Dreamweaver 8 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

By Janine Warner

Ever visited a knockout Web site and wondered, "How did they do that?" Wonder no more. Odds are, they did it with Dreamweaver. Completely updated to give you the scoop on all the cool new tools in the latest version , Dreamweaver 8 For Dummies will have you designing dynamite Web sites in no time. In fact, by Chapter 2 you'll dive right into setting up your Web site, creating your first Web page, and adding text images and links. This guide starts with basic Web page design features and progresses to the more advanced options for DHTML and database-driven sites, with step-by-step instructions for every function plus lots of screen shots. It walks you though: A tour of the desktop, covering the toolbars, menu options, the Insert bar, the Document window, the Properties inspector, the Vertical Docking panels, and more Popular features such as sophisticated template capabilities and Library items Tracing images, the Quick Tag Editor, Design Notes, and the History palette Making the most of Dreamweaver's site management features, including a Testing Server, the Check IN/Out feature, integrated e-mail, Design Notes, Site Map Layout and more Using HTML tables to create page layouts 14 different benefits of using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and how to capitalize on them Dreamweaver 8 For Dummies includes tips to save you time and money so you can create a Web site that makes a big impression without spending big bucks. Whether you're a beginner who wants to get started or an experienced pro who wants to enhance your skills...whether you want something simple like a site to promote a quaint bed & breakfast or something wild to catapult your rock band to the big time, Dreamweaver gives you the tools and this guide helps you make the most of them. When you're ready to tackle more complex sites, it covers: Using Fireworks with Dreamweaver to automate your workflow, optimize graphics for Web use, and create sophisticated animations, fancy rollovers, and special effects Showing off with multimedia: creating Flash buttons and text; adding Flash movie files; working with sound and video files; getting familiar with Java and ActiveX control Integrating forms into dynamic, interactive sites and creating shopping cart systems, guest books, contact forms, search engines, chat rooms, and more Building a simple database-driven site E-commerce basics With Dreamweaver, you don't have to be a techie to design and create a terrific Web site. So get this book and get started

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764596497
• ISBN13: 9780764596490
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 425 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Great!

What a great book for someone who just learning how to use this program. It has been extremely helpful and it is easy to follow, very user friendly.

my top pick among the intro books

Having just started a new job in which I need to begin developing web-based training very soon, I reserved every book I could on Dreamweaver through our local libraries. This one is my favorite. I think one reviewer complained about the 'cutsey' stuff, and let me say that this is not your typical "Dummies" book - I was almost to page 50 before I came across one comment about her spouse, and I think there was one more such comment later on. I will also say that as a trainer, instructional developer, technical writer, and journalist, I tend to judge computer books with a critical eye (and I read a LOT of them). I found the pace of this one to be just right -- I am rather impatient and I didn't have a lot of time to waste, so I didn't want something that proceeded slowly, but I was also new to Dreamweaver, so I didn't want something that proceeded at a breakneck pace. This book does what it claims to do. It doesn't claim to be a Dreamweaver book for those who are already power users. It does not propose to be an exhaustive reference, as perhaps does the other Dummies title that describes itself as being nine books in one. The all-in-one is a nice enough book, but I didn't have time to read 900 pages before beginning to develop my projects. Speaking of 900-page books, I chose this book over Dreamweaver 8: The Missing Manual, because the latter one, albeit much larger, did not present the information as concisely, and I found myself reading three paragraphs to get the amount of content that I could get from one paragraph of this author's book. This book does, in its 400 or so pages, give a reasonably good foundation from which one can learn more about advanced topics, if desired. In that sense, it gave me a good road map of the territory ahead, such that I can converse intelligently with those in my office who are way beyond my level, and it positions me to be a good consumer of more advanced books/material. This author's book more fully fleshed out the topics that I needed to know about than did How To Do Everything with Dreamweaver 8. Again, that was not a bad book, and in fact the screen shots of the toolboxes and menus and such were more clearly done in How To Do Everything with Dreamweaver 8. I did learn some new things from it. But overall, I got more bang for my buck from Warner's book. This book differs from the Dreamweaver Design and Construction book -- which gets good reviews -- in that it does not focus (nor propose to focus) on the principles of designing a website. This book's agenda is to teach the reader how to use Dreamweaver. This book does not propose to be a tutorial, as does Dreamweaver 8 Hands on Training, so it is a matter of being aware of the way that you learn best, and picking a book that fits with your learning style. Speaking of, I am a visual learner, so I used this book in tandem with "Teach Yourself Visually Dreamweaver 8" -- and some time later realized that both were written by the same author. "Teach Yourself Visua

Excellent Introduction to a Complex Software Package

There are certain software packages that have simply become the standards by which others are compared. Dreamweaver is one of those packages. When you go talk to professional web workers, most of them use Dreamweaver. When you want to put 'web designer' on your resume, you want to put down or be able to tell them 'Dreamweaver' at the interview. This book is an excellent introduction to the Dreamweaver software package. It's written in an interesting combination of tutorial and reference format. It says that it's intended for the complete beginner, but I think that might be just a bit much. Some idea about how the web works, even a little bit of HTML background will be a big help. One point I consider weak. There's a chapter on using Flash. Obviously Flash, also put out by the same software publisher, has to be included. My suggestion. A lot of us hate Flash. It's slow, it requires a download, and it puts cartoons on your site. Most of the big sites used flash at one time, they don't any more. If you have to use flash, put a prominent 'Skip the Cartoons' button on the page. Two points I consider strong. One, her treatment of CSS or Cascading Style Sheets. This is something you simply have to know. Two, her treatment of building database driven sites. She gives an excellent introduction - but lets you know that this is just the beginning and you have a lot of other things to learn. I'll add -- If you're going to do a dynamic web site of average size, don't even think of doing it without Dreamweaver.

Janine Warner is tops when you need help

I have a terrible time with any how-to,whether a program manual or a "dummies" type book. However, when I got stumped on a web design issue, I went to Janine's website, sent her an e-mail and she answered my question within 24 hours. Her advice helped me fix the problem I was having and she followed up to be sure I'd been helped. She also took the time to go to my web site and look at what I'd done. If you have a hard time finding what you need, check out Ms. Warner's web site and e-mail her with your questions directly. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Fantastic

Janine Thank you so much for coming through for me again. You have been a god send with this book. The book is so detailed, that it has allowed me to learn Dreamweaver in a very short time. To be honest, your work is some of the best I have ever seen. Being an educator and looking for good content when most of it is created for the business market is hard, so finding your stuff was a god send. I honestly dont know what I would do without your hard work and dedication towards your work in this book. So for all you do, this one is truely for you. Thank you, thank you, thank you and a great big thank you. By using this book, I have improved my skill level to such a degree that I have been asked to participate in various projects in my school, that has resulted in a nice promotion. thanks Renaldo