Creating Library items
The Library is a tool that allows you to create one copy of something
and then use it again and again in different places in your website.
For example, you could create a banner for the top of your webpage,
add it to your library, and then just drag and drop that library
item from the Library onto any other page.
One of the powerful things about library items is that, if you
change the item in the library, Dreamweaver will update all copies
of that library item on whatever pages you have them. This way,
even if your webpage is 50 pages large, if you make one change to
the library item, it will change on all 50 pages if you want it
to.
What should you change to a library item? Anything that you will
be using on many pages. For example, almost all of your pages will
have the following:
• Banner or heading at the top of the page with the name
of your website and maybe a picture, such as the following:
• A Navigation bar across the top, for example:
• You might also include a section at the bottom of every
page to display copyright and email information.
Each of these items can be made into library items. To do so:
1. First create the item as you normally would in Dreamweaver.
2. From the top menus, select Modify.
3. Choose Library,
4. Select Add Object to Library.
5. A window will open where you will see the item under Library:
6. Type the name of your library item where it says Untitled. Be
sure the name you give it is descriptive.
Inserting Library items
To insert a library item that you have created:
1. Open your library (Window > Assets).
2. Drag and drop the item's green icon into your page.
Editing Library Items
To edit a library item:
Notice that when a library item is in your webpage it has a yellow
background. This is to remind you that it is a library item and
you cannot edit or change it in a webpage.
To make changes to a library item, right-click on the item and
choose: Open Library Item…
Remember to save your library item when you finish making changes
to it. When you do this, Dreamweaver will automatically offer to
update all the pages in your website that have a copy of this item.
Visit http://vea6.tripod.com/
to see how the library items illustrated above are used on a website.
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