A Little gripe

[paulcreedy]

I'm new to actinic so getting the usual novice problems.

I'm coming from an experienced html/css background and .net development. I usually code pure html/css websites without batting an eyelid as the saying goes.

However actinic is driving me to dispair as to how it lays out the site and has had me shouting at the computer many a time.

And the Nav bar - well that's enough to make anyone jump off a high bridge!

I fell better now

[leehack]

If you was coding a pure html and css website as you put it and the website needed 100 pages and on those 100 pages the menu would be identical, how would you code the menu so that you did not have to update 100 separate pages each time there was a change?

[pinbrook]

If you was coding a pure html and css website as you put it and the website needed 100 pages and on those 100 pages the menu would be identical, how would you code the menu so that you did not have to update 100 separate pages each time there was a change?

You'd use a DW template Lee.

[paulcreedy]

I'd normally code in .net which uses themes and master pages. So I'd create a master page that was basically the template and include the nav in it, then there would be content pages holding the content based on that master page.

Something similar to templates in DW except that DW combines the template with the page at design time, and .NET combines it at runtime.

A recent example using paypal: http://www.sponsorapony.co.uk/ and http://www.weltchmedia.com/ which are .net and css layout - no tables.

The site I have to now convert to actinic and add cart functionality is this one in development I'm working on http://www.valeheritage.co.uk again css layout so it would be a shame to have to resort to the actinic templates.

[peblaco]

Actinic layouts can be made entirely of CSS and not tables, it's just a matter of knowing what to change in the code.

[paulcreedy]

Actinic layouts can be made entirely of CSS and not tables, it's just a matter of knowing what to change in the code.

As I'm unfamiliar with it so far, working it out the layout and code is like looking for a needle in a haystack. If I can keep at it long enough without throwing the computer through the window I hope to crack it

Took a look at your site and you've got a nice selection of sites under your belt

[Darren B]

I am no designer but i found the change to this new design window a struggle after just getting my head around Actinics template system (v7 and earlier)

I can assure you once you get to grips with it its not as daunting as it seems, every page is made up of little bits that actinic nicely converts to a single html page on upload.

i dont use DW, well actually i dont use it very much, sometimes its handy but most of my work i do in the design window.

some tips from a novice.
1) Always take a snapshot before you change anything major thats going to take you ages to put back
2) Never edit the original layouts always copy them and rename them to suit your custom layout and use these
3) learn about blockif's these can be really usefull, although i always forget them when i have to go back and use them again
4) Use the forum search as you can be sure that the problem you about to come across has probably been found already, answered and hacked already

good luck