Dreamweaver Mx 04 And Css

[webgyrl]

Hey gang!

 

Just got my upgrade to DWMX 2004 and noticed it's very much oriented towards CSS instead of HTML type styling.

 

I was wondering if anyone here knows of any good CSS within Dreamweaver tutorials I could check out?

 

I am planning a complete re-design of my site and I want to use external CSS to make the site more uniform and easier to change in the future. Any tips would be super helpful.

 

I was also wondering about the use of iFrames for a site. Is this reccomended? I was thinking of doing a really nice clean layout with the nav bar links going into iFrames instead of the Frame oriented layout I have now. Other than that, I was thinking of maybe doing a DW template and working the pages from there.

 

Any thoughts on iFrames? Is it the same story regarding SEO as Regular Frames?

 

Thanks

 

Nat

[Lianna]

Just chatting withsomeone yesterday using a Mac...no iframe content showing for him! If that isn't a kicker. So while I think iframe is a neat concept, remember that it doesn't seem to work well with your Mac visitors.

 

That said, it was one guy, one mac, two sites with iframes that he saw no content. Take it for what it's worth.

Edited January 14, 2004 by TCH-Lianna

[brian]

On IFrames, I think they are just as bad as using Frames, to be honest. They hinder the ability to bookmark pages, and be able to get back to them. If you must use something like an IFrame, try using a scrolling DIV, that will do the same, however you have to put the content in the DIV.

 

Also, on tutorials on both CSS, and Dreamweaver, I have a few suggestions:

 

Any of the Macromedia HOT (Hands on Training) books by Lynda Weinman (There might be more authors, not sure, just look for something like Dreamweaver MX 2004 H*O*T) are very good. I learned Flash MX through those.

 

Now, on CSS, the best suggestion I can give, is play with it. Do a search for CSS help, then play with the various CSS attributes...and you will learn a whole lot more IMHO, than you can from any book that basically says "This is what this does" and so on. But, don't expect CSS to do everything, because unfortunetly there are some things it can't do (Such as have a DIV at the absolute bottom of the page) and the like. So even with CSS, I will still use tables to lay out some of the pages.

[DarqFlare]

www.w3schools.com is a good resource for CSS, if I'm not mistaken.

 

I only use iframes in one application on one of my websites. I wouldn't suggest using them really, unless you're using them for uses that nobody would want to bookmark... Like perhaps using an iframe to load up advertising content.

 

I've seen a scrolling DIV, and those work well.

[webgyrl]

Thanks for the tips guys. Yah the more I read into iframes the more I see people discourage against it for the reasons you mentioned. I use it right now for my image gallery on my current site, but that's it.

 

Will look for those books. I have found a bunch of CSS info from my searches. It's still all Greek to me, but I think if I really delve into it I will be able to make it more familiar.

 

Thanks again

 

Nat

[Lianna]

Prime example of a decent use of iframe: a local parochial school uses an iframe to display school closing content. The principal, from home, can then update the iframe contents page (single page) early in the morning if school is closed for the day due to inclement weather (SNOW, which we have had ZERO of. Uhg. ...ranting, sorry, still wanna build a snowman).

 

Meanwhile, on non-snowdays, the page has a new piece of artwork from a student rotated about weekly. kind of a cool thing. And nobody around my territory uses macs anyway!

[webgyrl]

Just thought I'd let you all know I found a great beginner CSS book.

 

It's called:

Teach Yourself CSS in 24 Hours and it's by SAMS. The author is Kynn Bartlet.

 

It's a great starter book and really explains everything in a clear and concise manner.

 

Still learning it all. Looks like you can do some pretty neat stuff with CSS.

 

C-ya,

Nat

[TCH-Don]

LOL

Nat, my copy just arrived Monday

Its more than a starter book, it is very complete.

 

I am a big fan of the SAMS 24 hour series, I now have four.

I just started, but hope to learn more compatable css.

 

 

As to the nav bar, why not use php include

to include the menu on each page.

[webgyrl]

Yah the SAMS books RAWK! It is a great one

 

About the PHP include.... umm, errrr... could you 'clue' in a 'clueless' sista on how that would be done?

 

I haven't ever used PHP includes before.

 

Any links to tutorials on how that would be done?

 

Thanks

 

Nat

[TCH-Don]

Nat, this what started me using php.

 

php mini tutorial by Jim Uni

and php mini part one tutorial by TCH-Jack

 

 

And of course SAMS has an excellant book in the 24 hours series on php.

 

Basically you code the same way,

but you remove the parts common to all or most of the pages,

and include them back in to a content page.

a template for a content page looks like

><?php
// add header and additional title $page_title="- tutorial"; include('header.php');
// begin main content
?>



<P ALIGN="left">
normal content
</P>



<?php
// end main content 
// add footer file  include("footer.php");
?>

 

Lets say you have a banner and menu at the top on all pages.

That is part of the included header right after all the normal html that starts every page.

and at the bottom you have text links and credits or copyright, that becomes the footer along with the closing html.

Now all you need for a new page is to copy your template rename it add content, add it to the menu file and the new page is listed on each page.

Also the look will be consistent on eache page.

Once you see how easy it is to add a common elements to a page you will see how it can save time.

Edited January 29, 2004 by TCH-Don

[deanavail]

hi webgyrl,

 

here are a couple of powerful resources which have helped me immensely:

URL=http://glish.com/css/ This one has been quite an eye opener

http://www.sitepoint.com/books/ download the free sample chapters from this site

Let me know hoow these compare to the SAMS, Teach Yourself CSS in 24 Hours by Kynn Bartlet.

 

Good Luck