I wonder if someone could help me. I am quite a beginner in DW, so these questions may have obvious answers, I hope you don't mind.

I am working on a site using mostly layers. I want to use a template, as the menu and header of the pages will be the same throughout. I understand mostly about editable regions - but is it right that you can place layers *over* the non editable areas of a document that uses a template? If this is so, it could mean all I need to do is create one editable area in the template to enable me to insert various layers in the subsequent documents, rather than position all the editable regions to begin with. Does this sound ok? Or all wrong?

Another question relates to the z order of layers. I'd quite like to get my layers to display in a particular order as they download into the browser. In normal documents and in the template I can control the stacking of the layers, but in the documents to which the template is applied, the list of layers is blank. Is this correct or am I doing something wrong?

And my third question is about templates. Not sure if this is a daft question or not - do I have to upload the template along with the pages that its applied to? Or just the documents, without the orignal .dwt file?

Hoping someone can help me
many thanks
ElleJaye

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I wonder if someone could help me. I am quite a beginner in DW, so these questions may have obvious answers, I hope you don't mind.

I am working on a site using mostly layers. I want to use a template, as the menu and header of the pages will be the same throughout. I understand mostly about editable regions - but is it right that you can place layers *over* the non editable areas of a document that uses a template? If this is so, it could mean all I need to do is create one editable area in the template to enable me to insert various layers in the subsequent documents, rather than position all the editable regions to begin with. Does this sound ok? Or all wrong?

Another question relates to the z order of layers. I'd quite like to get my layers to display in a particular order as they download into the browser. In normal documents and in the template I can control the stacking of the layers, but in the documents to which the template is applied, the list of layers is blank. Is this correct or am I doing something wrong?

And my third question is about templates. Not sure if this is a daft question or not - do I have to upload the template along with the pages that its applied to? Or just the documents, without the orignal .dwt file?

Hoping someone can help me
many thanks
ElleJaye

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Hi ElleJaye,

Feel free to ask all your questions here... that's what we're here for.
Everyone needs a little assistence every now and then, and who knows... maybe some day you will be able to answer a few for others yourself <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

Then to your questions:

1. It is possible to put all your layers in one, big editable region, but then the 'child' pages of that template will not 'inherit' structure changes to those layers (like positioning). And you're at risk of accidently deleting a layer on a 'child' page, which could ruin your layout.
If you want to maintain a fixed layout though a template, it is best to define an editable region for each layer in the main layout that might need other content on subsequent pages.

2. Control the z-order for the layers from within the template. The z-order can not be changed for single 'child' pages, unless your layers were part of an editable region in the template.

3. No, you do not need to upload the template itself to the server.

Hope this helps.

--
Marja Ribbers-de Vroed
www.flevooware.nl
www.flevooware.nl/dreamweaver/

Thank you so much for your answers <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

I hope you don't mind if I just go over a couple of them?

About the layer/editable region question:
The reason I wondered about this was that I have defined a layer as an editable region in the template so that I could change the body copy in various ways in the subsequent pages. Whilst making another layer in a subsequent page to insert into the editable layer, I realised I could place the layers I newly created anywhere on the page, even over the non editable regions. Which meant that I was positioning layers on non editable regions, even though I knew I had not made that region editable at any time (I'm sorry if I seem to be repeating myself. It's just that I'm not sure if I'm making sense or not!). I think that I probably do not fully understand how layers work in templates, even though I really should (I don't suppose there is a tutorial anywhere, involving layers with templates?).

With regards to the z-order: Ah, I wondered if that was the case. I think I may be doing something screwy somewhere (see above layers/templates question!!!) as when I create new layers in the subsequent (child?) documents they do not show up in the layers list. I guess I am not inserting them properly into the editable layer (which would explain why I can position them anywhere on the page?) and that I SHOULD be doing that?
I quite like being able to move layers to anywhere on the page within the child (?) page, though, as it gives me a certain flexibility in positioning my content.

Hope you don't find me too confusing. Thanks again for your answers - sorry that I seem to need more clarification!

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About the layer/editable region question:
The reason I wondered about this was that I have defined a layer as an editable region in the template so that I could change the body copy in various ways in the subsequent pages. Whilst making another layer in a subsequent page to insert into the editable layer, I realised I could place the layers I newly created anywhere on the page, even over the non editable regions. Which meant that I was positioning layers on non editable regions, even though I knew I had not made that region editable at any time (I'm sorry if I seem to be repeating myself. It's just that I'm not sure if I'm making sense or not!). I think that I probably do not fully understand how layers work in templates, even though I really should (I don't suppose there is a tutorial anywhere, involving layers with templates?).
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Templates control where in the HTML source code you can change things on subsequent pages. But that doesn't mean they controls the layout in all cases.
In the example of layers: layers sort of 'float above' the regular page content, they are not part of the page content flow. Thus you can enter changes in an editable region in a template that influence the page layout.
In such a case the template determines where the layer's HTML code goes in the page, but not where the layer is displayed in a browser.

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With regards to the z-order: Ah, I wondered if that was the case. I think I may be doing something screwy somewhere (see above layers/templates question!!!) as when I create new layers in the subsequent (child?) documents they do not show up in the layers list. I guess I am not inserting them properly into the editable layer (which would explain why I can position them anywhere on the page?) and that I SHOULD be doing that?
I quite like being able to move layers to anywhere on the page within the child (?) page, though, as it gives me a certain flexibility in positioning my content.
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I don't really know why the layers would not show up in the list.
Maybe they are not fully qualified "layers" (being absolute positioned and having a left/top position)?

By the way, you should be careful with nesting layers in other layers. It will give unpredictable results in some browsers.

--
Marja Ribbers-de Vroed
www.flevooware.nl
www.flevooware.nl/dreamweaver/

Thanks again for your help! Things are looking a bit clearer now <img src=../images/dmxzone/forum/icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle> And thanks for the warning about nesting layers!