If you have clients that you need to send site samples to, then you won't want to miss these 2 movie tutorials! I always do all my site designs in Fireworks. You can design multiple variations and even completely different designs by using the Frames panel in Fireworks.
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This tutorial shows you how to create dynamic XML that contains filenames stored in a database. The tutorial creates a dynamic XML file for Active Slideshow Pro and enables you to add images from a database.
Note: the generic method used here for creating Dynamic XML files with Dreamweaver apply actually for most database driven xml files. So you can use it not only for the Active Slideshow Pro but also for other xml driven applications like Flash Album Generator and Active Slideshow Basic.
Read MoreIf you use the Dreameaver Record Update Wizard on a membership site - Look out!
Scenario, you have classified ads website where users can update their ads or their user profiles.
Dreamweaver uses a hidden form variable for associated Primary Key
Since it's a hidden variable:
Size: 6.29
Date Created: 2006-01-08
Read MoreTesting a website for accessibility can be a time-consuming and laborious process. The free Web Accessibility Toolbar can do most of the hard work for you though and is an indispensable tool for anyone interested in accessibility.
The toolbar is not an automated testing tool so does require manual work from you. It's therefore able to avoid the many problems with automated accessibility testing tools. It doesn't require any technical knowledge so even the biggest technophobe can check their website for accessibility!
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Today we'll use the new table that we created in the previous tutorial, to create a navigation tree.
Our goal is to convert this static this static tree to a database driven tree:
In professional web design circles, the usability testing session has become an essential component of any major project. Similar to focus groups in brand development and product launches, usability testing offers a rare opportunity to receive feedback from the very people the website is aimed at - before it's too late to do anything about it.
But how can you get the most from these usability testing sessions?
Read MoreUser-centered design (UCD) is a project approach that puts the intended users of a site at the centre of its design and development. It does this by talking directly to the user at key points in the project to make sure the site will deliver upon their requirements.
The stages are carried out in an iterative fashion, with the cycle being repeated until the project's usability objectives have been attained. This makes it critical that the participants in these methods accurately reflect the profile of your actual users.
It's truly remarkable what can be achieved through CSS, especially with navigation menus. Using the immense power of CSS, we're going to turn this:
...into this:
(This is a sample image of the actual menu because of CSS restrictions of our CMS)
All with just a bit of CSS and this tiny image: 
(which we've called background.gif). Look very closely and you can see it!
The needs of screen magnifier users are overlooked when implementing web accessibility on to a website. Screen magnifiers are used by partially sighted web users to increase the size of on-screen elements. Some users will magnify the screen so that only three to four words are able to appear on the screen at any one time. You can try using a screen magnifier yourself by downloading the Zoomtext screen magnifier for a free 30 day trial.
The good news is that some of the basic principles for improving accessibility and usability for screen magnifiers users, also increase usability for everyone. To help, we've listed six ways to improve accessibility and usability for screen magnifier users:
Read MoreWriting for the web is totally different to writing for printed matter. We tend to scan content on the web hunting for the information we're after, as opposed to reading word-for-word. As a result of this, there are certain guidelines you should be sure to follow when writing copy for your website.
Read MoreJakob Nielsen has likened opening links in a new window to a vacuum cleaner sales person who starts a visit by emptying an ash tray on the customer's carpet. Now I wouldn't say that it's quite as bad as that, but it can be pretty annoying when you click a link and suddenly out of nowhere a new window appears.
Unfortunately, opening links in a new window is still quite a common occurrence on the web. Many websites do it, and I'm sure many will continue to do it. Before you follow their lead, take a few moments to think long and hard about whether it's the right thing to do.
Read MoreThere's been widespread speculation about the new legislation being introduced, which will ensure that websites are accessible to disabled users. Try to find specific information about it on the Internet and chances are you'll come up empty handed.
The RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and the DRC (Disability Rights Commission), two of the most renowned advocates for creating accessible websites, have no specific information about the laws and what websites specifically need to do in order to meet the legal requirements.
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Need to create all kind of great web site navigation menus? Cascading Drop down Menus, Mega Menus, Popup or Context Menus. Menus that have great display animations, are CSS based and fully cross browser compatible, which makes them search engine friendly?