Useful Books and Software

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Creating good Web graphics is a skill unto itself, but Fireworks has many built-in tools for easing the pain. File size and color palette compatibility are the key issues, which Fireworks handles gracefully, but it can also create animated graphics as GIF or Flash files, as well as create rollovers and animated buttons.

But Fireworks is much more than a tool for creating Web graphics; it's an excellent graphics package with many of the features a good bitmap image editor possesses, such as gradients, fills, and organic-media strokes. But because Fireworks is vector-based, even strokes using a watercolor brush can be edited later into something like a crayon- or charcoal-style stroke. Fireworks exports files to Adobe Illustrator, JPG, BMP, and GIF formats, as well as to animated GIF or Flash formats.

Fireworks becomes a more powerful tool when allied with Dreamweaver, Macromedia's Web-page authoring tool. Dreamweaver is a full environment for building and managing Web sites, allowing the user to edit HTML pages graphically or through a text editor. In addition to all the usual table tools, font-editing tools, and HTML-creation tools, Dreamweaver supports the creation of Dynamic HTML and features a time line for editing such animation.

The Dreamweaver disc also includes the latest versions of Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer, so Web pages can be tested for browser compatibility in either one. --Mike Caputo

Dreamweaver and Fireworks are all you need to build great-looking sites. Create your Web graphics in Fireworks and then integrate them seamlessly into the Web pages you built with Dreamweaver. In Dreamweaver, Roundtrip HTML gives you total control over code. In Fireworks, professional vector and bit-map editing tools let you produce comps and modify files from any graphics source and edit anything, anytime. Together, Dreamweaver and Fireworks reduce production time with tight integration, and History Palettes help automate repetitive tasks. In addition, the ability to customize both applications using HTML, JavaScript, or XML gives you the power you need for fast-paced Web development.

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ISBN/EAN: 0044431405904

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LIFT provides you with the means to make decisions about usability and accessibility issues, and the ways to implement these principles as painlessly as possible. With LIFT, you will improve your user's experience, which ultimately maximizes the effectiveness of site transactions and increases a site's return on investment.

LIFT is now fully integrated within Dreamweaver MX. It runs on Dreamweaver MX (Windows 98, 2000, XP; Mac OS 9, OS X) and on Dreamweaver 4.0 (Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP; Mac OS 8, 9), and similarly for UltraDev.

Publisher: UsableNet Inc.
Author: UsableNet Inc.
Release Date: 2002-10-22
ISBN/EAN: 0856516000023

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One of the best new features is the split code and design view, which lets you edit either the code or the visual design and see changes instantly echoed between them. There is also built-in security, so you can create login procedures and password-protected sites. Finally, the Live Objects wizards automatically create page elements to handle common tasks, such as a master/detail page set, or forms to insert and update records.

UltraDev supports three kinds of server-side scripting: Active Server Pages, JavaServer Pages, and Cold Fusion. Unfortunately, it does not support PHP, which is popular on Linux and Unix servers, although because UltraDev is extensible, there may be some third-party add-ins. The features for the three models are similar but not identical, although in every case there is excellent database support. Its great strength is that you can focus on designing your pages and let UltraDev handle the data access code. You can even display live data at design time, making it easier to get exactly the right appearance.

Everything in Dreamweaver is also in UltraDev, so this is the ideal package for Web authors who need to add dynamic content with a minimum of fuss.

About Fireworks 4:

Fireworks is a dedicated Web graphics application. You can create both vector and bit-map images, optimize them for Web pages, and add numerous special effects for export direct to HTML.

The starting point is a familiar range of drawing and painting tools, such as shapes, lines, brushes, pens, and selection tools. In the default vector mode they create editable, scalable objects, and in bit-map mode they paint pixels. Fireworks supports layers and masks--virtual overlaid surfaces that you can edit independently, enabling designers to achieve a wide range of effects. For example, you can vary opacity and blending to fine-tune the final appearance. Other Fireworks panels include color, stroke, fill, and effects. There is also a library panel where you can store graphic elements for reuse.

