Using Dreamweaver to its least potential...
February 2, 2010 8:13 AM Subscribe
Dreamweaver as Content Management System -- a tutorial for idiots, please.
I want to use Dreaweaver CS4 to make simple updates to an already existing webpage on an FTP server. I can find quite a lot of "how to create your web page" Dreamweaver tutorials...but I'm struggling to find one that will show me how to just edit html or upload photos or change text on an already extant site. My template already exists, I just want to be able to make changes to it...
I want to use Dreaweaver CS4 to make simple updates to an already existing webpage on an FTP server. I can find quite a lot of "how to create your web page" Dreamweaver tutorials...but I'm struggling to find one that will show me how to just edit html or upload photos or change text on an already extant site. My template already exists, I just want to be able to make changes to it...
I agree with demiurge. HTML is pretty simple and well-documented. You are much better off using a plain text editor and understanding what you're doing than using a huge, expensive, clunky monstrosity that's mostly going to get in your way.
You'll need a plain text editor and an FTP program. Free options are available for both of those for both Mac and PC. Notepad++ is a very good free PC text editor. TextMate for OS X is not free, but it's good. Probably worth the money.
The book HTML for the World Wide Web by Elizabeth Castro is excellent.
posted by eeby at 9:24 AM on February 2, 2010
You'll need a plain text editor and an FTP program. Free options are available for both of those for both Mac and PC. Notepad++ is a very good free PC text editor. TextMate for OS X is not free, but it's good. Probably worth the money.
The book HTML for the World Wide Web by Elizabeth Castro is excellent.
posted by eeby at 9:24 AM on February 2, 2010
If you want to make simple updates to an existing html file, why don't you use a text editor?
Because with Dreamweaver you can edit, preview, FTP, and template pages from one application, an application that also supplies pretty good WYSIWYG editing capabilities, as well as a powerful text-editor with contextual coloring and code prompts based on the language written, and the ability to find+replace sitewide using regular expressions?
But, to answer the question: I'm not really a Dreamweaver guy, but the keys to using it are setting up the site in the 'manage sites' dialog box. You need to set up the user/FTP account, and how you want it to preview and such, then edit the pages and 'put' them, which is Dreamweaverese for 'transfer the file to the my webserver using FTP'
Good luck!
posted by dirtdirt at 9:24 AM on February 2, 2010
Because with Dreamweaver you can edit, preview, FTP, and template pages from one application, an application that also supplies pretty good WYSIWYG editing capabilities, as well as a powerful text-editor with contextual coloring and code prompts based on the language written, and the ability to find+replace sitewide using regular expressions?
But, to answer the question: I'm not really a Dreamweaver guy, but the keys to using it are setting up the site in the 'manage sites' dialog box. You need to set up the user/FTP account, and how you want it to preview and such, then edit the pages and 'put' them, which is Dreamweaverese for 'transfer the file to the my webserver using FTP'
Good luck!
posted by dirtdirt at 9:24 AM on February 2, 2010
There is a firefox extension you can use that is really easy... and did I mention free!
posted by TheBones at 9:24 AM on February 2, 2010
posted by TheBones at 9:24 AM on February 2, 2010
Best answer: I think what is confusing is the difference between remote and local view - the way you view files on the right side of Dreamweaver.
Remote view - the files on your site
Local view - the copy of your site's files kept on your computer (this is what you work on)
When you set up your site, you are taken to "local view", but in all likelihood you don't have any files there yet. So, use the dropdown menu above the file navigation on the right and choose Remote View. Now you should see the files currently on your site. Click on the highest level folder and click the down arrow icon to download these files onto your computer.
Once you've done this, switch back into local view and get to work. Just double click a file to open it, make your changes, save. To transfer it back to your website, click the file you just modified in the list of files and click the up arrow to FTP it onto your site. (There are other places to access this in the DW interface too).
posted by beyond_pink at 9:47 AM on February 2, 2010
Remote view - the files on your site
Local view - the copy of your site's files kept on your computer (this is what you work on)
When you set up your site, you are taken to "local view", but in all likelihood you don't have any files there yet. So, use the dropdown menu above the file navigation on the right and choose Remote View. Now you should see the files currently on your site. Click on the highest level folder and click the down arrow icon to download these files onto your computer.
