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The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS4 with CSS, Ajax, and PHP (Essentials) |  | Author: David Powers
Publisher: friends of ED
Category: Book
List Price: $49.99
Buy New: $25.99
as of 9/7/2010 11:31 CDT details
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Seller: BOOKS__UNLIMITED
Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 118698
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 1000
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 7.5 x 2
ISBN: 1430216107
Dewey Decimal Number: 006.786
EAN: 9781430216100
ASIN: 1430216107
Publication Date: December 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Dreamweaver CS4 is a massive step forward in terms of integration with the rest of the CS4 suite (Flash, Fireworks, Photoshop, etc.), and also includes a whole host of exciting new features of its own. The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS4 with CSS, Ajax, and PHP concentrates on getting the best out of Dreamweaver CS4, rather than going into every menu item and toolbar icon. The emphasis is on developing websites compliant with the latest web standards, using CSS, JavaScript libraries (with particular emphasis on Spry, Adobe's implementation of Ajax), and PHP. The book covers all aspects of the new user interface, including workspace layouts, iconic panels, the related documents feature, Live View, Code Navigator, and Live Code. It also shows how to use the improved CSS editing features, and JavaScript code introspection. There is also coverage of other new features, such as version control through Subversion integration, and the improved support for Photoshop integration through the use of Smart Objects. What you'll learn - Streamline your workflow with the Related Files toolbar, Live view, and the Code Navigator
- Bring your pages alive with Ajax widgets from Spry, jQuery, and the Yahoo! User Interface Library
- Use server-side includes, templates, and Adobe's InContext Editing online service
- Create dynamic web applications using Dreamweaver's PHP server behaviors
- Build real world web site functions, such as form validation, random quote generator, search function, user management/login pages, dynamic Ajax gallery, and much more
- Consume RSS feeds and create Spry data sets
- How to publish your site after you've created it
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
 Great Dreamweaver CS4 book for complex designs, especially if you use PHP December 20, 2009
Mary Straus (Pleasanton, CA)
29 out of 29 found this review helpful
I purchased three books to help me learn Dreamweaver:
Dreamsweaver CS4 for Dummies
Dreamweaver CS4: The Missing Manual
The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS4 with CSS, Ajax and PHP (this book)
I started with Dreamweaver CS4 for Dummies, which I found to be a pretty good book. I was able to read it cover to cover (though it's not necessary to do so to get started). In addition to a good basic overview, it had a couple of very helpful tips in a chapter called "10 Resources You Might Need."
As my design became more detailed, I felt the need for a book that went into more depth and bought the other two books listed above. I like both books, but find I rely on The Missing Manual the most. Its writing is clear and easy to follow. The numerous tutorials give step-by-step instructions for a beginner on how to accomplish various tasks, with more advanced details included in the text.
I like The Essential Guide as well, but since I'm not using PHP, I find that there are areas where the advice they give simply doesn't work for me. For example, when I wanted to learn more about using templates, The Essential Guide gave only a very basic explanation, then went into far more detail about using PHP "includes" instead. While I agree that the PHP "includes" are probably the better choice, it's not one that is available to me since I don't have a PHP testing server (and don't want to go through the complexity of setting one up on my home computer). If you are using PHP, then this is definitely the book to get.
All in all, if I had to recommend one book to get started, it would be For Dummies, particularly if your needs are very simple and/or you're completely new to web site design. For those who want to move beyond the basics, I like The Missing Manual the best. This book could also be used by beginners as long as you're not put off by its length -- with over 1,000 pages, it's not one you'll be able to read cover to cover. I think The Essential Guide is best suited for those who want to create very complex designs, especially those that use PHP. It, too, is very clearly written, but more intimidating to a beginner. If you're a computer professional or experienced web site designer who really wants to exploit the power of Dreamweaver, this is the book to get.
Essential Guide a MindFriendly Resource April 28, 2009
Richard W. Ritchie (Indianapolis, IN United States)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS4 with CSS, Ajax, and PHP is a valuable resource for the DWCS4 user who wants to understand the more complicated DW tasks in a way that is friendly to the mind. Comprehensive in scope. Powers seems to provide mental hooks to help the reader grab the concepts, whether it's how to make the best use of the CSS tools, or how to easily latch on to all the new Dynamic PHP features. I was amazed at how quickly I was putting together my recent online store.
Lots of "Aha!" experiences.
WOW!!! June 27, 2009
Alexandre Souza (Coral Springs, FL USA)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
This book is a must have to all new Dreamweaver, MySQL and PHP users. The exercises are very good and very easy to follow.I had no previous experience with Dreamweaver, MySQL or PHP and now I can manage my new dynamic website!
Pure genius May 1, 2009
Ryan Satterfield (On earth Part time.)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
This book is pure genius. I am pretty good at HTML and CSS but David pointed out some things that really surprised me and have helped my Web Design to be even better. I mostly skimmed the first few chapters and now I am in the AJAX area. I absolutely love it. David please keep writing and don't forget to add in your humor once in a while in the book. Thats what I like about the book. It isn't dry and boring he throws something in that is geeky funny. Thats what really makes me keep reading the book.
thank you January 25, 2009
Lois Reed Hagemaier (US)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Finally - a book for what is NEW in Dreamweaver. There have been many exciting changes in web development, and in Dreamweaver. It is frustrating to only find books that begin at - the - very - beginning.
The Essentail Guide to DW CS4 brings the intermediate and advanced web designer up to speed with clear and brilliant tutorials. There are some "texty" areas, but Powers acknowledges how tedious it is to read about programming - and gets back to hands on quickly.
Wish there were more authors out there who see the need for books that jump in 'beyond the basics'.
Thank you.
(I'm a mac, so it was a bit rough setting up a dynamic site with this book. I used the Missing Manual series to walk through that part...MM is mac friendly :)
PS - If you do the tutorials out of order, you may not have the necessary files for the sprys. MADDENING. If Amazon would let me take away a star I would for this very reason ...
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
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