Dreamweaver CS5 Advanced

Course Description:

Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 software offers a comprehensive integrated environment in which to design, develop, test, and deploy websites and applications of all flavors—spanning the gamut from the simplest, static HTML page to complete sites built upon complex dynamic application frameworks. Dreamweaver CS5 streamlines both front-end and back-end development tasks with ease. With a set of integrated tools available directly in the authoring environment, Dreamweaver CS5 increases your productivity and virtually eliminates the need for external third-party browser-based tools. Creative professionals can jump-start the design process with updated CSS starter layouts and leverage enhanced CSS features for increased control and creative flexibility. Developers benefit from interacting directly with their database-driven applications and Ajax interface elements, including testing individual states of a page or application throughout the development process. With many compelling new features, Dreamweaver once again raises the bar on productivity and efficiency for web designers and developers alike.

Our two day course will help you create web sites that are only possible with advanced Dreamweaver skills.

Course Outline

Lesson 1: Concepts and general

• CSS and XHTML - creating pages that adhere to current standards
• Validating pages internally and externally
• Generating efficient CSS code with Dreamweaver - setting preferences
• Working with Related Files
• Live View and Live Code

Lesson 2: Templates

• Understanding Template code - editable regions and parameters
• Site construction with nested Templates
• Defining editable attributes

Lesson 3: Writing and editing CSS

• Defining new styles
• Editing style properties
• Linking to stylesheets
• The Cascade, Inheritance and Specificity - how rules apply and how they override other rules
• Syntax: selectors, declarations, rules, redefining tags, creating classes and IDs, grouped styles, Descendant, Child and other selectors
• Understanding the Box Model - margins, padding and borders
• Vertical spacing issues
• Stylesheets for printable pages

Lesson 4: Page Layouts

• Using Dreamweaver’s Visual Aids
• Using Rulers, Guides and Grids
• Working with a mockup design
• Getting accurate measurements
• Layers vs. the DIY approach
• Creating rounded corner boxes
• Setting up and previewing overflows

Lesson 5: Multi-column layouts

• Using Floating and Positioning
• Fixed and Fluid design
• Using Relative positioning

Lesson 6: Links and navigational elements

• Hyperlink styles - general and specific
• Converting HTML lists to horizontal or vertical menus
• Highlighting ‘current page’ links

Lesson 7: Graphics

• Introduction to Flash
• Introduction to PHP & MySQL Web Development
• Using background images for special effects Image replacement techniques

Lesson 8: Spry & XML

• Spry menu bars
• Collapsible panels
• Master/Detail pages
• Using CSS to customize Spry widgets
• Displaying XML content
• How to write an XML document
• Spry Data Sets