Dreamweaver 3 Hands-On-Training "Excellent Step-by-Step Instruction"

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Title: Dreamweaver 3 Hands-On-Training Author: Lynda Weinman & Garo Green Publisher: Peachpit Press http://www.peachpit.com Publication Date: 2000 Pages: 624, with 1 CD. ISBN: 0-201-70276-2 Price: $39.99

Dreamweaver 3 Hands-On-Training is the newest version of the Hands-on-Training series book for Macromedia's Dreamweaver 3, a WYSIWYG HTML editor (see our previous review of Dreamweaver 2 Hands-On-Training. It has been updated with a new chapter on plug-ins and how to use them; plus it has information on the new, productivity-enhancing features of Dreamweaver such as the expanded objects palette and the new HTML styles palette, which enables users to automatically apply HTML tags that will work on older browsers without relying on Cascading Style Sheets. The book is structured as a series of exercises that explore Web design, site structure, frames and tables, Cascading Style Sheets, templates, rollovers, forms design, and layers. The authors, experienced instructors, illustrate with screenshots the steps used in the exercises. And the book includes a CD-ROM with complete files for all the exercises and some QuickTime videos that demonstrate key techniques in the software. What sets this book apart is that the lessons contain lots of background information and insights into each given subject, which are designed to help you understand the process as well as the exercise, and thus how to apply the lessons to a real-world situation, or why or when you would use a technique again. This book is appropriate for both PC and Macintosh users. Check out the Peachpit Press Web site (http://www.peachpit.com) for more information about the book and other books in the Hands-On-Training series. Also check out Lynda Winman's Web (http://www.lynda.com) site for information on her other books and classes.

Beginning and Intermediate users. The book is appropriate for beginning and intermediate Web developers. With its step-by-step instructions, it is perfect for beginners who might be intimated by the subject or the program itself. But it has enough information for intermediate users.

