Okay, well I have been designning stuff for well over a year, on wallpapers, and signatures.
Now i started to move on and started making templates. So far i only made 2 templates and I have NO exceptional idea on coding and slicing.

I have finished my second template on photoshop, and i am ready to do what ever i was needed to do next.

I am not sure if this template will be hard to code and slice, especially for beginners like me.

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/2065/resistancetemplate1copyrm8.jpg

So Far, I have dreamweaver and imageready. Do I need to open this template in PDF or bmp format when slicing? After that How can i slice this template? where should i begin the first slice?

I am not sure what to do with this templates but when i finish say slicing the template, do i need to save it html and image. then open the url file on dream weaver?

What is the purpose of dreamweaver? is it some kind of editor? does it help you code automatically or something? one of those drag and drops?

or does people use dreamweaber just to extent their content boxes so they can fill up more spaces?

after dream weaver, what do i do? I have a domain ready and stuff.

Well i just hope i get some help because i have been trying to find someone nice enough to teach me personally like on msn or aim.

I am not really good at reading from tutorials because most of the time it is different then what i am trying to do.

So if there is anyone nice enough to volunteer, please help :)

thanks in advance!

Dreamweaver is a program that creates coding for websites, so basically a drag-and-drop. For more information, see this site: http://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/

You don't need to slice anything. You can create an image map in ImageReady for those top links. Tutorial here: http://www.adobe.com/education/webtech/CS/unit_graphics2/im_imageready.htm

However, if you want to slice your layout, you should begin with that header, then the three small boxes below, then three larger boxes beneath those, then latest news and sponsors and then content and links. Here's a tutorial on slicing: http://www.adobe.com/education/webtech/CS/unit_graphics2/si_create.htm

I wouldn't recommend using Dreamweaver as all coding programs, no matter how expensive or "critically acclaimed", put in unnecessary coding and sometimes use defunct tags. If you want to learn how to code your layout, I would suggest opening up Notepad or whatever plain text editor you use looking at these pages to learn to write your own. I would suggest either using divs and PHP includes or divs and iframes.

getting started: http://www.lissaexplains.com/html.shtml

PHP include tutorial: http://www.lissaexplains.com/html6.shtml#php

div tutorial: http://www.lissaexplains.com/html7.shtml

CSS [used to style the page]: http://www.lissaexplains.com/css.shtml

iframes: http://www.lissaexplains.com/frames.shtml#inline

Remember, you can always come back for help if you need it. Hope all of this helps you get started! :)

Okay what is the difference between slice and image maps? do they both do same thing? do they like slice pieces and you can save them on image folder?
and when i use image maps and use the square then and cover up the top parts, on the pallete do i need to fill in the url?
what does the url in image maps do?

Image maps do not cut up your image. They take the coordinates of areas on the image and make everything inside of those coordinates links.

Image slicing does cut up your image and links all of the pieces that you set urls for. When you save the slicing, it saves your image in all the little pieces that you dictate.

Yes, in the image map window [If it's not showing, go to Windows > Image Map] and fill in the url. By filling in the url, you're allowing the program to complete the map, by linking the mapped area to whatever webpage you set it to.

:)

oh okay, so slicing cuts up your template so that you can do what ever with it.
and image maps just places that specific area you make to have a url linked to another website. So when clicked, it links me to another website i desire without slicing them.

But another thing is that i want to add text to it. The image i showed you was just a concept, the one that i am working on has no text or ads at all.

Anyways, so i got my template and i start use image maps on the ones that i want to link to, but i also want to add text and edit them when needed.
what should i do now?

also i only use image maps on the parts where i need it linked without having to add html on the sliced piece?

If you go back to my first post [second post in the thread], I gave you the links for things you can use to code your pages as far as the actual content goes. :)

How do i add text on your sliced images in dreamweaver? because if i add all the text and info there, and save it and re open it on dream weaver, it won't let me edit.
i just want to put stuff on the content boxes and stuff like that.

I don't know how to do it in Dreamweaver, because I refuse to use it.

However, after a quick google search, I found this:

http://web.image.ufl.edu/help/tutorial/text_DW.shtml

On this one, if you scroll down a little, it explains all of the text properties on the toolbar:

http://www.lehigh.edu/~inimr/DreamweaverOO/addtext.html

Thank you for helping me so much, i really appreciate it.

I have yet another question to ask.
When your making a template, is it a good idea to add the links as in (button links) as shown on the template? on the links box.

all those little banners should be added after i sliced and opened on dream weaver? or should it be added before slicing your template? because we seriously need some ads and links and we are not sure to put it by html or photoshop.

thanks!

The button links that you have on your template right now, those are the kind of links that you want to add in photoshop.

However, when it comes to things like affiliates and advertisements and other links that aren't main places on your site, those you will want to add in with HTML. It will allow you to be more flexible with placement, and, if need be, change them without having to redo the entire layout.

You're welcome! :)

hmm...Ive never used Imageready to use the image maps. Seems like a better idea than having the whole template sliced up.

Using Imageready with image maps, how would I create my content boxes>?