Jump to content

Handcoding vs. Using Dreamweaver


Recommended Posts

I can understand the advantages of handcoding your web pages, especially with PHP, but how do you get past the visual layout perspective that Dreamweaver gives you? For me personally, I like to have a visual layout of my web page when I am designing it. But I am running into some trouble trying to insert PHP scripts into the HTML code using Dreamweaver. I think it has something to do with a template that Dreamweaver automatically creates when you choose to work on a PHP page. For example, I am trying to use includes for my Header, Side Menu, and Footer. When I insert the

<?php

require (\"header.php\")

?>

the rest of the page disappears in Design View and wont allow to me to add anything else. If I try to delete or add anything manually I get an error saying:

making this change would require changing code that is locked by a template or translator. The change will be discarded.

 

Any input or suggestions????? Please Help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

toro,

 

Dreamweaver doesn\'t have to use templates, but if you selected Dynamic Page-->PHP in the new dialog box, you shouldn\'t be in a template anyway. Is there any Dreamweaver template code in your header file (i.e. <!-- TemplateBeginEditable name=\"head\" -->)? You might try making a basic HTML new page - I don\'t think there\'s much difference in the way Dreamweaver handles the page (go to New-->Basic Page-->HTML). I don\'t know if I\'d expect to see the actual page outline that you have in the included file -- I don\'t know about the newer versions of Dreamweaver, but in MX 2002, I\'ve seen very limited processing of PHP code. Hope this helps! :wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

With regards the above Dreamweaver does a loust job of creating valid code. You can start any document and check validation for I.E and N.N and dreamweave automatically inserts its own invalid code. Its trash even with constant updates. Code in some extensions is also outdated. Macromedia appear to be somewhat lapse in their admin with ext's as they should by rights be removed from the database when code is invalid. Dont get me wrong Dreamweaver has a place in web design and if you understand its plus and negative points it will speed development times but if you dont learn it well it could hold you back. For most one off sections of scripting I hand code though I have made my own ext's for dreamweaver with my own favorite snippets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which Dreamweaver are you using and what do you mean by invalid code? The new DW will even convert your nasty @$$ code into xhtml compliant code. The only thing I wish DW had is auto-complete for PHP built in. I've been a loyal user of DW for three years and have seen them really progress over the years. MX2004 is excellent software.

 

If you need to get a website quick and don't know what you're doing, use the design window even if it does make nasty code. After the design is done, go into the code window and analyze the tags. Learn what they do. After a while, you should be able to type all of your stuff from scratch.

 

One negative about writing your code by hand in a text editor: no auto-complete. This is a wicked feature in DW and will drastically cut your development times once you know the basics of html.

 

The new version also has great CSS support as well as limited PHP support. Notebook has neither.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're using a templated ecommerce solution based on Dreamweaver and php. We use DWMX... even though I make changes to the editable region, it usually gives me the "making this change would require changing code that is locked by a template..." error. (Even when simply trying to insert a space or change a letter.)

 

Of course that concerned me, but when I checked with the template's creator I was told to just ignore that, the changes would be retained... and that's exactly what happened.

 

I don't understand why the error crops up when editing an editable region, but I've never had problems yet with the changes being discarded, so I just ignore the message. I never got the message in any of my websites before when I was not coding in php, so I don't know if it's related to using php or not...

 

Regards,

ksp

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you care to check your code validation it will probably be the same as that hashed up by my version 7 of MX2004. Try checking with latest online validation checkers and you will see it inserts quite a bit of outdated code. Further to this it also leaves plenty of spurious tags when altering attributes from the property inspector.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, clean up your code after the initial design is done. You shouldn't even be using the properties bar! Do everything with CSS! Even if DW inserts a bit of bad code, it's easy to clean up. I can't name any better software than DW in regards to the kind of code it produces.

 

Sure, notepad will give you perfect code! But it'll take you twice or three times as long to write it. Not to mention the new DW has excellent CSS support. IMHO the best feature of the latest version.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can understand the advantages of handcoding your web pages, especially with PHP, but how do you get past the visual layout perspective that Dreamweaver gives you? For me personally, I like to have a visual layout of my web page when I am designing it. But I am running into some trouble trying to insert PHP scripts into the HTML code using Dreamweaver. I think it has something to do with a template that Dreamweaver automatically creates when you choose to work on a PHP page. For example, I am trying to use includes for my Header, Side Menu, and Footer. When I insert the

<?php

require ("header.php")

?>

the rest of the page disappears in Design View and wont allow to me to add anything else. If I try to delete or add anything manually I get an error saying:

making this change would require changing code that is locked by a template or translator. The change will be discarded.

 

Any input or suggestions????? Please Help.

The code might disappear in design view because you probably have a problem in the page you are including: header.php.

When you require the header.php, the system actually replaces the <?php

require ("header.php") ?> with the code you have in ("header.php"). If the code here has a problem (a tag brooken or something) the overall design view can be destroyed.

 

Cristian

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With regards the above and gsv's comment regarding the property inspector. Its there for a purpose gsv thats why a muti million pound corporation of IT pro's put it there. As you are obviously a 100% css fan this doesnt automatically give you the right to tell other "they shouldnt be using it". I think you will find that everyone using DWMX2004 uses this item for its intended purpose.... altering attributes and quickly applying or changing your classes. If you press F1 at any time you can read the basic manual. Perhaps before demanding how people use their app you should double read the responses first as you appear to bite to my remark which in your own words you fully admitted were correct.

