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As I'm not very knowledgeable about DW and don't have the program, in the course of optimizing and creating about 6 new pages, I just took one of the Dreamweaver-templated pages and re-coded it by hand.
I added some global navigation blocks (which should perhaps become Library Items); and I also made code fixes, added some Hx tags and an external style sheet, dropped some superfluous page elements, etc...
I'm now trying to figure out the best workflow to incorporate the new elements into the Dreamweaver site managment tools. It will be easiest for me if I can make changes outside the program to pass on to whoever eventually takes over.
I have questions about several aspects of the process:
a) modifying the existing DW Template
b) dropping some Editable areas
c) adding Library Items
d) managing the optimized pages semi-separately.
a) Modifying the existing template
I'm thinking that rather than give a set of notes to a developer, it's probably fastest for me to go in and take an existing page and drop in my new code, paying attention to Editable areas, etc. As I think I understand how Dreamweaver works, this page could then be brought into the program and made into a new template.
But, how will Dreamweaver react to a Template source page that already has the Editable areas in the code? Will this work, and is there anything special to do when importing?
For new template creation, should the source page have the Template code at the beginning, or should we drop it?
Most pages now begin with this code:
<html><!-- #BeginTemplate "/Templates/Template.dwt" --><!-- DW6 -->...but at least one begins:
<html><!-- InstanceBegin template="/Templates/Template.dwt" codeOutsideHTMLIsLocked="false" -->
b) Dropping some editable areas
Also, there are some Editable areas I'd like to get rid of globally. Can they simply be deleted from the page that will be the basis for the revised template, or will the program then be looking for a place to put the content that was in these areas when it replaces the old template with the new?
c) Adding Library Items
Communication would be simplest if I could just drop in Dreamweaver begin and end code for the nav block Library Items I'd like to create, but I'm suspecting the program likes to do it internally.
Can this code be included in the template and then synched in the program, or is it best done after the new template is created? If I can put the code in now, what is its the syntax?
d) Managing optimized pages semi-separately
The optimized pages are enough different from the unoptimized pages that making the same template work for both might be more trouble than it's worth, as the the site is going to be rebuilt in six months anyway. I'm thinking of removing the #BeginTemplate and #EndTemplate identification on the optimized pages, so the template for the rest of the site won't affect them.
These pages, though, will have global nav blocks that will be Library items. I'd like to keep these manageable globally, if possible. Do Library Items function on non-templated pages?
I understand that templates in DW can be problematic, and I don't want to do anything that will make waves. It may be politically safer for me to deliver notes rather than a page for template creation. Also, I can't predict what versions of Dreamweaver anyone will be using.
To rephrase the questions succinctly:
- How best to edit a template outside of Dreamweaver and bring it back into a project?
- Will Library Items work in pages that aren't templated?
Particulars above...
Dreamweaver 4 and MX seem to be pretty interchangeable. I don't think Dreamweaver would make any major changes that would make these editable regions unworkable in updated versions, so I don't think you need to be concerned about what version of Dreamweaver future users will have to make the updates.
If you don't want to purchase Dreamweaver, you can download a 30-day trial version of the program to make the changes you want. This would allow you to remove any extraneous editable areas you don't want, without causing major issues with pages and templates that are and aren't updated by you without Dreamweaver.
If you aren't familiar with Dreamweaver, and others plan on using Dreamweaver to update this site at a later date, it could cause major issues. If you don't want to use Dreamweaver yourself, I would definitely just give the notes to the developer.
Also, there are some Editable areas I'd like to get rid of globally. Can they simply be deleted from the page that will be the basis for the revised template, or will the program then be looking for a place to put the content that was in these areas when it replaces the old template with the new?
Yes, the program will look for a place to put the content. If you do it through Dreamweaver itself, it will give you the option to put any of that content into a different editable region, or to delete it from the page.
I'm thinking of removing the #BeginTemplate and #EndTemplate identification on the optimized pages, so the template for the rest of the site won't affect them.
Will Library Items work in pages that aren't templated?
Templates can be a dream for large sites that need to update site-wide sections without manually opening each page to do the changes. But they can be harder for SEO reasons, as with some optimizing you will need to update the template and the pages the template updates.
I hope this makes sense. It is kind of hard to explain Dreamweaver templates and how they work to those who don't use the program.
I hope this makes sense. It is kind of hard to explain Dreamweaver templates and how they work to those who don't use the program.
Mostly it does, but there's are several things that are still not clear...
If you drop the editable areas outside of Dreamweaver, it won't know what to do with whatever was in those editable regions if you plan future edits with Dreamweaver.
I'm still trying to get a handle on how the templates and editable areas do work, because of the way the project is set up. The plan is for me to send specs to a developer who will update the template (in Dreamweaver) and then send it to the webmaster to update the site (also in Dreamweaver, but in a different location).
The webmaster sort of knows HTML and sort of knows Dreamweaver. She's been successfully maintaining some content in the editable areas, but we don't want to let her loose on the rest of the site. The client wants to do it this way because the webmaster is on staff and thus assumed to be cheaper than the developer.
If it can be done this way... and it's sounding like it can't be... what is sent beyond the template, which I'm guessing would look much like what I'd come up with if I edited the code? Is there an accompanying database or configuration file or whatever to make the project transportable?
I'm still trying to get a handle on how the templates and editable areas do work, because of the way the project is set up.
Basically, the editable regions contain the content that would change on each individual page. What is outside the editable regions would be the parts of the page that are static within the entire section the template updates (ie. the navbar, overall site header, the various contact us / about us links).
