Any Dreamweaver users?

I'm a dreamweaver user also but I'm almost always in the code view...I don't understand those who are saying that they use notepad to have complete control over their code, maybe you're just being stubborn...you can do anything you want to the code in dreamweaver and probably front page also, as long as you disable those too-smart-for-their-own-good "features."

Dreamweaver is a dream when it comes to site management and FTP. Yes you can use notepad and an FTP client but there's an extra step - Control+shift+U in dreamweaver and it's on the way up, talk about live editing!

 

I flip back and forth between code view and WYSIWYG view for either DW or FP - most of the time I have the split view on the screen. I like the fact that you can see the changes visually which helps find errors on the fly.

One thing about DW8 though... it doesn't update the WYSIWYG view until I refresh. FP does that automatically.

The site management feature is a godsend with a large site - it keeps track of what needs to be uploaded as you go. Of course, FP also does that.

Thanks for the >Ctrl><Shift>U tip... I'm a recent convert to DW8 and I hadn't found that one yet

 

Yes, I like the Ctrl+Shift+U ... I've gotten so lazy I don't even save the pages first - when you use that keyboard command and you haven't saved first, it prompts you to save anyway, so for me the command becomes ctrl+shift+u and immediately hit "Y" for yes to save.

Another I use often is ctrl+alt+i for inserting an image.

There's a ton of shortcuts built into DW, but the beauty is that you can also create your own:

Setting the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box options

The purpose of this dialog box is to create your own shortcut keys, edit existing shortcuts, or select a predetermined set of shortcuts.

To complete the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box:

1. Set any of the following options:
Current Set allows you to choose a set of predetermined shortcuts included with Dreamweaver, or any custom set you’ve defined. The predetermined sets are listed at the top of the menu. For example, if you are familiar with the shortcuts found in HomeSite or BBEdit, you can use those shortcuts by choosing the corresponding predetermined set.

Commands allows you to select a category of commands to edit. For example, you can edit menu commands, such as the Open command, or code editing commands, such as Balance Braces.

TIP

To add or edit a keyboard shortcut for a code snippet, select Snippet from the Commands pop-up menu. For information about creating code snippets, see Working with code snippets.


The command list displays the commands associated with the category you selected from the Commands pop-up menu, along with the assigned shortcuts. The Menu Commands category displays this list as a tree view that replicates the structure of the menus. The other categories list the commands by name (such as Quit Application), in a flat list.

Shortcuts displays all shortcuts assigned to the selected command.

Add Item (+) adds a new shortcut to the current command. Click this button to add a new blank line to the Shortcuts text box. Enter a new key combination and click Change to add a new keyboard shortcut for this command. You can assign two different keyboard shortcuts for each command; if there are already two shortcuts assigned to a command, the Add Item button does nothing.

Remove Item (-) removes the selected shortcut from the list of shortcuts.

Press Key displays the key combination you enter when you’re adding or changing a shortcut.

Change adds the key combination shown in the Press Key text box to the list of shortcuts, or changes the selected shortcut to the specified key combination.

Duplicate duplicates the current set. Give the new set a name; the default name is the current set’s name with the word copy appended.

Rename renames the current set.

Save as HTML File saves the current set in an HTML table format for easy viewing and printing. You can open the HTML file in your browser and print the shortcuts for easy reference.

Delete deletes a set. (You cannot delete the active set.)

2. Click OK.

To remove a shortcut from a command:
1. From the Commands pop-up menu, select a command category.

The Commands list displays the commands in that category.

2. In the Commands list, select a command.

The shortcuts assigned to the command appear in the Shortcuts text box.

3. Select a shortcut.

4. Click the Remove Item (-) button.

To add a shortcut to a command:

1. From the Commands pop-up menu, select a command category.

The Commands list displays the commands in that category.

2. In the Commands list, select a command.

TIP
To add a keyboard shortcut for a code snippet, select Snippet from the Commands pop-up menu. For information about creating code snippets, see Working with code snippets.

The shortcuts assigned to the command appear in the Shortcuts text box.

3. Prepare to add a shortcut by doing one of the following:

» If there are fewer than two shortcuts already assigned to the command, click the Add Item (+) button. A new blank line appears in the Shortcuts text box and the insertion point moves to the Press Key text box.
» If there are already two shortcuts assigned to the command, select one of them (that one will be replaced by the new shortcut). Then click in the Press Key text box.

4. Press a key combination.

The key combination appears in the Press Key text box.

NOTE If there is a problem with the key combination (for example, if the key combination is already assigned to another command), an explanatory message appears just below the Shortcuts text box and you may be unable to add or edit the shortcut.

5. Click Change. The new key combination is assigned to the command.

To edit an existing shortcut:

1. From the Commands pop-up menu, select a command category.

The Commands list displays the commands in that category.

2. In the Commands list, select a command.

The shortcuts assigned to the command appear in the Shortcuts text box.

3. Select a shortcut to change.

4. Click in the Press Key text box and enter a new key combination.

5. Click the Change button to change the shortcut.

NOTE If there is a problem with the key combination (for example, if the key combination is already assigned to another command), an explanatory message appears just below the Shortcuts field and you may be unable to add or edit the shortcut.

 

I can't help it, when every I am doing basic layout stuff, i can't resist using DW,

why sit there and write "<tr><td>" ?

The whole site management stuff is sort of useless if you use inlcudes, and just layout your website directory structure before hand

 

Yep WYSIWYG can be faster as long as you're OK with how DW or FP does it...I certainly am. I use includes combined with the dreamweaver templates for really fast maintenance. Once I'm happy with the design I take the header and everything and throw that into "top.html" and the bottom goes into "bottom.html". I make a dreamweaver template that includes those two files with the formatting I want for the editable regions (like an h1 header above the content on every page) and a place to edid the <title> tag. Then I just use mostly WISYWIG features to quickly format the text and when I upload the template feature automatically updates the path to the right include files and I'm good to go!