User Manual (978-0-470-41796-6)Table of ContentsIntroduction1Introduction1About This Book1Foolish Assumptions2Conventions Used in This Book2How This Book Is Organized3Book I: Getting Started3Book II: Designing for the Web4Book III: Building Web Sites4Book IV: Web Standards and Testing4Book V: Publishing and Site Maintenance4Icons Used in This Book5Where to Go from Here5Book I: Getting Started7Book I: Getting Started7Chapter 1: Starting with a Plan9Understanding the Different Phases of a Web Project10Determining the Site’s Purpose11Checking out the competition11Gathering information12Developing a statement of purpose13Building a Site Image15Determining Site Content16Minimum requirements16Marketing and sales content18Diagnosing the Site’s Dynamic Requirements24Defining Ways to Attract Visitors27E-newsletters28Free tips and articles31Blogs32Polls and calculators37Contests and sweepstakes40Chapter 2: Defining the Audience43Defining the Target Audience44Doing informal market research44Gathering Internet usage statistics45Sizing up the competition48Defining the Ideal Site Visitor52Determining Benefits to Site Visitors56Defining the true benefits57Taking the visitor’s perspective58Chapter 3: Gathering Content61Defining Site Content Requirements62Gathering content62Crafting the vision of the site63Building Wireframes70Gathering Text and Graphics73Hiring a copywriter75Hiring freelance artists76Licensing stock images77Choosing page titles and meta-tag data80Organizing Site Content85Building a Site Map87Chapter 4: Choosing the Right Tools91Working with Web Editors92Selecting a Web editor93Understanding HTML and CSS structure95Looking at Web page structure97Building a Web page98Saving Web files100Choosing the Right Graphics Software102Graphics programs102Web graphic optimization programs107Working with Color108Using Web-safe colors108Using hexadecimal colors110Choosing a Shopping Cart114Using PayPal shopping carts115Checking out Google Checkout116Looking into third-party and Web-hosted shopping carts116Building custom shopping carts117Planning for secure transactions118Knowing When to Hire a Programmer119Taking a look at your dynamic content needs119Finding a good programmer121Book II: Designing for the Web123Book II: Designing for the Web123Chapter 1: Defining the Look and Feel125Working with the Client to Make Design Choices125Defining a Site Theme Using Target Data126Making Basic Layout and Design Decisions129Choosing a size for your site130Selecting a fixed-width or flexible layout132Choosing a method for printing the layout137Picking a color palette138Choosing the right fonts140Selecting a Navigation System142Choosing a location and style145Determining how to handle submenus146Organizing the Site’s Look and Feel148Positioning the brand148Designing layouts on the grid148Making a layout checklist150Chapter 2: Mocking Up the Design153Understanding the Value of a Mock-up154Working from a Site Map155Creating the Mock-up157Blocking out the parts of the page157Designing “above the fold”160Unifying the layout with design elements163Finalizing the Mock-up166Showing the subnavigation167Presenting the mock-up to the client169Creating Additional Web Graphics171Header graphics171Rollover graphics172Background images173Other graphics173Chapter 3: Slicing and Optimizing Web Graphics175Web Graphics 101176Color mode177Color gamut warnings178Resolution180Unit of measure182File and page size182Optimizing and Slicing Graphics183Understanding optimization183Choosing an optimization program183Optimizing using Save for Web & Devices184Slicing up graphics186Selecting the Right Web Format191Choosing Web Optimization Settings196GIF and PNG-8 optimization197PNG-24 optimization200JPG optimization200Optimization Output Options201Book III: Building Web Sites205Book III: Building Web Sites205Chapter 1: Adding Text, Images, and Links207Setting Up Basic HTML208Adding the title, DOCTYPE, and metadata208Adding a page title209Adding a DOCTYPE209Adding metadata211Coding pages by hand214Coding Your Pages217Adding Page Content219Inserting text219Adding graphics223Creating Hyperlinks229Understanding local and global links230Linking targets231Linking graphics234Creating other link types237Labeling Content for CSS Markup243Making Content Accessible245Chapter 2: Organizing Content with Tables and Lists249Inserting Tables on a Page249Discovering what you can do with tables250Understanding the structure of a table251Adding content to table cells252Formatting Tables253The id attribute254Table widths and heights254Table and cell alignment256Table borders257Cellpadding and cellspacing attributes258Table headers260The nowrap attribute260Splitting and merging table cells260Background and border colors261Tiling background images263Nesting tables264Inserting Lists on a Page264Examining the two list types264Nesting lists266Adding content and formatting a list268Chapter 3: Styling with Cascading Style Sheets271Understanding CSS Basics271Using CSS as a Web standard272Taking a look at the anatomy of a style273Exploring inline, internal, and external CSS274Linking external CSS to a page277Setting CSS media types279Linking CSS with Dreamweaver284Working with CSS Style Selectors286Applying custom class styles286Making CSS tag redefine styles288Creating ID styles290Building compound styles292Creating a master CSS file294Chapter 4: Understanding CSS Style Properties301Working with the CSS Box Model301Exploring the Eight Style Property Categories304The type properties305The background properties307The block properties310The box properties313The border properties314The list properties315The positioning properties317The extension properties321Styling the Content on Your Pages322Styling paragraphs, headers, and footers322Styling lists and tables324Styling images and AP elements (layers)327Finding CSS Resources Online329Chapter 5: Creating Web Layouts333Creating Standards-Compliant, Accessible Layouts333Working with Layers335Discovering the benefits of layers-based layouts336Understanding what layers are337Creating a Layers-Only Layout338Adding a layer to a page338Building a CSS layers-based layout339Styling a CSS layers-based layout344HTML E-Mail and Newsletters349Understanding the benefits of tables-based layouts349Building an HTML e-mail or newsletter351Finding Online Resources for Layers-Based Layouts356Chapter 6: Constructing Navigation Systems359Assessing the Navigational Needs of Your Site360Discovering the Basic Principles of Navigation Systems361Wide versus deep menus362Single-tier menus363Multitier menus363Choosing the Right Menu for Your Site364Creating Text Navigation Menus366Exploring your layout options366Creating a rollover text-based navigation bar367Creating Rollover Button Graphic Navigation Menus371Understanding how to build rollovers372Outputting rollovers in Fireworks374Creating rollovers in Dreamweaver377Creating Multitier Spry Menus in Dreamweaver379Creating CSS List Navigation Menus383Chapter 7: Designing Web Forms391Deciding What Visitor Information to Collect392Encrypting and Processing Collected Form Data394SSL digital security certificate394Understanding how data encryption works396Understanding the Structure of Web Forms400Creating a Web Form401Creating the structure of the form401Adding individual form fields406Validating Web Forms412Understanding what a validating form is412Adding a Validate Form behavior to a form413Building Spry Web Forms in Dreamweaver416Taking a look at the Spry validation widgets416Adding Spry validation fields to a form417Testing Validated Web Forms419Chapter 8: Making Your Pages Interactive423Getting to Know JavaScript424Creating Multipart Rollover Effects426Launching a New Browser Window432Deciding when to launch a new browser window432Hand-coding the script to launch a pop-up window434Adding a pop-up window to your page with Dreamweaver436Building Image Maps439Adding an image map to a graphic440Building complex image maps441Adding Multimedia Files444Adding a multimedia file to your page444Creating slide shows447Adding sound with Dreamweaver450Providing Daily Interactive Content on Your Pages452Daily tip or news item452Daily word game457Daily blog entries457Chapter 9: Building Web Sites459Building the Master Page460Building Web Sites with Templates460Using Dreamweaver templates461Preparing a page to become a template462Creating a Dreamweaver template464Creating templates with editable regions465Creating and editing template-based files467Working with Server-Side Includes (SSIs)469Understanding what SSIs are469Including an SSI file inside a page469Editing an SSI file471Ensuring success with SSIs471Creating, Including, and Testing SSIs472Editing Paths to Work with SSIs476Understanding the different path types476to site-root relative478Comparing Templates and SSIs479Book IV: Web Standards and Testing481Book IV: Web Standards and Testing481Chapter 1: Following Web Standards483Working with Web Standards484standards-compliant code484Taking a look at W3C recommendations485Exploring the W3C Web site486Using DOCTYPEs (DTDs)489Selecting a DOCTYPE489Adding a DOCTYPE in Dreamweaver493Writing Semantic HTML and XHTML Code495Formatting with CSS Instead of HTML498Comparing CSS and HTML formatting499Taking a look at the benefits of CSS500Exploring pages styled with CSS501Finding Out about Accessibility Standards503Chapter 2: Testing, Accessibility, Compliance, and Validation509Understanding the Process of Validating Your Code510Performing Prelaunch Testing510Creating a Web-testing checklist511Testing on multiple platforms, browsers, and devices512Cleaning Up Your Code515Finding and replacing errors516Checking spelling517Removing unwanted formatting518Applying consistent (X)HTML syntax520Applying source formatting521Converting syntax by DTD521Fixing Common Code Errors524Validating your markup526Checking browser compatibility527Verifying internal and external links529Generating site reports530Validating HTML and CSS Markup531Using free online validation tools532Fixing noncompliant code536Retesting and failing acceptably538Obtaining proof of validation540Book V: Publishing and Site Maintenance543Book V: Publishing and Site Maintenance543Chapter 1: Domain Registration and Hosting545Understanding How to Get Your Site Online545Selecting a Domain Name546Understanding what a domain name is547Finding a domain name for your client549Using domain name generators549Checking domain name availability550Registering a Domain Name553Using a domain registrar553Using a host provider554Activating your domain555Finding the Best Hosting Plan555Researching host providers555Evaluating hosting plan packages557Creating a Custom Placeholder Page560Designing a placeholder page562Uploading a placeholder page568Chapter 2: Publishing Your Site571Uploading Files with File Transfer Protocol572Choosing the right FTP program572Setting up a remote connection575Setting Up a Test Directory579Getting and Putting Files581Putting files on the remote server582Transferring files with Dreamweaver582Performing Final Site Testing585Creating Custom 401 and 404 Error Pages587Creating the error pages588Editing the .htaccess file590Publishing Your Site591Chapter 3: Search Engine Optimization and Site Maintenance593Understanding Search Engine Optimization594Practicing Ethical SEO Techniques595Optimizing Your Site for Search Engines597Maximizing keywords598Including descriptive text and hyperlinks600Embedding object and image descriptions600Adding keyword and description meta tags601Updating bland page titles603Submitting a Site to Search Engines605Hand-submitting the URL605Waiting for the site to be listed608Giving Your Site an HTML Site Map608Deciding what to include on the HTML Site Map page609Creating a Site Map page611Making the site map accessible613Keeping the Site Relevant616Performing site maintenance616Scheduling site updates617Adding new content regularly617Moving on619Index621Index621Size: 91.7 KBPages: 12Language: EnglishOpen manual
