Applying CSS while editing in Dreamweaver tips?

[Mechphisto]

I have an annoying issue in Dreamweaver CS3 that I was hoping I could
get some help on.

I have a site I'm working on. The file structure is:

W:/site/
-- contains page.php which is the bare frame for all the pages. The
styles.css link and all head info, etc. is in this page.

W:/site/includes/
-- contains styles.css which has all the styles

W:/site/data/
-- contains all the actual data pages that get included into page.php
via PHP (that it's PHP is not important)

Now, when I'm working on, say, W:/site/data/123.php, the DW GUI has no
idea what styles are available as all 123.php is is text with DIV id's
and SPAN classes attributed. On the Web site, the contents of this
page would simply get included into page.php.

So the DW preview shows everything in default appearance.

If I link the styles.css into the file, sure I edit it and it'll let
me use the styles in the GUI instead of my having to keep looking at
the styles page and hand-typing in ...class="blah"....
But the link will be put in as "../includes/styles.css" which works
while I'm in DW, but doesn't while it's on the Web as...you get it,
because 123.php doesn't technically exist when it's rendered to the
browser...it's embeded in page.php so "../" becomes meaningless.

Does this make sense?
Bottom line: Is there some DW tip that will allow me to either make it
recognize PHP includes so it logically knows where everything will be
when it's rendered by the browser, or, universally apply a CSS page to
everything I'm working on without having to worry about link paths
that work fine locally but foobar on the remote?

Thanks for any suggestions.
-Liam

 

[Bergamot]

I have an annoying issue in Dreamweaver CS3 that I was hoping I could
get some help on.

Why don't you go ask in one of the Dreamweaver forums? They have their
own newsgroups, you know.

 

[Mechphisto]

Why don't you go ask in one of the Dreamweaver forums? They have their
own newsgroups, you know.

Why yes, yes they do.
But if I've learned anything in my 18 years using the Intertubes
(aside from how not to feed trolls and to ignore anyone "speaking" in
ALL CAPS) is that one venue to answer a question will usually have me
waiting days before someone answers...if at all.
So I ask in a few related and appropriate venues and then post the
answer I find in the others.

Case in point, I actually got a good reply, finally, from the Adobe
forum (which I have found to be notoriously unhelpful in the past),
and here's the answer:

While in the included page in the editor, in the CSS minimenu at the
top-right, click the top-top-right option drop-down and select "Design-
time...". Then apply the CSS.
Whammo! All my styles are available to select and use, and I don't
have to worry about including additional half-broken paths in my
pages!

Anyway, in case anyone else needs to know, there you go.

 

[Jonathan N. Little]

Why yes, yes they do.
But if I've learned anything in my 18 years using the Intertubes
(aside from how not to feed trolls and to ignore anyone "speaking" in
ALL CAPS) is that one venue to answer a question will usually have me
waiting days before someone answers...if at all.
So I ask in a few related and appropriate venues and then post the
answer I find in the others.

I guess in those 18 years you didn't learn anything about multi-posting :-(

 

[Mechphisto]

I guess in those 18 years you didn't learn anything about multi-posting :-(

Yes, I did. That I get answers. And very very rarely complaints.
Lesson: It's effective and only the most annoyable care.

 

[houghi]

Yes, I did. That I get answers. And very very rarely complaints.
Lesson: It's effective and only the most annoyable care.

So in the end all you care about is you and not anybody else.

houghi

 

[Jonathan N. Little]

Yes, I did. That I get answers.

Yes you may at first, and likely in duplicate!

And very very rarely complaints.
Lesson: It's effective and only the most annoyable care.

Then after regulars realize your practice and that they spent
considerable time answering your question only to discover someone lese
had in another NG you will become ignored...