Hi,

 

I am looking to learn DW CS4, do I buy a book if so which one.

 

Let me know what has helped you.

 

Thanks in advance.

If you're using the visual aspect of Dreamweaver, then you should stop what you're doing immediately. Using this produces invalid code that isn't cross-browser compatible, it also makes you a lazy designer and doesn't really allow you to learn anything. When coding a website that you've designed, you should always use the code section, it may seem a little daunting at first, but when you start doing it, you really enjoy it and get creative with your code as well as your design.

 

Your best bet is to visit websites like HTML Dog and W3 Schools to learn (X)HTML and CSS, and the books you want can be seen in this thread: List of Recommended Web Design and Development Books.

Couldn't agree more with what Traxor has just said!

 

Dreamweaver (in design mode) does nothing except make you lazy - and it will also frustrate the hell out of you. The links above are excellent starting places, plus you have this forum to help you with any problems

Thanks guys

 

I am trying to learn code via these sites, think I will get a book to speed me up a bit.

I'm thinking Html Dog book might help me along.

 

Can you do a mix of hand code & DW design? while I'm learning.

Hi Dan, I would definitely avoid a mix, it'll make your code more complicated and won't help you learn at all. Just take it slow, and use the coding aspect. If you're worried about graphical side of things, then just have your browser open, refreshing when you save changes to view them.

 

If you don't have Photoshop to design the website, then try using GIMP. It's an open source (therefore free) image manipulation software, and many designers use it as an alternative to Photoshop.

Ok Traxor, I will concentrate on code.

Can you give me any links on how to code a Photoshop design.

I use photoshop at work (printing)

But have no idea how to use it for web design & coding it?

Hi YamaDan, for creating a website in photoshop, you literally just draw the shapes, guides etc how you would want a website to appear, just like you'd design something for print, you then have to slice the relevant images. Some people get a bit slice crazy with this bit, however depending on how complicated the site is, you should have 1 small bg image, a small header image, navigation, content background and then that's it. But this is something you'll have to learn over time, it's taken me close to six years to get where I am today, one year of which was Dreamweaver, something I greatly regret as when I started to design websites properly, I had to start again.

 

Here are five websites I got from Google: "using photoshop to design websites":

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/design-website-photoshop/

http://www.entheosweb.com/photoshop/layout.asp

http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials/...b-template.html

http://www.hypergurl.com/blog/photoshop/learntouse.html

http://www.photoshoplab.com/website-design-mockup-tips.html

I only really use photoshop for the graphics, although you can create the layout and everything.

Because of the same reasons mentioned above I would lay the whole page out in photoshop and then hand code it all in dreamweaver, slicing the necessary images out of photoshop...If that makes any sense. Its quite long winded but in my opinion its the best way to do it.

Or you could slice it all up in photoshop then save for web then rewrite the code.

 

Either way, like the peeps above said, hand code it all, its much better in the long run and you will actually learn a lot more.

Thanks again Traxor & ddd

This site has opened my eyes to web designing.

I have just downloaded notepad++

I have been using notepad I wasn't expecting so much!

Something else I need to get to grips with, any tips/links for that?

I will then get my head down & learn more code.

You're welcome Dan, you'll really get on well here at the Web Designer Forum, so stick around whilst you're learning. Notepad++ was a good move, it's a great piece of GNU software.