((((((((((((((((( WEBREFERENCE UPDATE NEWSLETTER ))))))))))))))))) January 4, 2000
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This newsletter is sponsored by: NetMechanic and BOT 2001 Seminar __________________________________________________________________
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http://www.webreference.com/ *- link to us today http://www.webreference.com/new/ *- newsletter home http://www.webreference.com/new/submit.html *- submit article
This week Danny Mather shows us how to extend Dreamweaver (which he has also won) with Extensions. New JavaScript/DHTML functionality is only a double click away.
New this week on WebReference.com and the Web:
1. TWO CONTESTS: Signup & Win, Submit & Win! 2. FEATURED ARTICLE: Extending Dreamweaver 3. NET NEWS: * Comparing PHP with Perl for Dynamic Web Pages * Using XML Attribute Values * The Future of the Web * Search Terms of Endearment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. TWO GREAT CONTESTS: Submit & Win!, Signup & Win
>Submit & Win Macromedia Flash 5 FreeHand 9 Studio!
Submit your article today and you could win Macromedia's powerful Dreamweaver 4 Fireworks 4 Studio software. If your article makes the cut, and we publish it in this newsletter, you win! See the submission page for details:
http://www.webreference.com/new/submit.html
This week, Danny Mather shows us how create and use extensions for Dreamweaver. As DW is based on open standards (CSS, HTML, and JavaScript), extending Dreamweaver is a lot easier than adding a feature to Word. Once you've created or downloaded your new extension, extending Dreamweaver and adding the JavaScript gizmo to your page is just a click away.
>Signup & Win!
Sign up for the Webreference Update newsletter, and you could win a killer software bundle from BoxTop Software and Insider Software including ProJPEG, SuperGIF, and SpaceAgent. Each week we'll draw new winners from our new subscribers - you could be next. Already a subscriber? Not a problem - just fill out the form, and you'll be automatically entered to win. Tell your friends!
http://www.webreference.com/new/contest.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. FEATURED ARTICLE: Extending Dreamweaver
Macromedia Dreamweaver has long been my 'editor of choice' for creating Web sites. Every editing program I've used has had its limitations but Macromedia appears to have found a way to make its Web authoring tool almost limitless: they let you build it yourself.
The Dreamweaver program itself is built using HTML, JavaScript and XML; just like a Web page. This means that early Dreamweaver users were able to extend the abilities of the program and add commands and menu items that didn't exist. (it was possible, but it wasn't easy.) Macromedia has since started its 'Dreamweaver Exchange', making it as simple as downloading and double clicking the command you want to add. And some of these commands are pretty advanced.
Some of my favorites: A self-centering pop-up window. A premade calendar. JavaScript form field validation.
Advanced JavaScripts that used to take an hour to hand code now take me a couple clicks. You don't even need to KNOW JavaScript to add advanced features to your page. What you DO need:
A copy of Dreamweaver. A copy of Extensions Manager.
Here's where to find extensions:
Authorized*:
http://www.macromedia.com/exchange/dreamweaver/
Other*:
http://www.yaromat.com/ http://people.netscape.com/andreww/dreamweaver/customtags.html http://www.massimocorner.com/ http://www.projectseven.com/dreamweaver/index.htm http://dreamweaverfever.com/grow/ http://thecomb.tripod.com/dream.htm
Authorized Extensions vs. Unauthorized ones:
There are two kinds of extensions, 'authorized' and 'unauthorized.' Authorized means that the good people of Macromedia have checked it out and it appears to do what it says without causing any problems. Unauthorized means that it may work or it may give you errors. I've found a few that gave me errors but not many.
But I Want To Build My Own!
You can do this too. The easiest way is to find out how other people did it. Find an extension similar to yours, install it with Extensions Manager, then go looking for it on your hard drive. When I download an extension it usually ends up in C:\Program Files\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 3\Configuration\Objects\Invisibles.
A simple extension (or MXP file) is made up of three or four parts, with lots of variations:
1. The HTML file that calls the JavaScript. 2. The GIFs used 3. The JavaScript that does the work. 4. The MXI file that tells Extensions Manager who built it, what it is, and where to install it.
