Dreamweaver templates are a special type of document that can be used to add structure and layout to a page. They enable you to ensure that all pages are rendered correctly in a variety of web browsers, such Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.
Designers and template authors now have tools to lock a page's layout, leaving unlocked areas "editable regions" for content contributors to add their material. Beginning with Dreameaver MX, template features give you complete control over a page's layout and content, which means you can define optional content, set up repeating regions, and define nested templates.
I cover each of these topics below. Using optional regions, you can define a section of the page that will or will not be shown, depending on what the content contributor decides. Optional regions are controlled by a conditional statement; the template tab of an optional region is preceded by the word "if.
For example, suppose a fictitious online toy company called RU Playing wants to introduce a new range of action figures called Hoolibots. Each of the three figures shares the same page design but only one image is displayed on each of the pages. Using an optional region, the template author can insert all three images on the template page and then let the content contributor control which of the actions figures is shown on each of the pages that is based upon this template.
Here's how you create an optional region:. As you can see from the image below, the region tab includes the word "if," which denotes that this is an optional region:. Having created a new page based on a template that contains a number of optional regions, content contributors can use the Template Properties dialog box to select which of the three images should be displayed on that page.
The word "true" appears in the Value column next to each of the images. This means that each image is currently visible on the page. Now we can select the "Templates" tab from the Insert Panel and click the "Editable Region" icon on the Insert bar like below. This produces a dialog box requesting that you name your editable region, lets call it "Content" and make the change like below, click OK. We now have what we would consider a normal template under DW 4 and UltraDev 4, however Dreamweaver MX takes the templates functionality and improves it greatly.
On the next page we will look at the nested region and the added functionality it gives us. Save your document and close your master template, leave your Dreamweaver MX workspace empty.
Why would I want to use a nested template? What does it do? Nested Templates are about as friendly are you can get for search engines. Each page can be static or dynamic and the URL can also be easy to remember. With templates, you can have the best of both worlds, pages that are easily undateable with a common look and feel, AND pages that each have their own individuality and content and meta content and server side code.
See our support page regarding "Designing for Search engines". You still can. However, if you want to be really productive and produce user friendly, websites, you want to do the follow three 3 things. First, you have a double context sensitive menu. That is, the sub-navigation menu changes for each section of the site. Second, you want to maintain the same "look-n-feel" through the entire site. Third, each sub-menu is highlighted depending upon the current page.
That is, the entire menu has "bread crumbs" built right into the menu as opposed to a separate text link. Basically, if you wanted a navigational menu system like that found at www. However, using the Nested Templates Combo Starter and Upgrade Kit you can make this same type of menu system but get the same speed and maintenance as regular templates in adding or changing menu items.
First, regular templates allow you to make changes across the entire web site which is great in itself. However, with Nested templates you get the same benefits as with regular templates, BUT with the added ability to make changes across "sections" of a web site. This allows you to have a far more intuitive menu bar where the user does NOT have to search in the popular hidden drop down lists. If you were to do this site with just regular templates, you could spend an incredible amount of time updating links as each section has it's own set as you still need to maintain the overall look and feel So, for example, a corporate web site can have a single unified look and feel while still being able to give each one of its departments its own unique look and feel and sub-menu navigation system.
Just as regular templates can save web designers and developers time, Nested Templates can save even more time for large and complex web site. Each individual section of the website can also have some of it's own look and feel to signify, for example, it's own department Colors. Yet, the entire web site can be completely updated from the original template while not affecting other parts of the website or department sections Uses the latest Dreamweaver MX technology to easily add individual menu items as well as completely change entire sub-navigation menus for an entire section.
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