| So you now have the Dreamweaver 8 and you are | | | | Adobe Device Central into the CS3, Dreamweaver |
| just not quite sure whether your web design | | | | now makes it easy to view your pages in cell phones. |
| company is willing to shell out some more to upgrade | | | | Web design feature #4: Ajax Implementation Now |
| to the latest CS3 version. This is actually a challenging | | | | Made Possible |
| decision to make for your web design company. As a | | | | The Dreamweaver CS3 now has integrated the Spry |
| web designer, you have to work with the software, | | | | framework so that it adding Ajax widgets and |
| so it is both your right and responsibility to decide | | | | effects onto your pages have now been made |
| whether the new version will help you come up with | | | | possible. All you do is to drag and drop them and |
| improved web design. This makes you wonder too: | | | | incorporate them into your dataset. Dreamweaver |
| Now that Adobe has already bought Macromedia, | | | | CS3 features Spry components which include: |
| what have they done to it? Have they ruined it, or | | | | widgets for tables, lists and forms: transition effects |
| have they made it so much better that you should | | | | such as growing, shrinking, highlighting and fading, and |
| already kick yourself now for not buying it earlier? | | | | integration of data from XML feeds such as in |
| Well, if I were to be asked, I stand somewhere in | | | | database or RSS. |
| between these two. | | | | Web design feature #5: XLST Support |
| Web design feature #1: Adobe and Dreamweaver | | | | Another amazing feature about the CS3 that both |
| Together | | | | you and your web design company will love is the |
| Your web design company may find it reason enough | | | | extensive support it has for XLST through the use |
| to buy the new Dreamweaver CS3 because of its | | | | of XML files as database source. Through XSLT, it is |
| full integration with Adobe graphics tools like those | | | | easy to view the XML in a tree form and integrate it |
| found in Photoshop. When you have an image, you | | | | right into your HTML document. This simply means |
| can directly click on it and edit right away. | | | | that if you have a number of XML files set in the |
| Web design feature #2: CSS Support Made Better | | | | same format; it is relatively simple to create one |
| One of the best features found in the new | | | | single template for all of them in the new CS3 using |
| Dreamweaver CS3 is the integration of better CSS | | | | XLST. |
| layouts. These layouts are all well-commented in the | | | | Web design feature #6: Support for Mac Intel |
| code, so it can be pretty easy to start knowing how | | | | Processors |
| CSS layouts tend to work. They now have over 32 | | | | If your web design company works on an |
| layouts that you can choose from in 1, 2 or 3-column | | | | Intel-based Macintosh platform, you will be happy |
| formats, in fixed and liquid type web designs. You | | | | with the performance improvements of the CS3. It is |
| may also define the position where you want the | | | | now native to the platform and does not run on |
| CSS to be when creating a new page, not to | | | | Rosetta so that it loads a lot quickly than before. In |
| mention how easy it is to move the CSS styles | | | | fact, CS3 claims that what loads in Dreamweaver 8 |
| around. You can stat out by styling the tag directly | | | | for 4 minutes can load in the CS3 in under one |
| into the HTML through a style attribute and move it | | | | minute. You can do further testing to confirm this. |
| to your style sheet. With Dreamweaver CS3, you will | | | | To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade |
| only have to right click on the tag and set it to | | | | That is the question. In my case, I have upgraded |
| "Convert Inline CSS to Rule" to build a custom class | | | | and haven't regretted any of it. I appreciate the new |
| for that specific style or to create one full CSS | | | | CSS features, the XSLT support and the Device |
| selector. | | | | Central. However, your web design company may |
| Web design feature #3: Mobile Support | | | | see one piece that is still missing, which is that of |
| Your web design company will also be pleased to | | | | web design time and programming. As in the previous |
| know about the mobile support integrated into the | | | | versions, the Dreamweaver CS3 is also still difficult to |
| new CS3 version. Creating pages made especially for | | | | use in terms of live databases and server side scripts. |
| mobile devices have been popular in the recent | | | | However, there may be extensions to make things |
| years, but it can be difficult to design one which is | | | | easier for you. On a general whole, go on and |
| compatible both on mobile and web browser | | | | upgrade and you will most likely never have to look |
| platforms. However, with the integration of the | | | | back. |