| When your website design has been done using | | | | 2. Create new html document |
| Dreamweaver template, and you want to make an | | | | 3. Remove all coding from it so you end up |
| update to a template, you will have to upload all the | | | | having empty page when you see it in code |
| pages on the server even after making a small | | | | preview |
| change to a tamplate. However when you use 'ssi' | | | | 4. Paste the whole element you copied from |
| files to built a website your maintenance work | | | | Dreamweaver template you want to replace |
| is greatly shortened | | | | 5. Save the file with extension 'ssi'. |
| and maintenance process simple and easy. | | | | When you have created copies of the website |
| At first you need to set your website to Server Site | | | | elements as ssi files, replace them |
| based so all new pages you create will have the | | | | with appropriate files using code: |
| extension '.shtml'. To make this in Dreamweaver open | | | | <!--#include file="yourfile.ssi" --> |
| preferences by bolding Ctrl+U on PC and Cmd+U on | | | | The whole html element will show up on the page |
| Apple computer. Then create a template in Adobe | | | | preview. Most probably your code will look like |
| Dreamweaver. (If you have old version of | | | | this <!--#include file="../yourfilfe.ssi" --> , as |
| Dreamweaver it might be called Micromedia | | | | Dreamweaver will put template in a separate folder |
| Dreamweaver. This technique was tested on | | | | called 'Templates'. When pages are connected with |
| Dreamwaver 8 but for the best result you need to | | | | the template the root file url will change to wherever |
| use at Dreamveaver CS3 and up.) | | | | the page is located. So no worries. You can also |
| Once you create a template, replace any parts of | | | | insert the ssi file by going to Insert>Server-Site |
| the website that show consistently throughout the | | | | Include. |
| pages and need frequent updates or future | | | | This simple and powerful technique will save time for |
| expansion, using ssi files. This will give better control | | | | your future updates as you will need to upload and |
| over updating a website design. | | | | change on single ssi file. It is very useful in designing a |
| How to creat a ssi file. | | | | website that requires future expansion of |
| 1. Highlight and copy the element you want to | | | | the navigation, header or footer. You can use this |
| replace on the Dreamweaver template, for instance | | | | technique to even a higher level |
| menu/navigation. | | | | website structure based on Server-Site Include. |