Dreamweaver Article

1. Open your file management software (Windows Explorer or Macintosh Finder) and create a new folder somewhere on your local hard drive. Extract or unstuff the sample files into the new folder you just created.The downloadable sample files contain files and folders in a compressed format (ZIP for Windows and SIT for Macintosh users). When you extract these files, it's important that you do so in a manner that will retain the original folder structure.
   
   
2. Launch Dreamweaver MX and create a new site definition (using the Site > New Site... ).  Set the local root path to the folder named crumb_trails, which is located inside the folder that you created in step 1. Name this site whatever you want.
   
   
3. Open the templates named woohoo.dwt; ugh.dwt and drat.dwt located in the Templates folder. These are the templates that we used to experiment with, as we developed the trail navigation block.  Set your page view setting to the Standard View (NOT Layout View) so that you can see both the code and design views (split-screen). This will make it easier to see what's going on in the code.
   
   
4. Open the child page named folder1/folder2/page2.html. This is a child page that was created from the template named woohoo.dwt to show the functionality and control of the crumb trail using template parameters and expressions.
   
   
5. Leave all the files open so that you can easily switch between them as we run through the description below of what was done and why.

1. Change the template Name* parameter values to something descriptive so that when the Modify > Template Properties... dialog is run, there is descriptive content in the parameters that is understandable to the template user.
   
   
2. As an alternative to Modification #1, add a new optional region containing a layer that houses the instructions for the crumb trail parameters. (This method is preferred, for some, over Modification #1.)
   
   
   WARNING: If you add this after the fact in an existing site, be sure to set the parameter for the optional region to false prior to updating the site. If you do not, then this layer will be visible on every existing page based on the template. This will look bad. If this happens, you'll need to manually modify each instance page using the Modify > Template Properties... dialog. Once the site is updated, feel free to set the template parameter to true, so that any new pages created from the template display the instructions layer.
   
   
3. Add the Namecurr expression to the template's title tag so that you don't have to remember to update the title of the document. This will create a title based on the value of the Namecurr parameter.
   
   
4. Add or remove folder levels as required.  If adding folder levels, be sure to keep the same naming scheme for the template parameters in the head section and the regions in the body section where the crumb trail resides. Don't forget to modify the expressions that display the trail separator so that they are relevant to the appropriate folder.
   
   WARNING: If you add folder levels after the fact in an existing site, be sure to set the parameter for the new folder level(s) to false prior to updating the site. If you forget to do this, these newly added folder levels will be visible on every existing page based on the template. This will require manual modification of each instance page using the Modify > Template Properties... dialog. Once the site is updated, feel free to modify the template parameter to be true (displayed) so that any new pages created from the template display the full possible crumb trail path.

About the authors
Although a biochemist by training, Murray Summers has spent the last 20 years working in the computer industry. In 1998, Murray started his own website production company, Great Web Sights (www.great-web-sights.com) and he is the co-author of Dreamweaver MX Templates. As a Team Macromedia member, he also participates in the sponsored forums for Dreamweaver and other products. He lives in rural Philadelphia with Suzanne, his lovely wife, their 12-year-old daughter Carly, a Golden Retriever, an Eskipoo, and some goldfish.

Brad Halstead (www.dreamweavermx-templates.com), is a Computer Software Engineering Technologist by training, but deviated from that dream to join the Canadian Military as an Air Weapons Systems Technician where he learned all about various computerized Aircraft weapons systems as well as loading the munitions. Brad has dabbled in the web in various capacities since 1989 and left the Military to become a full-time Computer Technician. Brad tries to play an active roll in the support forums for Dreamweaver and Project Seven as time permits him to. He lives in London, Ontario with his cherished partner Brenda and their 8-year-old daughter Megan, 13-year-old daughter Amanda, 12-year-old son Aaron, and 2 Yorkshire Terriers (16-F and 12-M).