Odd CSS Behaviour

[cyberstudios]

We build all our websites using CSS for layout and were beginning to find Actinic's treatment of external css files a bit frustrating. On the design course we were (sensibly it turns out) told not to put our css files into a seperate folder as it causes the software to have a fit, but this does make editing a pain.

What we've started experimenting with is putting our layout.css, textstyles.css etc into a folder, then importing all into global.css which stays in the root. This makes editing simpler, but we're getting some weird effects.

One is that for some reason editing an external stylesheet in Dreamweaver and uploading manually doesn't have any effect - it still has to be uploaded via Actinic, even though it is an externally linked css file - why?

The other issue is (apparently) having to keep 2 sets of stylesheets - one in the root and the other in DesignPreview - is there a way around this?
Thanks
Paul - Cyber Studios (UK) Ltd

[eighteentee]

I've been experiencing a similar situation recently. It *usually* only happens when using the @import for external styles but, alarmingly, sometimes not. A big part of the 'problem' seems to be that even if you make changes to your stylesheet - those changes are not reflected in the design. This only happens with an external stylesheet. It can sometimes be remedied by rebooting the whole PC.

In general, working with CSS in Actinic is causing me a great deal of pain recently.

[cdicken]

Hi guys

When I create a design, I tend to use external stylesheets and this works fine using the following methods:

1. I store the css file within the root of my site folder (e.g. Site1) and edit it in there using Dreamweaver.
2. I only use Actinic to upload the file. What this means is that if you are also using the same CSS file for the rest of your website, you will probably end up with two copies of the css file on your website.
3. I link the css file directly into my overall layouts with a <link rel="stylesheet" href="..." /> command. This ensures the css file is uploaded and previews correctly,

I hope this helps.

[cyberstudios]

Hi Chris
Let me get this right, are you saying that:

1. Putting stylesheets in a folder doesn't work?
2. If so, why is this the case?
3. if the stylesheets are all placed in the root and linked directly to the imported Dreamweaver design layouts, are you saying it is unnecessary to manually copy them into the DesignPreview folder?

We try to keep all our work tidy by separating layout, text styles etc into individual stylesheet, we find it much easier to debug this way. If we end up with maybe 4 or 5 stylesheets in the root we then have to hunt through hundreds of other files to find them.

Don't get me wrong, Actinic is a great product but I think issues like this need to be addressed when they fly in the face of professional 'best practise'.

[eighteentee]

For me, having to copy the CSS manually into the PreviewHTML folder has always been necessary for some reason

[leehack]

I always put mine in the root of the site and have never had to. If trawling for 20 seconds to find them is an issue, name them something alphabetically to list at the the top.

[jont]

For me, having to copy the CSS manually into the PreviewHTML folder has always been necessary for some reason

I have taken to having to delete the external stylesheets from the PreviewHTML folder to force a refresh on some sites before previewing (often those those transferred back from a clients ACD) ... even though the stylesheet is in the root of site1 any changes to it are not reflected in the copy under PreviewHTML

[jont]

name them something alphabetically to list at the the top.

Under v7 I always prefixed new templates with an exclamation !Act_MyTemplate.html to force them to the top of the list to aid finding the blighters

[eighteentee]

<anger> Why does it have to be this way </anger>

[jont]

<anger> Why does it have to be this way </anger>

Sounds like you are about to break out into a song

External stylesheets were never intended to be used with v8 as everything is designed to operate inside of Actinic ... unlike v7 where everything was accessible.

Upon testing the alpha release just about everyone baulked at the prospect of not having the actinic.css in the site1 folder. We campaigned like things possessed but this did not happen ... hence most developers use an external sheet linked to the outer layout.

This is, for no sensible reason, causing issues... especially with partial design snapshots and transferring ACD's between clients.

[eighteentee]

Maybe I'll write a song, in say, Radiohead style about the woes, trials and tribulations of developing in Actinic 8.x

Seriously though, this is one of those little 'features' that constantly drives me to despair - almost to the point of binning Actinic in favour of some other CSS 'friendly' cart system... But then I get surprised sometimes by how relatively straight-forward it can be...

<moan mode off>

C'est la vie.

[leehack]

Under v7 I always prefixed new templates with an exclamation !Act_MyTemplate.html to force them to the top of the list to aid finding the blighters

Thats a good one, will remember that

[jont]

Thats a good one, will remember that

My invoice is in the post matey

[leehack]

Sigh, nothing is free in this world

[cyberstudios]

Chris
Any chance of a reply to my earlier questions

Let me get this right, are you saying that:

1. Putting stylesheets in a folder doesn't work?
2. If so, why is this the case?
3. if the stylesheets are all placed in the root and linked directly to the imported Dreamweaver design layouts, are you saying it is unnecessary to manually copy them into the DesignPreview folder?

Thanks!
Paul - Cyber Studios Ltd