There are two great things about using pre-existing Dreamweaver templates or creating your own custom templates:
- it’s super easy, and
- it’s super powerful!
Templates, just like in print or page design, not only enable you to create design and structure continuity between multiple site pages, but they allow you to make global changes to all the pages based on a template. Both of these benefits can potentially save hours of work in web site development and management.
Oh, there’s actually a third great thing about templates: 3) there is no downside to using them.
So, the lesson is simple… know templates, use templates, love templates!
Dreamweaver comes loaded with a bunch of CSS pages and simple templates, but there are many free or inexpensive HTML templates available on line. Just do a search for them and you’ll be amazed.
Here are a few resources on templates:
- Template Tutorial: http://www.sitesoutlet.com/dreamweaver-web-templates.asp
- Adobe Help: http://www.adobe.com/support/dreamweaver/templates/dwfw_templates_tutorial/, and http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/Dreamweaver/9.0/help.html?content=WScbb6b82af5544594822510a94ae8d65-7acd.html
- A tutorial I wrote: http://chiefcrazyhair.com/gc362/?p=40
- Setting up Templates video: http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/?id=vid0157
- Using Templates: http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/?id=vid0158
- Templates How-To (from book): Template Pages from D. Karlins HowTos
