separate css for layout?

[sheri]

i'm very new to this... i have created a style sheet w/all the font style type stuff on it. i used layout master to create the layout and embedded it - i embedded it because that is what layout master said to do and when i tried to put the layout stuff on the style sheet, it didn't work. as i'm uploading the pages, i'm realizing 1) that i hate uploading and 2) that my whole purpose for switching over from html was to make things easier - and this is not easier! now that i've read 20 tutorials i understand that this is a better option and it was not a waste of time - BUT - i still want easy. i don't do this for a living, i have one large site w/ a link database etc. i REALLY want to put all the style and layout info separate from the main content of each page. i want to be able to add/remove links, etc without having to go in and make changes to 50 pages. there has got to be a way to do that. how. how do i do that? links below if you need them (and remember, this is my first one, don't laugh too hard - i'm really trying...)

[edited by: mack at 5:19 pm (utc) on July 16, 2005]
[edit reason] Url removed. See TOS [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]

[maxi million]

welcome to WebmasterWorld. i had a look at the site and also ur css. those links wont be there for long for others to see actually :)
IMO you are finding this diifficult not because of the css but becase of the amount of JS you are using.

like here:

<td onmouseover="chgBg(m1,'m1tlm0',3);exM(m1,'none','',event)" onmouseout="chgBg(m1,'m1tlm0',0,1)" id="m1tlm0" class="m1mit" bgcolor="#000000"><a id="m1tlm0a" style="font-weight:bold;text-decoration: none " class="m1CL0" href="http://www.savingthe modsomeworkherebyremovingthedomainname.org" >Home</a></td>

all of that can be done using css, and you could be left with eg., <td class="tdstuff"><a href="#">Home</a></td> in your html file.

btw didnt know what layout master is. did a search and what i found LOOKS inviting, but id stay clear off it...just spend some time with good css tutorials. youll find things so much helpful then

cheers :)

[sheri]

i know - it's a cheat program. i'm a hands on learner. i've read every tutorial i could find - and some of them are BIG - but couldn't get it. went through the step by step in layout master and now i get it, well, i can at least figure it out.

the menu was done in another cheat program! so do you know of a tutorial that uses simple kindergarden language to explain css? when you talk about stylingthe look of the page or positioning, i don't freak out. but the menu thing, made my chest tight. i think i'm developing CSS PTSD!

[maxi million]

believe me there are soooooo many really simple tutorials out there.

start with these:
[echoecho.com...]
[w3schools.com...]

and then move over to:
[webmasterworld.com...]
by this time youll be knowledgeable enough to help out other people :)

also use a good WYSIWYG editor like deamweaver mx 2004. many people would tell you not to use it. but atleast initially youd better use it. keep checking the desin and the code and pretty soon youll get a good grap over everything

hope it helps
best of luck

[kate theisinger]

Am i reading this correctly?

"all of that can be done using css, and you could be left with eg., <td class="tdstuff"><a href="#">Home</a></td> in your html file. "

So i can replace a lot of my javascript functions with CSS, and stop giving myself a headache? Will CSS handle image swaps? If so it sounds like i need to go check out those tutorials.

[nigassma]

also use a good WYSIWYG editor like deamweaver mx 2004.

This may be true for very basic CSS functions like colors, fonts, etc. But when it comes to complex layouts with CSS you cannot trust (or even understand) the DESIGN view in Dreamweaver. The only reason I use Dreamweaver at this point is because it color codes every bit of code for you, and it keeps everything organized for you in a neat little package.

Am i reading this correctly?

Yes. Hover effects can easily be done with CSS. If you post in the CSS forum you will quickly and vastly expand your knowledge. Just for fun here's a quick example of what you can do with the hover.

[quote]body {
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
color: #9966FF;
background-color: #ebebeb;
}
#div {
positon: relative;
color: #CCCCCC;
font-size: 1em;
width: 100%;
}
#div ul {
width: 25%;
margin-left: 35%;
margin-top: 25%;
positon: relative;
background-color:#999999;
}
#div li {
list-style: none;
padding: .5em 1em .5em 1em;
}
#div li a {
font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
color:#66CCFF;
background-color:#999999;
text-decoration: none;
white-space: nowrap;
}
#div li a:hover {
color:#FFF;
background-color:#000;
text-decoration: none;
}

-----html-----
<body>
<div id="div">
<ul>
<li><a href="#">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet</a></li>
<li><a href="#">consectetur adipisicing elit</a></li>
<li><a href="#">sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</body>

[kate theisinger]

Okay, now i'm depressed. I can't make this stuff work even when i'm given the script. It's a tough call whether to try to get to grips with it all, or just to let DW build substandard scripts for me cause at least then they work. Guess i'll try starting from scratch with the tutorials.

Just so i know - what *should* this do?

[maxi million]

of course dreamweaver mx (or any previous version) isnt the last word in webdesigning. but i found it useful because initially when i understood very little of css, it helped me understand the syntax. its like grammar :) once you know the syntax u udnt need the grammar book to write an essay. use dreamweaver to learn the basics and may be as a code editor. dont depend on it too much though. and the tutorials will help u sail thru difficult terrain
best of luck