Editing product page.

[Simon Williams]

Simon,

OK, here's a better way to to it:-

1. Go to Design | Library | Variables.
2. Create a new variable called 'TableInclude'.
3. Make the place of setting 'Product'. The type 'File Content' and select 'Allow Empty value' and 'Upload'.
4. Click OK and close the library.
5. Go to your product layout and insert <actinic:variable name="TableInclude" /> into the template wherever you want the table to be displayed.
6. Now create all your tables in dreamweaver (don't insert head or body information, just any code for the tables), and name them as you please.
7. Go to the a product and click on the 'Properties' tab.
8. Type in your html page name relevant to that product, i.e mytable1.html
9. Click appy.

With any luck the table should now be in your design and you will be able to specify within the products which table you want to display. Actinic should upload the html without any problems but you may need to add any images used to the additional files list.

This will mean you don't need to worry about overwriting anything you have uploaded via FTP.

Thanks Dave -- worked a treat!

Simon

[dave_finlayson]

No problem Simon

[wjcampbe]

Not sure I like that paragraph! Not very helpful either ... Maybe you're having a bad day?

I have registered my outer design with Actinic...

What am I exactly abusing so I can learn from you?

It's helpful if it stops anyone else making the same mistake.

Register a thousand outer designs with Actinic - not one of them should influence the seperate inner layout.

The best and most re-usable way to achieve a customised inner layout is - to customise an inner layout.

Actinic facilitates that. Right click, New Layout, rename and customise away.

If you have managed to build an innerlayout that is not registered in Design Library Layouts, then you must have extended an outerlayout into areas it is not intended to go. That fits my definition of software abuse.

[Simon Williams]

It's helpful if it stops anyone else making the same mistake.

Register a thousand outer designs with Actinic - not one of them should influence the seperate inner layout.

The best and most re-usable way to achieve a customised inner layout is - to customise an inner layout.

Actinic facilitates that. Right click, New Layout, rename and customise away.

If you have managed to build an innerlayout that is not registered in Design Library Layouts, then you must have extended an outerlayout into areas it is not intended to go. That fits my definition of software abuse.

Firstly, your comment about "software abuse" was not helpful -- it was petulant.

And what you so-call "software abuse", as web designers, we call it creativity and design -- thinking outside the box, but not out of the Actinic box as far as design goes!

I was helped by Dave, who understood the problem, and rather than make a throw away comment, helped.

Anyway, I have work to do.

[wjcampbe]

I have work to do.

And so do I, but at least my clients are assured I know the product, not a third party helper application.

[Simon Williams]

And so do I, but at least my clients are assured I know the product, not a third party helper application.

[edit] ************************************* [edit]

Actually Bill, I'm not sure how we got here.

I find you extremely rude -- especially when you bring work into it.

I've had a look at your sites, and I think I KNOW where my clients would rather be.

Now lets just ignore each other and get on.

[JulesRS]

Hi Simon,

You've probably sorted this now. I started answering your post not realising there was a page 2 and full of discussion it was!

You mentioned in your previous post that you are using a custom design which is not appearing in the Library. Where exactly are you looking in the library? I also use a DW template for my outer layout and I can see this within Actinic if I go to

Design | Library, Layouts tab, Web Page Outer Layout

Your custom design should be in that list somewhere if it has been registered within Actinic.

Personally, I create the content I want to use in DW and then insert the HTML into the relevant section in Actinic. I find this the quickest way to do it although I may give the other way a go too.

Not sure if that helps..

Believe me, I am no expert on Actinic, I'm still learning myself. I'm relying on all those very skilled Actinic designers to guide me in the right direction!

[Simon Williams]

Thanks Jules,

It's been a very frustrating day, and has been made even worse by someone wanting to have some kind of 'flame' war with me. Not really sure what I did to hack him off -- maybe he's getting a bit hot over there.

Anyway, I appreciate all constructive input.

I use Dreamweaver (among other very expensive 'third party helper applications', developed by some of the leaders in software technology) to customise my sites. I have three on the go at the moment, and find it's the only way to go for that 'professional' look.

Anyway, getting back to the subject!!

8.5 was a real breakthrough for me as it allowed the 'Edit Layout In Dreamweaver' option, and this has meant a massive leap forward from v.8 -- and your right, I tend to do little bits here and there of the design in DW and copy and paste the code. It's great. I’m not sure I could have stuck with Actinic without it.

With the site I'm working on at the moment, the entire outer layer was produced in DW, ad I just dropped in the inner layout. Piece of cake!

Anyway Jules, thanks for the input -- its much appreciated.

[Simon Williams]

Oh ... and by the way, I did find my site in the library like you said -- but wasn't being coached very well on where to look.

[leehack]

All's fine on Walton's mountain.

[Simon Williams]

don't ask!

[JulesRS]

Simon,

Lol...frustrating day, yes I thought it might be! I keep having one every day whilst using Actinic. What a huge learning curve! I haven't been using this forum very long but there are lots of really useful pieces of info on here and some very knowledgeable people.

There are lots of different suggestions, but I guess everyone has their own way of doing things. With regard to the Library bit I thought that may be the case but didn't like to assume. Sometimes, the experienced users omitt to include the finer (obvious to them as they are skilled) detail that us newer users are unfamiliar with. Personally, I need detailed steps to follow...the simpler the better!

Sounds like you may be an expert on DW so may need some tips, although I know more about that than Actinic right now!

Right off to pick up some more tips from our glorious Actinic experts!

[Simon Williams]

Like most forums, you get an odd exception -- but you're right, the guys (and gals) who've been doing this longer than us are in general great to pick up tips from. After all, we all have the same goal, right?

And I've also found that there isn't a learning curve - it's like crashing your car into a wall.

Anyway Jules, if I can help, I always try -- and with a smile.

[wjcampbe]

Now lets just ignore each other and get on.

OK - but now you know where to send your clients when their prettily designed but functionally bodged sites stop working.

I admit (repeatedly) I am totally useless at design, but I am *very* able in the programming department.

You really should consider subcontacting everything that follows 'paint the pretty picture'.

[Simon Williams]

OK - but now you know where to send your clients when their prettily designed but functionally bodged sites stop working.

I admit (repeatedly) I am totally useless at design, but I am *very* able in the programming department.

You really should consider subcontacting everything that follows 'paint the pretty picture'.

Thanks Bill, I'll manage!