Question

Creating a Web Site Template using Photoshop or Fireworks

Asked by: carlbordelon

I'm developing a web site for a business and require assistance on how to make a template.  I've searched the web and cannot find what i'm looking for.

In my searches, i've found one that says I should create a web page in Dreamweaver MX with "non-unique" content and then click on SAVE --> Template.

This is not what I want to do.  I've downloaded several free templates from various sites and most of them included PSD files for Adobe Photoshop.  

I want to create my template in this manner; with Photoshop or Macromedia Fireworks MX.  I will be using Dreamweaver MX to edit the site.

My question is:  How do I create the template in Photoshop or Fireworks?  Is there an advantage to using Photoshop?  After I create a "look" for my site, where do "slices" come in and how do I work with slices???


Carl

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Asked On
2003-07-02 at 09:22:06ID20666526
Topic

Adobe Dreamweaver

Participating Experts
4
Points
250
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: webwomanPosted on 2003-07-02 at 09:55:37ID: 8842055

You're confusing a LOOK with a TEMPLATE.

The look can be done in whatever you want -- Fireworks, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, or paper and pencil. A template is the basis for your pages -- and it MUST be HTML based, because that's what your PAGES are. They are NOT a graphic.

Templates allow you to create new pages that look the same as the others in the site, and lock you out of certain areas so that the look is maintained.

What you create in Fireworks or Photoshop can be the BASIS for the templates, but it is NOT the template.

There is no real advantage to Photoshop, but you may need it anyway for photo retouching. Fireworks doesn't do photo retouching or many photographic effects.

They don't work the same when it comes to slices/effects either. Similar, but not the same. The slices define how the graphic is cut up, what the pieces do, and how they're put together. You export from Fireworks/Photoshop as HTML/javascript AND graphics, and THAT is what you use for the page templates.

You might want to get some books on HTML, javascript, and DW/FW or Photoshop if you're not familiar with those. The more you get into it, the more complicated it gets. ;-)

 

by: klykkenPosted on 2003-07-02 at 16:32:11ID: 8844933

As always webwoman is pretty right with her answer :-)

It pretty much depends on what you mean by 'template'. From what you describe, it's hard to know exactly what you mean.

If you mean a basic html document in which you can insert information and create several pages. This can be done in a normal html-editor, or even better through DW's Template ability. DW's Template ability makes it possible for you to create a standard template for all pages in where you define which areas should be editeable in the pages you generate from the template. If you later change the template, all pages you've created from the template will be updated.

 

by: docseuss79Posted on 2003-07-03 at 10:30:37ID: 8851225

One feature I always liked was in Dreamweaver you can set an image of the look you want as the background, and then code the page to look like the image.  

I.e.  Use photoshop to develop what you want it to look like.  Save it as a jpeg.  In dreamweaver there is a section in the page properties (I think) that you can set the background image.  You make it 40-60% transparent and then code the tables and insert the images to fit your image.  

Doc

 

by: webwomanPosted on 2003-07-03 at 22:21:32ID: 8854400

How is this easier than using Fireworks or Photoshop, slicing the image up, and letting the software generate the tables? AND the mouseover, image swap, and/or pop up menus?

Especially since you're STILL going to have to slice it up, and you WON'T have the DW page to help you get the pieces right.

 

by: docseuss79Posted on 2003-07-07 at 05:22:06ID: 8868780

I ONLY suggested using Dreamweaver's transparent background image funciton BECAUSE sometimes it saves you in the amount of code in the document.  This in turn saves you TIME for download purposes, especially since this appears to be a graphic intensive website given the EMPHASIS on photoshop.

Trying to give more than ONE opinion, is the point of these forums if I'm not mistaken, so please be respectful of others comments.

 

by: webwomanPosted on 2003-07-07 at 17:19:51ID: 8873363

That's why I asked... I didn't know if there was some other way that you had discovered to do it.

It would, of course, totally depend on what you were doing and how many pieces you had and what they needed to do. There's always more than one way to do anything.

 

by: kanaryPosted on 2003-07-08 at 06:54:24ID: 8877091

hello carlbordelon,

i think i know what u r looking for.

there is a tool that is shipped with adobe photo shop called Image Ready.

this tool is a very very easy one that enables u to do the following:

open your source image. (it could be a backgroung, top menu image, side menue image, anything)
slices it to pieces as u wish, by this manner u can slice all the buttons u wana be used as ur top menu or side menu.
then u can generate a rollover buttons (every button can have many states like: over, click, out, ...)
after finishing u can publish every thing as an html file with a folder containing the sliced images.
save what u have done as a psd file.

then open the html file in dreamweaver and save this file as a template.
then u can use what u have done in Image Ready as ur working template and apply it to any page.

if u wana change ur template or something, u have ur source psd file.
hope this helps.

thx a lot,
kanary

 

by: kanaryPosted on 2003-07-08 at 22:55:25ID: 8882724

thx carlbordelon.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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