• Platform:   Windows 95 / NT / 2000 / 98
• Media: CD-ROM
• Item Quantity: 1

The heart of Dreamweaver is the page designer with its floating tool palettes and drag-and-drop insertions. The Assets panel makes it easy to reuse images, links, animations and other elements, with the added benefit that editing a library item changes it automatically wherever it is used. Though a very capable editor, two features really make it shine. The first is its integration with external editors such as Macromedia's own Fireworks 4 for web graphics and Flash 5 for vector-based animations. The other killer feature is expandability, with thousands of free add-ons available from Macromedia's site.

Existing users will find Dreamweaver 4.0 a great upgrade. Along with the improved code editor, it boasts 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, a table-based layout view and a team development tool in Visual SourceSafe. If that wasn't enough, there's also the option to incorporate Ultradev 4 for dynamic database access. --Tim Anderson

Fireworks 4.0: Fireworks is a dedicated web graphics application. You can create both vector and bitmap images, optimise them for web pages, and add numerous special effects for export to HTML.

The starting point is a familiar range of drawing and painting tools--shapes, lines, brushes, pens and selection tools. In the default vector mode these create editable, scaleable objects, and in bitmap mode they paint pixels. Fireworks supports layers and masks, overlaid virtual surfaces you can edit independently, enabling a wide range of stunning effects. There is also a library panel where you can store graphic elements for reuse.

A key feature for web designers is optimisation. Fireworks 4.0 offers optimal control over the trade-off between quality and size with "2-up" and "4-up" views permitting original and altered versions to be compared. There is also strong support for GIF, JPEG and PNG image formats, and for hotspots and slices--techniques for mapping or dividing an image to accommodate HTML features. Integration with Macromedia's Dreamweaver 4 is better than ever: Designers can export to Dreamweaver, or alternatively launch Fireworks from Dreamweaver, edit the image then save it back with all Fireworks-specific details preserved. --Tim Anderson

Manufacturer's Description
Get integrated Web graphics design and professional Web site development by using these two bundled products. A shared Macromedia user interface and integrated product features make the Dreamweaver 4/Fireworks 4 Studio the most efficient way to create professional Web sites. Create, edit, and animate bitmap and vector Web graphics, and add advanced interactivity and pop-up menus in Fireworks' robust, professional environment. Easily import Fireworks rollovers, pop-up menus, and buttons into Dreamweaver to create engaging Web experiences. Launch and edit both graphics and tables between Dreamweaver and Fireworks for efficient workflow. In Dreamweaver, complete the design by using visual page-layout techniques or code entirely by hand in the professional text-editing environment. Create Macromedia Flash graphics, easily manage site assets, and integrate content from Microsoft Office to create professional Web sites. Look up code descriptions and examples by using integrated reference material from O'Reilly Publications. Maximize team efficiency and integrate seamlessly with leading content-management systems.