Amazon.co.uk Review
Dreamweaver is one of the few visual Web-design tools to find favour with Web professionals. What designers want is fast visual design tools that generate code which works on multiple browsers and platforms, along with the ability to hand-tweak the underlying HTML. This is exactly why
Dreamweaver is popular. It is a well-behaved package that combines rich features with the ability to type in your own custom code. Version 4.0 is even better in this respect, with an enhanced syntax-highlighting code editor and an optional split view, so you can switch seamlessly between visual editing and HTML coding.
The heart of Dreamweaver is its page designer, with floating tool palettes offering drag-and-drop insertion of elements such as images, tables and navigation bars. The Assets panel makes it easy to reuse images, links, animation and other elements throughout a Web site, with the added benefit that editing a library item changes it automatically wherever it is used. It is a very capable editor, but two features make it really shine. The first is integration with external editors, including Macromedia's own products Fireworks 4, for Web graphics (Dreamweaver 4/Fireworks Studio 4.0 combines the two products at a lower price), and Flash 5, for vector-based animation. The other killer feature is extensibility, with thousands of free add-ons available from Macromedia's site.
Existing users will find Version 4.0 a great upgrade. Along with the improved code editor mentioned above, there is an excellent Java-based script debugger, integrated access to O'Reilly reference material on CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, built-in Flash buttons and text effects, table-based layout view, and team development with Visual SourceSafe. There is also the option to upgrade to Ultradev 4, for dynamic database access. --Tim Anderson
Manufacturer's Description
Macromedia Dreamweaver 4 has everything you need to develop a professional Web site. Now you can build Macromedia Flash graphics directly in Dreamweaver. Whether you use Dreamweaver visual layout tools or its text-editing environment, the intuitive Macromedia user interface makes it easy.Coding has never been easier. Use the new Code View to access the new integrated Text Editor, or use the new Split View to see both Code and Design views simultaneously. The Code View's new live syntax coloring, tag balancing, and auto indenting make coding a snap. Debug client-side JavaScript directly in your browser. The new JavaScript Debugger lets you watch JavaScript execute in Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer, helping you understand how each browser implements JavaScript. Debug your code by setting breakpoints and then watching your variables update as you step through the code. Get reference information quickly. The new Code Reference feature delivers information on JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and Browser DOMs. The content is based on the Definitive DHTML Reference book published by industry leader O'Reilly Publications. Design complex pages easily. The unique new Layout View lets you use familiar layout techniques, such as drawing directly on a page, dragging cells, or grouping cells to create nested tables. Whether you're working with existing tables or creating a new layout, Layout View always creates clean tables that work in all browsers. Create editable vector graphics directly in Dreamweaver. The new Macromedia Flash Buttons and Macromedia Flash Text features enable you to work with Macromedia Flash designers to create new button styles or download free styles from the Macromedia Exchange.
