Introduction | Opening the Program | Different Views | Program Layout | Panels: 1 - 2
The Insert Bar: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 | Creating a New Page | Opening a Page | Multiple Pages with Similar Styles
Page Properties | Text & Text Properties | Checking Spelling | Style Sheets: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Tables: 1 - 2 - 3 | Images: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 | Links: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5
Publishing: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 | Templates: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 | Collaboration: 1 - 2 - 3
Outside References

Templates:
Websites tend to have more than one page to them. While websites are not always like books (with a specific beginning, middle, and end), they still have many different parts. As stated earlier in the Getting Started section, you'll want all pages to have a similar layout and navigation style.

What are Templates?:
A "template" is a pre-designed file that allows you to edit certain regions while leaving all other parts of the page alone, to keep the overall look and feel the same throughout multiple documents. A template in Dreamweaver MX 2004 has two types of regions: editable and non-editable. As the name implies, an "editable" region is one that you can make changes to, type in, insert images, etc. A non-editable region is one where you cannot do any of these things.

While editing an actual template, you are free to edit both editable and non-editable regions. However, when you use the template to create a web page, you cannot edit something in a non-editable region. This can prevent you (or others!) from making mistakes in vital areas of a page (such as navigation systems).

Creating a New Template:
You can create a new template in several ways. Most of the time, you will be doing it from scratch. Open up a brand new document in Dreamweaver MX 2004, and design a layout however you wish. Be sure to include your navigation, main body, etc. When you have your layout exactly as you want it, go to the "File" menu and select “Save as Template.”

In the box that appears, select a site for your template (this will probably be the site assigned to your RCI space). There will most likely be no existing templates, as you have not created a new one yet. In the "Save As" box, give your template an original name that makes sense and you will remember. When you're done, click "Save."

A new folder called "Templates" will be generated for you (it will be inside the folder where your site files are saved on your computer). The template will have the file extension of DWT (*.dwt), and will be called whatever you named it in the last box (for example, "my_layout.dwt").

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