Dreamweaver MX 2004: The Missing Manual

Macromedia's Dreamweaver MX 2004 offers a rich environment for building professional web sites, with drag-and-drop simplicity, clean HTML code, and dynamic database-driven web site creation tools. It comes with everything except perhaps the most important feature of all: a printed manual.

Enter Dreamweaver MX 2004: The Missing Manual, the book that enables both first-time and experienced web designers to bring stunning, interactive web sites to life. What sets this new edition apart is the crystal-clear writing, welcome humor, and exclusive features like these:

• Live examples. With a step-by-step annotated tutorial, readers follow the construction of a state-of-the-art commercial web site, complete with Flash buttons, Cascading Style Sheets, and dynamic databases.
• Tricks of the trade. The book is bursting with undocumented workarounds and shortcuts.
• Design guidance. Readers can create any modern web feature, including forms, animations, pop-up windows, and more. This book lets you know which browsers, situations, and audiences are appropriate for each.

With a step-by-step annotated tutorial, readers follow the construction of a state-of-the-art commercial Web site, complete with Flash buttons, Cascading Style Sheets, and dynamic databases. The book is bursting with undocumented workarounds and shortcuts and contains over 500 illustrations.

With a step-by-step annotated tutorial, readers follow the construction of a state-of-the-art commercial Web site, complete with Flash buttons, Cascading Style Sheets, and dynamic databases. The book is bursting with undocumented workarounds and shortcuts and contains over 500 illustrations.

Library Journal

Dreamweaver (see also Computer Media, LJ 1/03) reigns as the editor of choice for many web designers, and MX 2004 adds better Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) handling and other features that may spur demand for updated guides. Teach Yourself, rather basic for most users, takes a step-by-step, full-color, screen shot-heavy approach to accomplishing common tasks. A good overview for beginners, appropriate for all public libraries. The more comprehensive Missing Manual addresses beginning to intermediate users, with special attention to using CSS. Sidebars include additional info for power users, FAQs, definitions, and other useful topics. Its clear, step-by-step tutorials on each major subject (with downloadable files and finished examples), plus links to additional resources, make this an especially useful self-study guide; highly recommended for all libraries. For intermediate to advanced users, Bible and Complete Reference strive for thorough coverage. Bible's CD contains a trial version of Dreamweaver MX 2004, plus project files; Complete's CD, meanwhile, offers trial versions of each MX 2004 product, Dreamweaver extensions, and sample code. Bible goes through each Dreamweaver feature, from touring menu commands to adding extensions and customizing the software. New features are highlighted in the text; notes, cautions, and tips add info; cross references help navigate and collect relevant information for specific tasks; and chapter summaries aid in assimilating the information provided. Its attention to workflow and collaboration will help designers working on large projects. Complete's coverage ranges from Dreamweaver basics to extensions; its links to additional resources aid users in extending Dreamweaver's functionality. It walks readers through the entire process of creating a web site and using the various aspects of the software. Both Bible and Complete are appropriate for larger public libraries and for academic libraries serving design and computer science programs; Bible's clarity gives it the edge if you need only one title. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

McFarland teaches Dreamweaver courses at the Academy of Art in San Francisco and at the Center for Electronic Arts. He's a partner in Skymind, a web development company.