The Basics of Using Dreamweaver- Images & Links

Author: Mark Reynolds
Author's Site:DWzone.net
Reference ID: 15607

Inserting Images

OK now we have set the basic page up we are able to add what content we want to it. Like images! The first thing we need to do is to create a folder beneath your site root folder called images. Create an image and save it to this folder. Now what you need to do is to click the "Insert Image" button on the Objects Panel.

Browse to your images folder and select the image you want. Your image will then be inserted into the page that you have created. Clever eh? But wait a minute - Is that really where you want the image? If the answer is no then here you will find the magic of Dreamweaver's Layers feature invaluable!

Now when you click the layers button your cursor turns into a cross hair (or a target). What you have to do is click and drag with the left button until you get to the size what you want. As a guide check the image size and try to make the layer as close to that size a possible.

You may also put the image dimensions into the Properties Inspector. To select the layer, move your cursor over the layer until it turns into a cross, then click the layer. You should get the layer selected with a white square in the top left hand corner like this one:

See those black squares (six of them), you use these to drag the layer to different sizes. Try dragging them. Move you cursor over a square until it turns into a double edge arrow and drag! But as stated before, you can also put the dimensions you want the layer to be into the Properties Inspector.

Enter the height and width dimensions into the two boxes that say "W" and "H". Guess what the "L" and "T" stand for. Yes you got it, Left position and Top position. Enter 1px in both the L and T box and see what happens to your layer. It moves to the left and up to the top. You are able to position it anywhere you want to! Just select the layer as you did before and then grab the white square at the top and drag it around your screen as you want!

How to Link Pages Together

Here we are going to learn how to link two pages together within your site. Just remember that whatever you do, make sure that the file you are linking to is beneath your root folder!

OK, what we first need to do is to create a new page. From the menu, select File» New. Set the page title as we did before along with the background color, text color and the link colors as before. Now save this file, File» Save As "page2.htm". Go back to the first page that we created and type this text in "Please link and make it work" in the bottom left hand corner. Or if you prefer use a layer to hold the text. Oh sorry did I not say? You can use layers for text as well! Now select the text (by clicking and dragging) to highlight the text you wish to become a link.

Next click the little yellow folder next to the link box on the Properties Inspector.

and browse to the file that you created earlier. Select that file and click OK.

You have just linked two pages together! Now was that not easy?

Now that we've covered the basics, go practice until your pages are an absolute masterpiece!