Using Dreamweaver Templates
All websites need to follow a uniform format. Most people use the previously created files and work on the same copies just by changing their content. That is the easiest way to create a webpage with previously existed structure. Templates are a type of copy of the content n which the entire website will be based, but templates are available with the possibilities of establishing editable zones, whereas, you cannot modify other zones. You can modify the properties of a page that is based on a template; however, title can be modified. If you want to have pages with different background color, then you have to create a different template with different colors and include the page on the template depending on the background color which you want for each page. You can update all pages that are based on template during the time of modifying the design of template. The templates files are available with the DW extension that are saved on the website located in the folder called Templates
Creating Templates
You can create new template or an existing template. new template can e created by Assets panel. To open this panel got to window menu and then Assets option. You can open it by pressing F11. You need to open the template button after opening the panel. You can work with this template in that way.
The bottom buttons of Template Assets panel are same as the ones that are in the CSS Styles panel. Only one button is different and that is the first button. Other buttons let you create a new template, edit a selected template of this list, or clear it
In order to create a new template, you have to click on the new CSS rules button having + sign, when it is activated, right click it and select New option. Pressing this button means you are creating a new file in the templates list. Its name can be changed. In order to modify the template, click on modify button which looks like a pencil and to delete the template click on delete button whick look like a dustbin
Templates, by default are saved in the original website within the Templates folder that is created automatically.
In order to create a template from an existing file, you are required to open the
file and save it as a template via the File menu, and Save as template. You must specify the name of the template while saving it through the Save as field and then select the Site in which you are going to save it.
Editable Zones
All elements of a template are by default blocked and cannot be altered or modified. You can establish the zones that you think are editable in the pages consisted on this template. Open the Dreamweaver in order to edit the template. You can open it through the Assets panel by double-clicking on the Assets. You can also open it by selecting and clicking on the button.
After opening the template, you can establish its properties via the Page properties. You can open it in this way:
- Pressing the shot keys Ctrl+J.
- Clicking on the Modify menu and choosing the Page properties option.
- Right clicking on the opened file in Dreamweaver and choosing the Page properties option.
In order to insert an editable area, you are required to place the mouse in the place that you want to include and then move to the Insert menu, Templates objects, and finally to the Editable zone option.
Alternatively, you can press the combination of short keys Ctrl+Alt+V. You need to establish a Name for the editable zone in the new window. There can be only one editable zone inside the template with the same name. You can then modify the name through the properties inspector editable zone.
You can find an editable zone in the Dreamwaever with a blue labeled box. The name of that zone appears in the blue label. You can add objects inside the window, and they will appear by default in the files that are based on those templates. You can modify the objects located inside the editable zone. All the objects that are located within the window are in the site, but they cannot be changed.
Using the templates
You may find it is completed to use templates at the beginning. However, you can make it easier. After opening the file go to the Modify menu, Templates, Apply template to Page. Prior doing this, make sure that you have opened the file on which you are going to work and that contains the same template on which you are going to work.
Once you clicked the Apply option in Template to Page, you are going to see a window, in that window you need to select one of the templates from the list containing many templates. It is advisable to activate the Update page when template changes option, to make the page automatically updated in the case of the template modification in which it is located.
You can apply a template on an existing file instead of working on an empty file. After that, the names of no identical regions between the existent document and template will be appeared at the time when you apply the template.
If you don't want the page being established on the template, then go to the Modify menu, the Template option, and Separate template. The page content will remain the similar to that one is based on template even after separating the page from the template. However, there would be no restrictions applied by the template.
