Re: How Do I Dock Properties?

Hi Alan, Thanks for the encouragement

From what I can tell, "Defining a Site in Dreamweaver", is actually just
moving (ftp) or (browse local) to a site file's main folder. According to the
book I'm reading "How To Do Everything with Dreamweaver 8), the only difference
between doing this manually through Windows or IPSwitch, is that when I do it
through Dreamweaver's File Manager window, it enables DW to store info about
the site and help with updates to links and synchronization... That seems handy
enough, justa little confusing because they call it "Defining a Site" and call
it a process... Making it seem more complicated than it is. Perhaps instead of
the cute DW nomenclature, if they just stuck to "File Management" it would be
easier to digest or assimilate.

To better understand my perspective, (if you want), of my Dreamweaver hurdles,
it would probably be helpful for you to check out homestead's LPX sitebuilder.
It's wayyyyyyy easier and nearly as powerful for static sites. It's free but
proprietary software though, so to try it one needs to sign-up for a free
homestead account. Upon account creation, one is forced into selectinga
"QuckSite" which is a point and click template system, but you can easily
delete that site and start from scratch with the downloadable SiteBuilder LPX.
All my sites I have done from scratch. It's so easy to use that you can
literally design as quick as you can think creatively. It's a WYSIWYG that you
truly do get what you see... No matter which browser. This migration to
Dreamweaver is tough because their WYSIWYG was so darn easy. You would have to
try it to appreciate it. It handles layers and CSS automatically and when it
comes to inserting things like text and images, it makes it a one step process
instead of the multi-step process in dreamweaver. Simple common sense like
having the properties editor always open and parked on the right side of the
screen in vertical fashion makes it easy, because no matter what you click on,
the properties editor displays the attributes for reference or editing. Being
on the right side of the screen enables you to still see the vertical design
view of page (which is handy because wep-pages are vertical so it's best not to
block the vertical view). Simple things like being able to drag boxes to select
items and grouping them etc is a breeze. Anyway... If you try it, you'll see
what I mean. It's like Dreamweaver but without having to understand and
manipulate what it's doing. It has a very similar GUI and also has a File
Manager view, etc. IF someone crafty figure out a way to copy their idea and
make it a stand alone HTML editor / site creator-manager they'd be a
millionaire or billionaire. Right now the only way to use LPX is with
Homestead, (while open, or as long as Internet connection is live, it maintains
constant contact with the mothership). It does all the synchronizing and page
duplications (local, remote and preview), behind the scenes without
intervention). Try it.... You'll see why I'm so flabergasted at Dreamweaver's
lack of usability... It's like the difference between pick-up trucks or SUVs
with and without "On the Fly 4x4"... Remember when people used ot have to get
out of their 4x4 and struggle with switching the front axle hub manually from 2
WD to 4WD? Now, people are just used to doing it with a button on the
dashboard, or it happpens automatically of the vehicle senses wheel spin.
That's the difference between LPX and Dreamweaver. LPX is light years ahead in
terms of simply "using" the software instead of having to understand what it's
doing and manually do everything.

For now, I'm stuck. There's no turning back, so I'm forced to learn
Dreamweaver which is drastically cutting into my production and pocket book.
Perhaps one day, if I can learn how to use it productively, it'll benefit me
more than LPX because it offers dynamic site creation capability... But until
then, trying to just use it for static site creation and maintenance is
laugable - even hysterical step backward for me.... Gotta give credit to DW's
marketing team!


[q]Originally posted by: Newsgroup User
You are concerned with where the properties panel is, but don't understand
how to define a site.

<plonk>

--
Alan
Adobe Community Expert, dreamweaver

http://www.adobe.com/communities/experts/



[/q]

Making it seem more complicated than it is.

It actually is MUCH more complicated.

If you look at the Advanced tab of the Site Definition panel, you will find
10 different categories of settings each of which may have 4 or 5 or more
subordinate options. Each time you select this particular site, all of
those options will be automatically set for you.

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
==================


"DJ Website Designer" <webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote

Hi Alan, Thanks for the encouragement

From what I can tell, "Defining a Site in Dreamweaver", is actually just
moving (ftp) or (browse local) to a site file's main folder. According to
the
book I'm reading "How To Do Everything with Dreamweaver 8), the only
difference
between doing this manually through Windows or IPSwitch, is that when I do
it
through Dreamweaver's File Manager window, it enables DW to store info
about
the site and help with updates to links and synchronization... That seems
handy
enough, justa little confusing because they call it "Defining a Site" and
call
it a process... Making it seem more complicated than it is. Perhaps
instead of
the cute DW nomenclature, if they just stuck to "File Management" it would
be
easier to digest or assimilate.

To better understand my perspective, (if you want), of my Dreamweaver
hurdles,
it would probably be helpful for you to check out homestead's LPX
sitebuilder.
It's wayyyyyyy easier and nearly as powerful for static sites. It's free
but
proprietary software though, so to try it one needs to sign-up for a free
homestead account. Upon account creation, one is forced into selectinga
"QuckSite" which is a point and click template system, but you can easily
delete that site and start from scratch with the downloadable SiteBuilder
LPX.
All my sites I have done from scratch. It's so easy to use that you can
literally design as quick as you can think creatively. It's a WYSIWYG that
you
truly do get what you see... No matter which browser. This migration to
Dreamweaver is tough because their WYSIWYG was so darn easy. You would
have to
try it to appreciate it. It handles layers and CSS automatically and when
it
comes to inserting things like text and images, it makes it a one step
process
instead of the multi-step process in dreamweaver. Simple common sense like
having the properties editor always open and parked on the right side of
the
screen in vertical fashion makes it easy, because no matter what you click
on,
the properties editor displays the attributes for reference or editing.
Being
on the right side of the screen enables you to still see the vertical
design
view of page (which is handy because wep-pages are vertical so it's best
not to
block the vertical view). Simple things like being able to drag boxes to
select
items and grouping them etc is a breeze. Anyway... If you try it, you'll
see
what I mean. It's like Dreamweaver but without having to understand and
manipulate what it's doing. It has a very similar GUI and also has a File
Manager view, etc. IF someone crafty figure out a way to copy their idea
and
make it a stand alone HTML editor / site creator-manager they'd be a
millionaire or billionaire. Right now the only way to use LPX is with
Homestead, (while open, or as long as Internet connection is live, it
maintains
constant contact with the mothership). It does all the synchronizing and
page
duplications (local, remote and preview), behind the scenes without
intervention). Try it.... You'll see why I'm so flabergasted at
Dreamweaver's
lack of usability... It's like the difference between pick-up trucks or
SUVs
with and without "On the Fly 4x4"... Remember when people used ot have to
get
out of their 4x4 and struggle with switching the front axle hub manually
from 2
WD to 4WD? Now, people are just used to doing it with a button on the
dashboard, or it happpens automatically of the vehicle senses wheel spin.
That's the difference between LPX and Dreamweaver. LPX is light years
ahead in
terms of simply "using" the software instead of having to understand what
it's
doing and manually do everything.

For now, I'm stuck. There's no turning back, so I'm forced to learn
Dreamweaver which is drastically cutting into my production and pocket
book.
Perhaps one day, if I can learn how to use it productively, it'll benefit
me
more than LPX because it offers dynamic site creation capability... But
until
then, trying to just use it for static site creation and maintenance is
laugable - even hysterical step backward for me.... Gotta give credit to
DW's
marketing team!


[q]Originally posted by: Newsgroup User
You are concerned with where the properties panel is, but don't understand
how to define a site.

plonk

--
Alan
Adobe Community Expert, dreamweaver

http://www.adobe.com/communities/experts/



[/q]