Are you very disgusted with Dreamweaver's linear menu? Do you wish you could move the Window menu to the far right? Because it is used more frequently than the Help menu. There is absolutely no problem in achieving these goals! First, open the Dreamweaver installation folder, find the file Configuration/Menus/menus.xml, make a backup and save it to another place. Then, open Configuration/Menus/menus.xml in a text editor and find the code block starting with < menubar>. This contains all Dreamweaver menus, each described with a < menu> element. Follow this method to find the code segment that represents the "Window" menu:

< menu name="_Window" id="DWMenu_Window">
...
< /menu>

Cut and paste this code into the code segment that represents the "Help" menu (

...), save the file, restart Dreamweaver, and you will see the new menu order. By editing menus.xml, you can also rearrange menu items (...), change menu names (using the NAME attribute), add separators, or add, modify, or delete keyboard shortcuts . Don't forget to create a backup of the menus.xml file! If illegal code is entered during the modification process, Dreamweaver will not automatically restore to the previous state.

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