A key feature for Web designers is optimization. Fireworks offers maximum control over the critical tradeoff between quality and size. A two-up and four-up view lets you compare the quality of original and optimized versions, using techniques such as reducing color depth and removing unused colors. The software offers strong support for GIF, JPEG, and PNG image formats. Fireworks also lets you create animation that is exported as an animated GIF. It will also generate JavaScript to produce image rollovers and, in this new version, pop-up menus. There is great support for hotspots and slices, techniques for mapping or dividing an image to support HTML features. Integration with Macromedia's Dreamweaver 4 is better than ever in version 4 of Fireworks. Dreamweaver UltraDev 4/Fireworks Studio combines the two products at a lower price. You can export to Dreamweaver--or launch Fireworks directly from Dreamweaver--edit an image, and save it back with all Fireworks-specific information preserved. --Tim Anderson

This Macromedia UltraDev 4/Fireworks 4 bundle is an efficient way to develop ASP, JSP, or ColdFusion Web applications. Rapidly build database-driven Web applications with total control over source code, plus integrated Web graphics. Professional hand-coding environment includes ASP, JSP, and CFML keyword color-coding, autoindenting, punctuation balancing, and the ability to debug client-side JavaScript directly in your browser. Create, edit, and animate Web graphics in Fireworks 4; add advanced interactivity; optimize images; and integrate seamlessly with UltraDev 4 for efficient development. View live, server-side data in the workspace, and make edits to layout and logic on the fly. Maximize productivity with built-in server behaviors, the ability to create your own library of reusable server behaviors easily, and powerful shortcuts for creating user authentication, master/detail pages, and more. Improve development efficiency with sitewide reports, project tracking, and integration with version-control systems like Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows and leading content-management systems.

Publisher: Macromedia
Author: Macromedia
Release Date: 2000-12-23
ISBN/EAN: 0044431500241

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Macromedia's Dreamweaver 4 packs layer upon layer of powerful features, for just about any Web developer's needs and preferences. Perfect for individuals and professional Web-development teams alike, this latest version offers a fresh set of upgrades and improvements. Programmers who build sites by using only a basic text editor are rewarded with features for source-code inspection. Code View's text-editing environment offers such customizable features as live syntax coloring, tag balancing, and auto indenting. Noncoding types can click and drag sites together by using one of the finer visual editors available. Within those layers of features, there are resources for creating forms, Flash files, frames, cascading style sheets, Java and ActiveX files, and more. In Split View, the Code and Design views display simultaneously--providing the best of both worlds for ambidextrous types.

The quickest and easiest way to design graphics in the Dreamweaver world is via Fireworks 4. Fireworks' strengths lie in its focus on the creation and optimization of bitmapped and vector Web graphics. The files are integrated into Macromedia Flash and Dreamweaver easily, and importing/exporting Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator files is a breeze; especially with the program's improved layer mask handling, and a new Color Fill Live effect. Version 4 rolls out a new interface that Flash, Dreamweaver, and FreeHand users will recognize. This standardized format also offers tabbed menus for easy customization, and helps keep the screen tidy. New tools for adding interactive elements--rollovers, navigation bars, and pop-up menus--are a welcome sight. And a Live Animation feature creates frame-based GIF animations, using symbols, instances, and tweening features that are familiar to Flash users. With built-in HTML and JavaScript capabilities, version 4 delivers the goods to the Web graphics design community.

Convinced? If not, you can always buy Dreamweaver 4 at full retail, and then follow-up with a Fireworks 4 purchase, weeks or months later. Just don't blame us for the lingering red mark from your forehead slap. --Eric Twelker--This review refers to the Windows version of Dreamweaver 4/Fireworks 4.

Get integrated Web graphics design and professional Web site development by using these two bundled products. A shared Macromedia user interface and integrated product features make the Dreamweaver 4/Fireworks 4 Studio the most efficient way to create professional Web sites. Create, edit, and animate bitmap and vector Web graphics, and add advanced interactivity and pop-up menus in Fireworks' robust, professional environment. Easily import Fireworks rollovers, pop-up menus, and buttons into Dreamweaver to create engaging Web experiences. Launch and edit both graphics and tables between Dreamweaver and Fireworks for efficient workflow. In Dreamweaver, complete the design by using visual page-layout techniques or code entirely by hand in the professional text-editing environment. Create Macromedia Flash graphics, easily manage site assets, and integrate content from Microsoft Office to create professional Web sites. Look up code descriptions and examples by using integrated reference material from O'Reilly Publications. Maximize team efficiency and integrate seamlessly with leading content-management systems.

Publisher: Macromedia
Author: Macromedia
Release Date: 2000-12-23
ISBN/EAN: 0044431750028

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