Help with Dreamweaver 8

TroganTrogan London, UK
edited April 2007 in Internet & Media
I downloaded (about a week ago) the 30 day free trial of Dreamweaver 8 and this is my very first time using it.

I want to create a banner, similar to SM (in size), but I don't know what the size is or if there is a standard size that should be used. Can anyone help me here please?

Thanks in advance! :)

Comments

  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited March 2007
    banner? the forum banner?

    The forums top image or logo is 504 x 100 but the header will exspand to your web page size.

    The SM Home page logo is slightly smaller coming in a 441 x 88 ...

    The Home Page layout is 950 pixels wide
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited March 2007
    I'm off to a start. Thanks Sledge! :)


    I'll be back with other questions. :D
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited March 2007
    Are you sure Dreamweaver is what you need to be using? Banners are generally done in Photoshop or Imageready (or fireworks if you're a [the artist formerly known as macromedia] junkie)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited March 2007
    The banner is being created in Photoshop. :)
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited March 2007
    Sledgehammer70 wrote:
    The Home Page layout is 950 pixels wide
    Yes, but it's important to note the main content area is only 700 pixels wide to stay well within the bounds of a 800x600 monitor :)

    A tiny (less than 10 pixels wide) sliver of vertical gradient is repeated across the background of the header to create the fill. The logos are actually on top of that, and have an identical gradient on them to blend in. On the forum, the logos also sit on the sides to create that beveled effect easily. On the front page, however, a separate div element with a horizontally repeating gradient takes care of that effect.
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited March 2007
    How can I add an audio clip to Dreamweaver?
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited March 2007
    Trogan wrote:
    How can I add an audio clip to Dreamweaver?

    Do you want to - embed or link ?
    Continous play (looping) or viewer choice to play/stop?
    How long is the clip and what format?
    :)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited March 2007
    Hi Kentigern,

    I'd like to embed the audio. Viewers choice to play/stop. Clip is 6 secs and is in .wav format.

    What I want to do is have the audio clip play when at the Homepage. Is that possible?

    Would it be better to code something like this? Just a thought.

    Thanks! :)
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited March 2007
    To embed an audio file:
    In Design view, place the insertion point where you want to embed the file and do one of the following:
    In the Common category of the Insert bar, click the Media button and select the plug-in icon.
    Select Insert > Media > Plugin.

    In the Property inspector, click the folder icon to browse for the audio file, or type the file’s path and name in the Link text box.
    Enter the width and height by entering the values in the appropriate text boxes or by resizing the plug-in placeholder in the Document window.
    These values determine the size at which the audio controls are displayed in the browser.

    To create a link to an audio file:
    Select the text or image you want to use as the link to the audio file.
    In the Property inspector, click the folder icon to browse for the audio file, or type the file’s path and name in the Link text box.

    Hope this helps :)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited March 2007
    Linking the audio works but embedding does not. :(
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited March 2007
    Have you saved the page and then previewed it in your browser, [cause of my settings, when I preview it asks if I want to run active x control, I allow, ]you should then see small gray box with arrow, on the page and get sound when clicked on /off
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited March 2007
    It works! For some reason, it only works with RealPlayer as the default browser.

    Thanks again, Kentigern! :)
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited March 2007
    Trogan wrote:
    It works! For some reason, it only works with RealPlayer as the default browser.

    Thanks again, Kentigern! :)

    That's how mine works too, cause I have RealPlayer as my default (only one that works properly with the Beeb news videos:)) sound/viewer, some users will have Windows Media Player as their default, it might be an idea to see if the audio clip plays with that plugin too.
    Also you might want to test to see if it works in Firefox/Netscape too.:)

    Look forward to seeing/hearing the finished page. :)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited March 2007
    With RealPlayer as my current default media player, the audio clip works fine in IE. Firefox says "Additional plugins are required to display all the media on this page" and tells me to download Apple Quicktime, although I already have Quicktime on the computer.

    Do I need to make WMP my default player to test the audio clip? Can't figure out how to make WMP default.

    Thanks! :)
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited March 2007
    Trogan wrote:
    Firefox says "Additional plugins are required to display all the media on this page" and tells me to download Apple Quicktime, although I already have Quicktime on the computer.

    Can't hurt to have an updated version.
    Do I need to make WMP my default player to test the audio clip? Can't figure out how to make WMP default.