If you want to make changes to the template, it is important that you then update all the pages that use that template as the base. This will save mass confusion down the road ;) If you make the changes within Dreamweaver, it won't be a problem, since the site was originally designed using it.
Is there an accompanying database or configuration file or whatever to make the project transportable?
I'm still trying to get a handle on how the templates and editable areas do work, because of the way the project is set up. The plan is for me to send specs to a developer who will update the template (in Dreamweaver) and then send it to the webmaster to update the site.
If you edit template files outside of the editable regions (and I would be hesitant to remove any editable regions unless you do it within Dreamweaver), only update the .html files inside the editable regions, and pass that info along to the developer and/or webmaster, it *should* work. Just be sure that one or the other then updates all the pages within the site to use the new template(s).
If you edit template files outside of the editable regions... only update the .html files inside the editable regions, and pass that info along to the developer...
I'm going to be making global changes only to the template-driven unoptimized pages. I was clear before I posted that editable areas are for individual page content and the regions outside these are for static areas...
What I'm still not clear on is how to go from me to the developer to the webmaster.
a) I'm hearing you that instead of dropping an editable area out of my code, I should make a note to eliminate an editable area so the developer can do that in Dreamweaver.
But if I send an edited page (with some notes) to the developer, with code that the developer might then paste into the new template, how is that different from a memo describing all changes? Does the template depart from straight HTML somewhere?
I'm looking for the most efficient way to transmit the info that needs to be sent, and it seems that a recoded head section, eg, is much easier to produce than notes describing each change to be made.
Can I recode the page as long as I don't modify the editable areas, saving those to be done in Dreamweaver?
b) What is the developer sending to the webmaster? Is it a revised template of some sort that will allow the webmaster to (relatively) easily update all the pages.
Thanks again... I hope you're not sorry you responded to this question... ;)
This is going to be messy though. Very messy. I have done work on a page where I was given changes for a single page, but the changes needed to be done on both the template and the actual .html page as well. It was a nightmare, and that was for text only changes, no actual code changes.
What is the developer sending to the webmaster? Is it a revised template of some sort that will allow the webmaster to (relatively) easily update all the pages.
Again, I am going to stress messy ;) If I were you, I would highly consider getting Dreamweaver, so you can make the changes on the fly yourself, without causing the ripple effect of problems to the developer and/or webmaster, especially if you foresee working with them again ;)
I hope this helps.
And that's all within Dreamweaver. I think that if you were working outside of DW, it would be even worse.
So I'd err on the side of safety and not try it, or hand-code the page and tell the designer to copy and paste your code into the proper areas.
That's just my two cents. I really enjoy DW, but its flaws perplex and confound me. I got it because I wanted WYSIWYG ease and automation with hand-coding control, and I partially got what I wanted, but... not quite. ARGH.
ARGH.
That sounds like the cautions against modifying FP pages outside of FrontPage (which is the kind of rats nest I hope never to see again).
It moves the editable regions up or down by a line or so, making them affect the wrong things.
This perhaps accounts for what appear to be really dumb choices in current editable areas, where table code etc is left exposed for anyone to mess up.
I think I'm understanding about how to approach modifying the site template and the editable regions... which is to say, carefully, and inside the program.
Other things I need to think about....
Adding Doctype to DW templated pages
Any problem doing this? Since the Doctype precedes the opening <html> tag and the #BeginTemplate tag follows it, can the templated pages include a Doctype?
Untemplated pages
Also, what about the half-dozen or so optimized pages that I'm thinking won't be under template management? I'm trying to figure out the workflow order for these.
One is an existing page. On this page, can I just remove the #BeginTemplate and #EndTemplate tags from the existing page, to make it free of template management, or will Dreamweaver somehow look for it?
The other pages are new, so DW doesn't kow about them. Assuming that Jenstar's cautious and educated guesses are correct (;)), the new pages, if they don't include template tags, should be independent of template management, and Library Items should work with them.
How are Library Items managed within the program?...
Does DW simply do a global search of the project when you go to modify something in the library? If this is the case, could I just copy and paste the Library Begin and End tags created by the developer (with DW) into the untemplated pages that I'm building?
- Or, is there again something internal in the program that keeps track of the pages with Library Items, in which case the new optimized pages also need to go to the developer to have the Library tags added within Dreamweaver? I'd rather not have to do this, as it really complicates workflow.
Unfortunately, it doesn't make sense for me to get (and to learn) DW for this project. That would be turning mission-creep into something resembling an earthquake.
Dreamweaver never changes my code, but it sometimes... wiggles. It moves the editable regions up or down by a line or so, making them affect the wrong things.
That is interesting. I have never had this happen to me when using Dreamweaver. I have templates and sub templates, and my main site is 1000 pages (not to mention all my other sites I use it for).
You couldn't pay me enough to stop using Dreamweaver ;)
Adding Doctype to DW templated pages. Any problem doing this?
No, not if doing in on the template. If you need to make changes to anything else in the head or meta area, you can get a Dreamweaver extension that will allow you to do it individually on a per page basis, rather than a per template basis. This might have changed with the Dreamweaver MX version, I haven't checked yet.
One is an existing page. On this page, can I just remove the #BeginTemplate and #EndTemplate tags from the existing page, to make it free of template management, or will Dreamweaver somehow look for it?
Dreamweaver won't look for it, unless that particular template is updated, and then if all mention of the template has been removed, all should be fine. No problem with new non-Dreamweaver pages.
How are Library Items managed within the program?...
This I am not certain about, and I don't want to give out a guess and possible bad advice on this ;)
If I learn anything useful, I'll pass it on.