 

//*Even if DW inserts a bit of bad code, it's easy to clean up.*\\

 

Further to the above I wasnt knocking Dreamweaver. Im not into purchasing expensive software without knowing that it will be invaluable to me. It is a hell of an app and it speeds up my dev times by more than the quote you stated. It has its place, but you have to learn its strong points and its weaknesses as Im sure you will agree. Once it further supports php its going to be awsome however I am dubious this will ever happen as Im sure Macromedia realise that that if they made it so, then their own Coldfusion markup would in variably suffer as a result.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dreamweaver I use everyday at work with PHP & MySQL. The advantages are that you can knock something out VERY quickly and the code it produces may not be THAT efficient but it is suprisingly good. i.e. It will never build a mysql statement with MySQL Injection threats and it writes code with Register Globals Off. (Far more secure).

 

On the down side it is pretty limited and a good knowledge of php goes a long way. I started with hand code but now prefer a combination of hand code and dreamweaver code. As long as you can see its out put you can tidy it afterwards and make sure the result is perfect.

 

Thumbs up Dreamweaver rocks!! B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi,

 

i prefer hand coding 100% :) and many reasons:

 

1. you will remeber the code, if your just getting the answer you wont be able to do it alone.

 

2. i think dreamweaver makes it harder than it should be, im in a web class and we had to use that, i was stuck and said sccrew this and switched it to code mode ;)

 

3.my mind is my visual. and also i often create html pages to help me visualze what i want so i can either make it better or copy-paste ;)

 

but it is good for beginners but i use notepad and at times highlighted editors when i get stuck on something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I design my page layouts using pencil and paper. Then when I think I have a good idea of what I want, I use Photoshop to create the visual layout. Then, when I'm satisfied that I have the look I want I can easily crop and create any of the graphic elements I need for the page ..... and then I code the page (using a souped-up text editor that includes a live page view that I leave turned off, plus a whole load of other bells and whistles).

 

Strange how nobody mentioned that design is a completely different exercise from coding, regardless of what tool you use to generate the code.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Im with brooky on his comments. he's learn dreamweavers limitations well as did I. An easy work around to some of DW MX2004 quirks is to use some of your best code snippets and make your own extensions. Its a pain making them but once you got them working well you got quality reusable code fired in within seconds. Ive now made 14 of my own php extensions that work really well, one of which is knocked up out of some modified code from one of the freaks tutorials. Further to the above comments there is now an newer free version of a great coding tool on the maguma site. If you get the paid version it comes with sql bundled but the free one works just fine. One tip tho, if you are using an installer bundle like phpdev etc do not install this item as it overwrites many key files. Get the freebie at

http://www.maguma.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm just learning PHP now. For a month or so I wondered if there would be a program that would write the code for me so I shouldn't learn it. In the same way you can build up a whole HTML site without knowing a single line of HTML using Dreamweaver, I wondered if there would be a program that could do the same with PHP. And as far as I know, the answer is no. That's why I'm learning finally to code myself.

 

About Dreamweaver, as far as I know, it can do a few useful things, but you won't get very far unless you know PHP yourself. Too bad, I love Dreamweaver and would prefer 100 times to just tell it what I want I it will code for me the entire site as it does with HTML.

 

To write my code I'm useing Zend Studio. The debug feature is very useful for me. I know there are other cool editors like PHP Edit, which is free. Nobody mentioned them here, while I'm hearing "wordpad" lots of times. Why? A PHP editor can help very much in writng your code (autocomplete, debug, support, etc...)

 

However, I'm just a newbie, as I said. Just writing my own first conclusions on the subject...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To write my code I'm useing Zend Studio. The debug feature is very useful for me. I know there are other cool editors like PHP Edit, which is free. Nobody mentioned them here, while I'm hearing "wordpad" lots of times. Why? A PHP editor can help very much in writng your code (autocomplete, debug, support, etc...)

 

However, I'm just a newbie, as I said. Just writing my own first conclusions on the subject...

hi,

 

i can fill that in :) the more advance php coders usually dont need a fancy editor since most of us had made amny programs. but i myself use wordpad for most coding but i do use a very very simple php editor that's only special features are highlighted functions and numbered lines :) but i think ppl who want the ez way out isnt trying to keep their knowledge growing.

 

lets say you get into the profession and the job you work @ gives you notepad and a very simple editor that is not WYSIWYG. most ppl would get stuck, but ppl who can program without looking at the scenn will not(most of the time ;) )

 

but its good for beginners and those who not plan to make it a profession :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dreamweaver I use everyday at work with PHP & MySQL. The advantages are that you can knock something out VERY quickly and the code it produces may not be THAT efficient but it is suprisingly good. i.e. It will never build a mysql statement with MySQL Injection threats and it writes code with Register Globals Off. (Far more secure).

 

On the down side it is pretty limited and a good knowledge of php goes a long way. I started with hand code but now prefer a combination of hand code and dreamweaver code. As long as you can see its out put you can tidy it afterwards and make sure the result is perfect.

 

Thumbs up Dreamweaver rocks!! B)

Hi Guys,

 

The Dreamweaver team would like to let you know that we are indeed listening and it's very important to us that your PHP experience within our tool suits your needs.

 

 

We'd love to hear additional feedback from you about what additional functionality you would like to see in Dreamweaver that would make your lives easier and your work days more productive.

 

I am a member of the Dreamweaver team and can make sure your input is shared with the right folks. Please be as specific as possible about annoyances and/or feature ideas and, while I can make no promised of course, we'll certainly give your feedback serious consideration. Send your feedback to the following email address (remove the NOSPAMPLEASE part).

 

rchristensenNOSPAMPLEASE@macromedia.com

 

Cheers!

- Rob

 

-----

Rob Christensen

Sr. QA Engineer - Macromedia Dreamweaver

http://www.macromedia.com/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is more than a year old. Please don't revive it unless you have something important to add.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.