Website Design

[AVS]

We have Actinic V9.0.5 and are just starting to begin our site design. We like the design of ecclestonangling.co.uk (the front page with the boxes) but we will be selling engineering supplies. Can anyone recommend any software that we would be useful for us and do we need to have any knowledge of html code? If so can anyone recommend and books etc that would be useful? Thank for any help!

[Chunkford]

If you're wanting to design in Actinic, you will need to know HTML, CSS and the way Actinic works. You could learn how to use Dreamweaver which will speed the design process, but you will still need to learn HTML, CSS and Actinic to iron out the niggles like cross browser compatibility.

Have a look at http://www.w3schools.com if you want to learn.
If you want books, try the head first range. They not really a 'reference book' like most, but they teach you in a fun and 'non' boring way.

Hope that helps

[AVS]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have ordered the Head First book from Amazon as you suggested. We only have Actinic V9.0.5 at the moment and other than Dreamweaver do you think there is only other design software that would help us out?
Thanks

[leehack]

You have all you need and all that i've used as a designer for years now. It's all about your knowledge to be honest, you don't even need DW, that's just a nice to have.

EDIT: photoshop for images too.

[Darren B]

It's all about your knowledge to be honest.

And have'nt i just learnt this lesson

I have dreamweaver and if im honest, i dont use it these days all it does is complicate my life, Actinics design windows does it all for me, maybe a bit querky for some but it does what is says on the tin

[Sean Williams]

Sitepoint for the CSS Anthology. In fact Sitepoint produce some excellent books.
You'll also need quite a bit of uninterrupted time to learn Actinic. I found it incomprehensible at first, but once it clicks it's plain sailing.

Of course, the easiest way is to work with a site builder, leaving you free to worry about the design only.

[leehack]

Sitepoint for the CSS Anthology. In fact Sitepoint produce some excellent books.

I'd second their books, i have a good few of them, in fact i have the one above you mention, the first decent CSS book i ever read.

[Duncan Rounding]

I also have the css anthology book and can recommend it for all levels of users.

[Goz]

I give a big thumbs up to Sitepoint books as well (except "Everything you know about CSS is wrong" - steer well clear if you want practical help in the here and now!).