Here's a simple MXI File to insert a 'JavaScript back button'. Note that this is only one of the three files needed to build an extension:
<macromedia-extension id="99999" name="JavaScript Back Button" version="1.0.0" type="Object"> <!-- List the required/compatible products --> <products> <product name="Dreamweaver" version="3" primary="true" /> </products> <!-- Describe the author --> <author name="Danny Mather" /> <!-- Describe the extension --> <description> <![CDATA[Inserts a javascript 'back' link with text of your choice. ]]> </description> <!-- Describe where the extension shows in the UI of the product --> <ui-access> <![CDATA[Access this object from invisibles in the object palette ]]> </ui-access> <!-- Describe the files that comprise the extension --> <files> <file name="javaback.html" destination="$dreamweaver/configuration/objects/invisibles" /> <file name="javaback.gif" destination="$dreamweaver/configuration/objects/invisibles" /> </files> <!-- Describe the changes to the configuration --> <configuration-changes> </configuration-changes> </macromedia-extension> If you look between the '
' tag you can see where it tells Extensions Manager where to install the HTML file within the Dreamweaver folder. TEXT CONTENT FOR JAVASCRIPT_BACK_BUTTON.HTML
<html> <head> <!-- Created by Danny Mather, 12.05.2000, Object Name: Javascript Back Button:Text --> <!-- Copyright 1999 Macromedia, Inc. All rights reserved. --> <title>JavaScript Back Button</title> <STYLE TYPE="text/css"> <!-- FORM.tb {display:inline;} .twidth{width:100%} .include{ font-size: 75%; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica;} .includebig{font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica;} .includebig A:link { color: blue; } .includebig A:visited { color: purple; } .include A:link { color: blue; } .include A:visited { color: purple; } .submitter { font-size: 75%; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica; } .codehighlight {background:#eee} .WRy1{background:#fc0} .WRy2{background:#fff3ac} pre.code {color: #660099; margin-left:5%} address {text-align: right} a:hover{background:#FD3;} a.small, .small A { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: #000000; } A:link.small, .small A:link { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: #000000; } A:visited.small, .small A:visited { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: #000000; } A:hover.small, .small A:hover { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; color: #CC0000; } body {background:#FFFFFF; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%} .WRBannerCenter {margin-left:-5%; margin-right:-5%; margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; text-align:center} --> </STYLE> <STYLE TYPE="text/css"> <!-- FORM.tb {display:inline;} .twidth{width:100%} .include{ font-size: 75%; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica;} .includebig{font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica;} .includebig A:link { color: blue; } .includebig A:visited { color: purple; } .include A:link { color: blue; } .include A:visited { color: purple; } .submitter { font-size: 75%; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica; } .codehighlight {background:#eee} .WRy1{background:#fc0} .WRy2{background:#fff3ac} pre.code {color: #660099; margin-left:5%} address {text-align: right} a:hover{background:#FD3;} a.small, .small A { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: #000000; } A:link.small, .small A:link { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: #000000; } A:visited.small, .small A:visited { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: #000000; } A:hover.small, .small A:hover { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; color: #CC0000; } body {background:#FFFFFF; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%} .WRBannerCenter {margin-left:-5%; margin-right:-5%; margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; text-align:center} --> </STYLE> </head> <script language="javascript"> function objectTag() { // Return the html tag that should be inserted return '<a href="javascript:history.back();">' + document.forms[0].jback.value + '</a>'; } </script> <body> <form name="theform"> <table border=0> <tr> <td nowrap> Enter text for back button: <br> <textarea name="jback" cols="30" rows="1" wrap="virtual"></textarea> </td> </tr> </table> </form> </body> </html> Once you've created the files needed for your extension to work you use Dreamweaver's 'Package' function. It'll ask you where your MXI file is and then compress these three files into a single MXP file ready for installation.
There are tons of handy exensions available for download at Macromedia and more being created every week. Let's see some of yours up there too!
Danny Mather is a Web and flash developer for nject creative based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He can be reached at mailto:danny@nject.com and http://nject.com/.
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BOT 2001 Seminar* January 25th at The Fairmont, San Francisco Expert bot/intelligent agent developers, researchers and academics present the latest happenings and give specific information for cost effective solutions to improve business. A rare opportunity to network, share ideas, and put theory and research into practice. Register today - space is limited! http://seminars.internet.com/bot/sf01/registration.html
**********************************************************adv.**** 3. NET NEWS: Comparing PHP with Perl for Dynamic Web Pages Using XML Attribute Values The Future of the Web Search terms of endearment
>Comparing PHP with Perl for Dynamic Web Pages
PHP or Perl? Which is better? Hmmm, good question, very good question! I'll let John Lim handle this one. http://php.weblogs.com/php_versus_perl John Lim, 010101
>Using XML Attribute Values
For those of you interested in the knowing all the details of XML, this article gives you a chance to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty with the nitty gritty. Be careful though, those of you not used to playing in the mud might find it a bit dizzying working so close to the ground. http://www.earthweb.com/dlink.resource-jhtml.72.984.|repository|webdev|content|article|2001|01|02|WDBaldwinXML600|WDBaldwinXML600~xml.0.jhtml?cda=true earthweb.com, 010102
>The Future of the Web
Look in your crystal ball and what do you see? Wireless Internet perhaps, Internet appliances or possibly a more futuristic AI Internet. Check out ClickZ's version of the 'The Future of the Web!' http://clickz.com/cgi-bin/gt/article.html?article=3096 Jupitermedia Corp., 010103
>Search Terms of Endearment
What do you think were the most popular search terms of 2000? Check out this article on CNET and find out. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-4363268.html CNET.com, 010103
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WHERE IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ADMINISTRATOR SITE ON THE WEB? Swynk.com - It provides the single largest independent resource for Microsoft-related BackOfficeä and Windows DNA Server Technologies. You'll find information on SQL Servers. Exchange, SMS, Windows 2000 and more. Sign up for FREE newsletters or join a discussion forum. http://www.swynk.com/
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That's it for this week, see you next time.
Andrew King Managing Editor, WebReference.com update@webreference.com
Catherine Levy Assistant Editor, WebReference.com clevy@internet.com
Alexander Rylance Assistant Editor, WebReference.com arylance@internet.com
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