    You got me on this one Trogan - :sad2:

    I usually just right click on the link or click on choice of media player on the web and hope for the best. :)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited March 2007
    I downloaded Quicktime yesterday. :D

    I'll have to look/ask around for solutions on WMP. I'll let you know what I find, if anything.

    Thanks for your support so far.
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited April 2007
    Hey everyone,

    I haven't done anything with Dreameaver since my last post. Got a little busy with other things, but I need to get this assignment finished.

    I'm stuck or just don't know how to create a proper menu. Anyone have any advice for me please? :D

    Thanks! :)
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited April 2007
    Hi Trogan
    Here's the Q's let me have the A's :)
    1.Would you the menu to be horizonal(H) or vertical(V) ?
    2.How many links to other pages ?
    3.Do you want the menu links to be text or grahpics?
    4.Do you want the menu/navigation bar to be the same on all pages?
    5.Would you like an example of the above choice H / V in txt format which you can open in the your browser?
    :)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited April 2007
    Hi Kentigern, thanks for continued support. :)

    1) I'd like the menu to be Vertical on the left of the page.
    2) I need to have a minimum of six links, that is for certain.
    3) Text based links please.
    4) Yep.
    5) Not sure what you mean, but it sounds useful.

    I have one other question, if you don't mind. My brother has created a custom made background in Photoshop, but in Dreamweaver the background comes out too big. Seems we chose the wrong dimensions for a webpage in Photoshop. Would you know the correct dimensions please?

    Thanks again for your help. :)
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited April 2007
    Will work on the above example for you - you can then copy and paste :) not forgetting to change the link names.
    What size is the background pic i.e. 500x500 is it just like a repeating pattern ->> ->> or a proper picture umm like bunch of flowers.
    Can you pm it to me
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited April 2007
    Just so you know, the website is based on Boxing. Its one big picture that my brother created. I told him to use 500x1000 (I think) in Photoshop, but it didn't come out right in Dreamweaver.

    The file is on my brother's account, which I don't access too. When I can, I'll send you a copy of the pic.

    Thank you once again. :)
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited April 2007
    Hi Trogan

    Attached txt file
    trogen3.txt
    you'll need to save to your pc as an htm to view in your browser of choice. If you open in your browser - then view source - you'll see the code. :)
    OR just open in notepad copy and paste into your dreamweaver page, - if you use it in a template, then use the template for the rest of your pages the navbar should be in the same place each time. (fingers crossed :) )

    ONTO the picture background

    I would try to get the picture pixel size to approx 900 wide by 500 - 750 height (try different heights).

    Then go into the page properties of your dreamweaver web page, locate the browse button browse for your background image or just enter the url - then -
    go the Repeat dropdown list and choose no repeat click apply, click ok.

    Hope the above helps :)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited April 2007
    Thank you for the menu. It looks great. :)

    As for the picture, no repeat is already selected. I just checked the size, and it is 1024x768...that is too big. I'll get my brother to resize the picture and play around with different sizes, if needed. :)

    Thanks! :)

    Edit: How can I use an image as a link please?
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited April 2007
    Hey your welcome - :)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited April 2007
    Hi Julie,

    Can you help me with this please?
    Edit: How can I use an image as a link please?
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited April 2007
    Hi Sorry for the delay - feeding me :)

    Same instructions for this attachment as the last, again view source to follow the code etc. Sorry no actual pics, but you should understand okay.
    pictureTroganLink.txt


    As an aside which ISP are you using, cause mine just linked with BT and have now reduced the monthly allowances from 30 to 20gb BUT not the price - sucks lemon. :)
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited April 2007
    Sorry for not replying sooner and thanks again for the picture-link code. Do you code this yourself?

    Tiscali is my ISP and its unlimited Internet. £17.99 a month. :)
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited April 2007
    Trogan wrote:
    Do you code this yourself?
    Mostly, I use my crib sheets from old web sites that I created in the late '90's, and if I can't remember I refer to my HTML books.
    Trogan wrote:
    Tiscali is my ISP and its unlimited Internet. £17.99 a month. :)
    Do you have any probs with them, (they used to be terrible :) )
  • TroganTrogan London, UK
    edited April 2007
    No problems, although I find the Internet speed varies a lot. Maybe that is normal, not sure. Apart from that, its not bad. :D
  • KentigernKentigern Milton Keynes UK
    edited April 2007
    Thanks - worth thinking about :)
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