Conceptual question about designing a site with Dreamweaver and Actinic

[Ben Spiral]

We are currently using 'smart' theme which has served us well, however I would like to change our design to one based around CSS for greater flexibility.

I am familiar with building 'normal' websites using DIV's and CSS. However, I am unclear what the best practice is when designing a site for use with actinic...

Is it possible (or indeed preferable) to design my layout completely from scratch in Dreamweaver. Then, with my aesthetic design complete, insert the various code variables from actinic into the design?

Or do the experienced builders here start in Actinic with a CSS based design and then export and amend the CSS in Dreamweaver?

[leehack]

I start from scratch with my own DW designs 100% of the time.

[giant_u]

I'm no expert in Actinic, but can tell you what I've been doing with a site I'm on now.

The latest version Actinic lets you create a design in Dreamweaver which can then be 'registered' with Actinic through a dreamweaver extension.

Actnic then plops it's bits into the design where you tell it to.

I *think* Actinic may still do some of it's thing in tables, but definately not sure.

[Duncan Rounding]

With v7 it was easier to start with one of the clean themes and go on from there but like Lee with v8 it is easier to start from scratch in DW.

[RuralWeb]

Start from scratch in DW - there is already lots of info on the forum including a thread about best practice in designing with V8!!!.

[Ben Spiral]

Start from scratch in DW - there is already lots of info on the forum including a thread about best practice in designing with V8!!!.

Any idea of that link? There may well be a great thread but finding it is proving difficult. I have searched for 'best practice' in the titles of v8 section and can't find anything?

[TraceyHand]

I think I know which thread Malcolm is referring to, started by Pinbrook IIRC, but I can't locate it either..I'll keep looking

ok..the Google search found the thread I was thinking of but I'm not 100% sure it's the one Malc meant now.
Anyway..it's HERE
It's a worthy read anyway

[Ben Spiral]

Hi Tracey, thanks for that link but it is just basic stuff about backing up your site etc - nothing about design...?

[TraceyHand]

Hi Tracey, thanks for that link but it is just basic stuff about backing up your site etc - nothing about design...?

yes, I know..that's why I'm not sure if it was the one Malc meant but it's the one I'd thought of so I posted it anyway

[Duncan Rounding]

There is another all about how developers go about getting a site together - I remember it too but can't find it. Will look again.

[Ben Spiral]

In the absence of this mythical thread, does anyone know if a design guide exists for v8? I can see the one for v7 but wondered if v8 has one that applies more specifically to DW?

[Goz]

was it this thread?

http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=33627

[Duncan Rounding]

That's the one that I was thinking of.

[los_design]

Depends how well you know Actinic IMHO

Great designs in DW have gone live with vital bits overlooked that make the store tick.

I recommend either

a) using a clean css layout and modding the styles as you seem to have the know how or

b) clean css design in test mode and get used to the various core functions required (onload et al)

For my two penneth, as per leeski, 100% DW then slotted into Actinic.

Regards
Daren

[Ben Spiral]

HTML CSS wizards needed...

Hello all,

Right, I have designed my initial 'composite' of how I want the site to look...

VIEW IT HERE

I will design that as HTML initially in Dreamweaver and I'll be constructing the basic layout using DIV's and CSS (as opposed to tables).

Now, my questions...

1. On the left hand side I would like the shop sections to be divided, depending upon the 'type' of item: in this case products and services. In Actinic these are within the same section. As I understand matters so far, I can insert TopLevelSectionList but this will insert them all in one go. Is there any way to split them so I can get it looking like my composite?

2. For the main section (where currently the composite shows a couple of laptops and delivery charges etc), am I right in thinking this is the area I need to add the InnerLayout?

3. I was planning on inserting NewProductsListSidebar in the section for New Products. Can anyone foresee any problems with using this here? Is there anything inherently specified in its width etc that makes it only suitable for a sidebar area?

4. Finally a more generic question - When I write the CSS for this site, and I have DIV's that will only contain content from Actinic, how do I know which tag to style? For example, the sidebar list generated by Actinic, does it use <ul> tags, <p> tags etc? What's the quickest way to find out?

Thanks in advance web wizards...