Layout designs

[Firecom]

Hi

I'm new to actinic and am working on our store design now. I am doing it in dreamweaver 8 and purely using CSS and javascript.

I was wondering if I only need to design a single layout or different ones for each page.

I am doing a 3 column fixed width design with a header. The left side is navigation, centre column is for actinic content and the right side for search and cart. I presume I can simply insert the search and cart variables in the boxes in this column?

Also, for the main content do I simply need to place the inner layout variable then do everything else in actinic?

Should I do all the links in actinic too or in dreamweaver?

Sorry for all the questions but still very new to all this.

Thanks in advance.

Jake

[TraceyG]

Hi,

I was wondering if I only need to design a single layout or different ones for each page.

If you want the same look on all of your pages then you only need to design a single layout but apply it to '<all selectors>'.

The left side is navigation, centre column is for actinic content and the right side for search and cart. I presume I can simply insert the search and cart variables in the boxes in this column?

That's right.

Also, for the main content do I simply need to place the inner layout variable then do everything else in actinic?

Yes, although if you then wanted to change the layout of your products you can choose a layout within Actinic and then 'Edit the layout in Dreamweaver' if you wish

Should I do all the links in actinic too or in dreamweaver?

Do you mean the section links and navigation bar links? If so, you can choose the 'Insert Actinic Content' from the 'Actinic' menu in Dreamweaver to add those to your overall layout so that Actinic will update them automatically as you add new sections.

The 'Working with Dreamweaver' section in the help files is quite useful too.

[Firecom]

Thanks for the reply.

I have made my own navigation menus in dreamweaver. one horizontal at the top and a second verticle on the left.

If I add the actinic content will it mess up the way they look at all?

Also, can I add more than one innerlayout to a design? ie if I want to break up the centre column into 2 or 3 boxes?

Cheers

[TraceyG]

Hi,

If you have created your own navigation then you do not need to add in the Actinic content for it although your section list will not update automatically if you add sections. You may also want to use the Actinic variables for the 'view cart', 'checkout', 'search' and 'login' buttons (if you use them) to make sure that the links are generated correctly for your site, however, this kb article will show you how to hard-code them if you want to.

Also, can I add more than one innerlayout to a design?

No, you only want to add one innerlayout as that brings in the content depending on which page you are on. Having it in the design twice will just bring in the same content twice. You will have to split one of the inner layouts into columns and add the relevant variables to each column.

[Firecom]

Hi

Its just the navigation I want to do seperately as I want it to have a certain look. I often use a plug-in to build menus as its quicker than hand coding. All done in CSS and occasionally with some javascript to add drop downs.

[leehack]

Adding you own nav in is fine, unless its the departments/section nav which is not a good idea as you want this dynamic and reading direct from the content tree.

PS - Can you sort your avatar out, its showing as the dreaded red cross.

[Firecom]

Funny enough it is the sections and departments that I want to design seperately. I don;t like the look of the standard nav menus in actinic and want to brand them seperately.

Can these be altered with rollovers etc in dreamweaver later? Also, could a nav button link to a section. ie i design a button called fire blanets whichn looks how i want it to, then it links to that section?

If its not dynamic, can it still be done even if it means a bit of hand coding and updating seperately?

[leehack]

If its not dynamic, can it still be done even if it means a bit of hand coding and updating seperately?

Manually maintaining a list like this is madness, it really is. So prone to mistakes it is untrue. I'm presuming you want to form an <ul> with possibly nested <ul> for sub sections, at least get Actinic to create that part for you and make your life easy.

[leehack]

There are a few section lists already provided in actinic, there are some more in the AUG, mainly Javascript and then there is the Normski at drillpine.biz with his NorList and NorCascade. The possibilities are endless and all dynamic!

[Firecom]

Cheers Lee.

They are similar to ones I use in dreamweaver. I use the menu builders from www.projectseven.com

But if these ones are linked dynamically to actinic they are well worth a go.

Any other plug-ins you would recommend? As you can guess i am a total actinic beginner.

[leehack]

Norman has two Javascript menus and Gabe has a php one, that's all I know of personally. I mainly run my own block in actinic and get my own list, but always dynamic, so it updates everything immediately with any changes made.

I use EntireSectionList, it makes many shiver using it, but with a section level parameter limiting its depth I have never seen it anything but lightening fast personally.

<actinic:block type="EntireSectionList" ><actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22SectionLevel%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%201" ><a href="<actinic:variable name="SectionPageName"/>" target="_self"><actinic:variable name='SectionName'/></a></actinic:block></actinic:block>

Something like above will get you started.

[Firecom]

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated