Where once you'd have had to write code, you can now quickly configure CSS and apply it to page elements Mobile development and site hosting You can test your transition effects in Dreamweaver's Live View, using the built-in WebKit browser to display the CSS effects without leaving your design, and Transitions make it easy to add effects to a page.ĬSS Transitions simplify adding special effects to a page.
There's no code needed, as it's all handled by CSS. You can use transitions to display pop-ups, or to accentuate actions, or just to draw attention to a link or a menu.
CSS transitions can be added to any CSS element, and can be tied to any event. One set of shortcuts comes from the CSS Transitions panel, which simplifies adding animated effects to a page. Pages can also be tested in a standard desktop browser, just resizing to get the appropriate views. Dreamweaver CS6's WebKit-based Live View tools now include a resolution switcher, to quickly change from smartphone, to table, and to desktop browsers. With fluid layouts, you need to be able to preview your work without publishing it to the appropriate devices.
Another benefit to using Dreamweaver's fluid grid tools is that they can also be used to create HTML 5 user interfaces for Windows 8 Metro applications. It's a surprisingly simple solution to a relatively complex problem - Dreamweaver handles the media queries, and all you need to do is create the appropriate page layouts and designs. If an element isn't needed at a particular resolution it can be hidden, and won't be displayed. Regions are then aligned them using Dreamweaver's column grids, and you can choose which regions display where, depending on the resolution of a user's screen. Once you've opened a grid layout, all you need to do is define the appropriate page regions, using DIV tags. Working with fluid grids is much like working with Dreamweaver CS6's template tools.
Other users may find it harder to justify, but we'd recommend upgrading just for the improvements in CSS support - as technologies like CSS Transforms and Fluid Grids will help deliver the modern designs users are expecting.Ĭreating Fluid Grids that work on PCs, tablets and phones is now as easy as choosing a layout and defining the columns used Dreamweaver handles the media queries If you're working with HTML5 or with sites that need to deliver to multiple devices, then you're going to want to upgrade.
While there are plenty of new features, this is still the familiar Dreamweaver, so it's easy to upgrade from CS5 or CS5.5, with little or no learning curve. Despite the improvements in CSS support, Dreamweaver's minimalist approach to JavaScript libraries remains a problem, especially with the increasing importance of combined script and CSS frameworks. That's why it's good to see plenty of support for CSS3's more advanced features in Dreamweaver - including CSS Transitions.
HTML5 is still evolving, but many of its family of standards are already in use. Dreamweaver has become the standard web design and development tool for many organisations, and Dreamweaver CS6 needed to respond to the way the web has changed, as well as the way it is changing.