Once you've done this, switch back into local view and get to work. Just double click a file to open it, make your changes, save. To transfer it back to your website, click the file you just modified in the list of files and click the up arrow to FTP it onto your site. (There are other places to access this in the DW interface too).
posted by beyond_pink at 9:47 AM on February 2, 2010
Assuming you have the FTP connection/password working correctly, then a lot of this will depend how the pages were originally put together.
If they were written with some other package (e.g. Front page) then theres a good chance the HTML is not very standard, Dreamweaver can fix a lot of invalid HTML with the Menu option: [Commands > Clean Up HTML] but you may still need to do some manual tidying (or in bulk with Find/Replace.)
Having Dreamweaver does not mean you can get away without understanding basic HTML code. Concentrate on learning HTML rather than all the obscure features in Dreamweaver.
I would start out by creating some simple test pages so you can find your way around the software before editing the existing stuff. Also its worth looking at buying a stand-alone FTP client. The FTP facility in Dreamweaver can be made to work, but it's clunky, slow and in my experience the most crashy part of the software.
posted by Lanark at 10:34 AM on February 2, 2010
If they were written with some other package (e.g. Front page) then theres a good chance the HTML is not very standard, Dreamweaver can fix a lot of invalid HTML with the Menu option: [Commands > Clean Up HTML] but you may still need to do some manual tidying (or in bulk with Find/Replace.)
Having Dreamweaver does not mean you can get away without understanding basic HTML code. Concentrate on learning HTML rather than all the obscure features in Dreamweaver.
I would start out by creating some simple test pages so you can find your way around the software before editing the existing stuff. Also its worth looking at buying a stand-alone FTP client. The FTP facility in Dreamweaver can be made to work, but it's clunky, slow and in my experience the most crashy part of the software.
posted by Lanark at 10:34 AM on February 2, 2010
I think Dreamweaver is dying. But Adobe makes a lightweight Dreamweaver add on called "Contribute" that was designed to do what you want to do. I wouldn't actually call it a "Content Management System," since that means something specific (a database application that keeps content organized independent of its display, sort of the exact opposite of Dreamweaver, which is primarily concerned with the visual presentation of data). Using "CMS" to name the goal here is going to confuse people.
But you do want to learn basic HTML, absolutely. Without it, you're operating in the dark a lot of the time with Dreamweaver.
posted by fourcheesemac at 12:18 PM on February 2, 2010
But you do want to learn basic HTML, absolutely. Without it, you're operating in the dark a lot of the time with Dreamweaver.
posted by fourcheesemac at 12:18 PM on February 2, 2010
Contribute is fine if your site was created with it in mind. It sucks otherwise, especially if you already know html (because it's so limiting).
Dreamweaver is mediocre as an html editor, but it has GREAT site management tools. It sounds like that's what you're looking for -- not a "content management system" but a "site management system" and that's what Dreamweaver does well.
The important thing is that you define your site. If you don't, Dreamweaver will screw up your links and make a mess of everything. Lynda.com has great tutorials for all Adobe products, but it's pay-only (although there's a trial available.)
Not sure why so many people who clearly don't know anything about Dreamweaver are answering this question. If you don't know, STFU.
posted by coolguymichael at 1:55 PM on February 2, 2010
Dreamweaver is mediocre as an html editor, but it has GREAT site management tools. It sounds like that's what you're looking for -- not a "content management system" but a "site management system" and that's what Dreamweaver does well.
The important thing is that you define your site. If you don't, Dreamweaver will screw up your links and make a mess of everything. Lynda.com has great tutorials for all Adobe products, but it's pay-only (although there's a trial available.)
Not sure why so many people who clearly don't know anything about Dreamweaver are answering this question. If you don't know, STFU.
posted by coolguymichael at 1:55 PM on February 2, 2010
It's not like (s)he's exactly saying where they are stuck, so Dreamweaver knowledge doesn't really help answering the question. Which is as generic as this answer: Have you googled "edit pages with dreamweaver"?
posted by yoHighness at 5:28 PM on February 2, 2010
posted by yoHighness at 5:28 PM on February 2, 2010
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posted by demiurge at 8:30 AM on February 2, 2010