Dreamweaver 3 Hands-On Training is divided into an introduction, 20 chapters or lessons and an appendix. Introduction--describes basics about how the book works and background on the authors. Chapter 1: Background--presents information on: Roundtrip HTML; HTML; File Naming; Extending Dreamweaver; DHTML; XML; and JavaScript. Includes a very clear description of what HTML is and provides a great visual chart. There are two lists, one for online HTML resource sites and another for Dreamweaver shared resource sites. It includes helpful charts on file-naming conventions; filename extensions; and DHTML terms. Chapter 2: Interface--discusses: Interface Tour; Objects Palette; Launcher and Mini-Launcher; Properties Inspector; Document Window; and Preferences. Includes a screen shot of types of objects. This chapter has excellent charts of Object Palette types; Launcher and mini-Launcher features; document window features; and shortcuts. Chapter 3: Site Control--covers: Defining a Site; Relative and Absolute Links; Understanding Paths; and Site Maps. Very important chapter on the necessity of defining a site in Dreamweaver with a root folder so that Dreamweaver can automatically update your pages when you add, modify, move, or delete files or folders. There is a chart on path notations and an excellent notation explaining absolute vs. relative URLs. It includes six exercises. Chapter 4: Basics--presents information on: File Name Versus Title Name; Significance of index. Html; Inserting Images and Text; Page Properties; Links; Meta Tags, and Looking at HTML. Walks you step-by-step through the process of creating a Web page with images, links, and meta tags. It includes charts on Color Palette buttons and page properties. It includes nine exercises. Chapter 5: Linking--provides information on: Linking with Point to File; Browse for File and Link History; Linking to New Source Files; Email Links; Named Anchors; and Image Maps. There are no charts but it does have a great section on anchors with screenshots which simplify the process. It includes six exercises. Chapter 6: HTML--includes information on HTML Source Window; Editing with the HTML Source Window; External HTML Editors; Quick Tag Editor; Clean Up HTML; and Clean Up Word HTML. It includes a chart on the different selections available under the Clean Up HTML command. It also has six exercises. Chapter 7: Typography--shows: Creating and Formatting Text; Font Lists; Aligning Text; Use of <PRE> Tag; Ordered, Unordered, and Definition Lists; Color Schemes; Formatting Text in Tables; Repeat Last Action; Character Entities; and Blockquotes and Non-Breaking Spaces. Informational charts of system fonts; font sizes; alignment features; ordered and unordered lists; and character entities are included. There are ten exercises. Chapter 8: Layout--discusses: Tracing Images; Layers; Converting Layers to Tables; Converting Tables to Layers; and Using Margin Tags. There are step-by-step instructions on how to apply a tracing image to a Web page, use layers to create a Web page, turn the layers into a table, and then turn the table back to layers again. The chapter includes a chart on how to convert layers to table descriptions. It includes five exercises. Chapter 9: Tables--gives you information on: Creating, Sorting and Modifying a Table; Using Tables to Align Images & Text; Assembling Seamless Images; Combing Pixels and Percentages; and Inserting Tabular Data. Shows you how to stop a browser from collapsing an empty cell by creating and inserting a transparent GIF. Useful step-by-step instructions on sorting the contents of a table and creating an image map. There are charts on anatomy of a table; sorting features; cellpad versus cellspace; and tabular data settings. It includes nine exercises. Chapter 10: Cascading Style Sheets--provides information on: Redefining the Style of HTML Tags; Making Classes; Linking to a Style Sheet; Using Selectors; Linking to a Style Sheet; and Converting Style Sheets to HTML. Excellent step-by-step tutorials for making the three types of style sheets and then converting styles back to HTML. There is a chart on when to use style. There are six exercises. Chapter 11: Templates/Libraries--discusses: Creating and Modifying Templates; Setting Up Templates So Others Can Use Them; Locking Template Content; and Creating and Modifying Library Items. Step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and make creating and modifying templates a snap. It includes six exercises. Chapter 12: Frames--covers: The Pros and Cons of Frames; Saving Frames; Coloring Frames; Links and Targets; Adding a Background Image; Seamless Background Across Two Frames; and Frames Objects Palette. There are charts describing the good and bad features of frames; ways to save frames; HTML specifications; frame size settings; and frames settings. Informative chapter on a difficult subject. The author hits on the basics without overwhelming you with detail. And you even get to create a seamless background across two frames. There are six exercises. Chapter 13: Rollovers--describes: Creating a Simple Rollover; Animated Rollovers; Creating Pointer Rollovers; Creating Multiple-Event Rollovers; Inserting a Navigation Bar Rollover; and Inserting a Simple Rollover from Fireworks. There are charts describing: swap image at a glance, rollover states, and adding elements to the navigation bar. It includes six exercises. Chapter 14: Automation--includes information on: Using the History Palette for Undo/Redo; Copying and Pasting History; Applying HTML Styles; and Creating Custom Keyboard Shortcuts. It has a chart of HTML styles and four exercises. Chapter 15: Forms--provides information on: Working with Form Objects; Creating a Form; and Creating a Jump Menu. The chapter has a chart for form objects. Again, the author makes this task look simple. There are three exercises. Chapter 16: DHTML--describes: Dragging Layers; Using Timeline for Animation; and Playing, Stopping, and Resetting the Timeline. The chapter shows you what you can do with DHTML in a straightforward manner. There is a chart for timeline features and three exercises. Chapter 17: Behaviors--presents information on: Macromedia Exchange; Check Browser; Set Text of Status Bar; Set Text of Text Field; Open New Browser Window; Installing the Extension Manager; Insert ImageReady HTML; and Downloading from Macromedia Exchange. It includes a chart to add the Set Text of Text Field Behavior. There are seven exercises. Chapter 18: Commands--includes information on: Color Schemes; Create Web Photo Album Command; Optimize Image in Fireworks Command; and Mailto Command, using the History Palette. It has four exercises. Chapter 19: Plug-Ins--covers: Linking to Sounds; Embedding Sounds; Inserting Flash Content; Inserting Director Content (Shockwave); and Inserting QuickTime Content. This chapter includes charts for URLs for downloading plug-ins and sound formats. There are five exercises. Chapter 20: Getting it Online--describes: Free Web Hosting with GeoCities; Setting Up A GeoCities Account; Setting the FTP Preferences; Putting Files to the Web Server; and File Synchronization. There is a chart for FTP settings in Dreamweaver. It has four exercises. Appendix A--Troubleshooting FAQ: gives you frequently asked questions and answers. Appendix B--Online Resources: provides online sources. Appendix C--Technical Support: gives you all the information on where to get technical support.

Dreamweaver 3: Hands-On-Training is a must have book if you like step-by-step tutorials. It is one of the best books on the software. It is well organized. The authors are clear and concise in their instructions and give you loads of tips and notes. It makes learning features such as rollovers or styles painless and easy. I would highly recommend it. The book doesn't set out to cover every single aspect of Dreamweaver like many other reference books; nor is it filled with color illustrations like other Peachpit Press books. But if you want a book that teachers you the core principles and techniques, is loaded with tips, has endless black and white screenshots and charts, and has step-by-step tutorials, this is the book for you.

Graphics: Illustrator 8& Adobe Photoshop 5.5 Web Page Editor: Macromedia Dreamweaver 3.0 Scanner: Hewlett Packard ScanJet 6250C Professional Series