DW MX Extensions

[mar0364]

I'm just starting to get into DW MX and I like what I've seen so far. I'm just
starting to look at the mind boggling collection of extensions on the web. Has
anyone used them if so who is a reputable manufacturer of these and which ones
have you used? I realize that the extensions don't do anything you could not do
by hand; they just speed up the implementation of a solution. Whenever
something sounds this good I'm very hesitant. I'm afraid they will write
undecipherable code that can not be edited.

Can anyone confirm or rebut these concerns.

Thanks!
Rich

[Nancy Gill]

Like anything, there are good ones and bad ones. Most on the Exchange have
at least basic approval from Macromedia. It depends on what you want to do
... your comments are very general. Are you looking for basic behaviors and
commands? Server behaviors and if so, what server model?

As far as developers, you can't go wrong with [url]http://www.projectseven.com[/url] ..
both their free commands and their commercial menus are top notch. For
server behaviors, I couldn't live without the ones at
[url]http://www.ultrasuite.com[/url] .. commercial but in every server model out there
... and all compatible with not only DMX 2004, but the upcoming DW8. The
same developer has a few free ones available at [url]http://www.magicbeat.com[/url].
There are some good ones at [url]http://www.kaosweaver.com[/url] .. and there are
others. Google "Dreamweaver Extensions" and see what you come up with.


--
Nancy Gill
Team Macromedia Member: Dreamweaver MX/UltraDev
[url]http://www.macromedia.com/go/team/[/url]
Co-Author: Dreamweaver MX: Instant Troubleshooter (August, 2003)
Technical Editor: DMX 2004: The Complete Reference, DMX 2004: A Beginner's
Guide, Mastering Macromedia Contribute
Technical Reviewer: Dynamic Dreamweaver MX/DMX: Advanced PHP Web Development

"mar0364" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dfa1r4$imv$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> I'm just starting to get into DW MX and I like what I've seen so far. I'm

just

> starting to look at the mind boggling collection of extensions on the web.

Has

> anyone used them if so who is a reputable manufacturer of these and which

ones

> have you used? I realize that the extensions don't do anything you could

not do

> by hand; they just speed up the implementation of a solution. Whenever
> something sounds this good I'm very hesitant. I'm afraid they will write
> undecipherable code that can not be edited.
>
> Can anyone confirm or rebut these concerns.
>
> Thanks!
> Rich
>
>

[twocans]

I am a big user of Dreamweaver extensions, your statement

"I'm afraid they will write undecipherable code that can not be edited."

can you explain what you mean cannot be edited, most extensions that I know
have very good logic in the way the extension maker has created the out put
code,

I would suggest that you don't look at all the extensions on the web to
begin with but ask your self as to what you want to do, then by knowing what
you want to create you will then have an idea as to what extensions may be
of help to you.

as for extension creators I would suggest any of the following.

[url]http://www.projectseven.com[/url] great css tutorials and extensions with support

[url]http://www.interaktonline.com[/url] very brilliant server behaviours and support

[url]http://www.flevooware.nl/dreamweaver/default.asp[/url] excellent dhtml extensions

[url]http://www.ultrasuite.com/[/url] great server behaviours with support.

[url]http://www.fourlevel.com/[/url] dhtml extensions some support from great
guyshttp://www.felixone.it

[url]http://www.yaromat.com/dw/?t=All&r=All[/url] great free ones (check form been
popular)

[url]http://www.dwfaq.com/Resources/Extensions/default.asp[/url] great snippets and
extensions

[url]http://www.communitymx.com[/url] great tutorials some extensions

[url]http://www.tom-muck.com[/url] brilliant extensions and some great books, his
site was down when i tried it a moment ago.

[url]http://www.dhtmlnirvana.com/[/url] dhtml they have been a long time and are a
lovely bunch

[url]http://www.felixone.it[/url] very good extensions.


regards

kenny




"mar0364" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dfa1r4$imv$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> I'm just starting to get into DW MX and I like what I've seen so far. I'm
> just
> starting to look at the mind boggling collection of extensions on the web.
> Has
> anyone used them if so who is a reputable manufacturer of these and which
> ones
> have you used? I realize that the extensions don't do anything you could
> not do
> by hand; they just speed up the implementation of a solution. Whenever
> something sounds this good I'm very hesitant. I'm afraid they will write
> undecipherable code that can not be edited.
>
> Can anyone confirm or rebut these concerns.
>
> Thanks!
> Rich
>
>

[mar0364]

First a sincere thank you to Nancy and twocans!! Impressive replies.

When I say indecipherable code I'm refering to the stuff that M$ FrontPage
produces with its wizards. I learned HTML and ASP using Homesite which made me
happy you get to see, create and control the code. The place I work made me use
FP (not happy) ever tried to validate FP code?? Enough about that I can now use
DW and have spent the last 2 weeks going through a Beginning Dreamweaver MX
book by Wrox press. I have been happy with the code the server behaviors
produce I'm able to follow it fine.

Lets say you build a site using the features of DW: templates, libraries,
behaviors and bindings, etc. Now I want to put use an extension for lets say
something complicated like data interaction update, edit, delete and let the
user generate reports they want. Are all of those things going to work together
well?

You understand the word extension scares me coming from an FP perspective

[Nancy Gill]

Ok .. you were talking about THAT kind of extension .. not the same thing at
all. Front Page extensions are on the server and put little widgets in your
code so they can work together. This is not the same thing at all.

DW Extensions don't go on the server .. they produce code that goes in your
page. In some cases, we use extensions because we may not know enough about
the code to write it. But many extension users are advanced users as well
and use proven extensions simply because it's faster. Why do I want to
rewrite the same code over and over when I know the extension will work and
produce the same thing for me with a couple of text boxes filled in with
variables and a few clicks? Much more efficient.

> Lets say you build a site using the features of DW: templates, libraries,
> behaviors and bindings, etc. Now I want to put use an extension for lets

say

> something complicated like data interaction update, edit, delete and let

the

> user generate reports they want. Are all of those things going to work

together

> well?

For data interaction update, edit and delete, you don't even need extensions
... it's all there in the DW server behaviors that come with the program. DW
extensions are made to work with the program. Any developer that produces
something that doesn't work with the code and therefore, the program, should
be avoided.

Hope that helps .. best of luck .. it's an adventure, I promise you!


--
Nancy Gill
Team Macromedia Member: Dreamweaver MX/UltraDev
[url]http://www.macromedia.com/go/team/[/url]
Co-Author: Dreamweaver MX: Instant Troubleshooter (August, 2003)
Technical Editor: DMX 2004: The Complete Reference, DMX 2004: A Beginner's
Guide, Mastering Macromedia Contribute
Technical Reviewer: Dynamic Dreamweaver MX/DMX: Advanced PHP Web Development

[mar0364]

Well I'm excited now!! I'm really looking forward to being DW MX kind of guy. So what extensions do you use the most? Lets see if I can get this junior member thing gone. LOL

[Nancy Gill]

lol .. read my first answer to you .. I put some links in there to some good
ones.


--
Nancy Gill
Team Macromedia Member: Dreamweaver MX/UltraDev
[url]http://www.macromedia.com/go/team/[/url]
Co-Author: Dreamweaver MX: Instant Troubleshooter (August, 2003)
Technical Editor: DMX 2004: The Complete Reference, DMX 2004: A Beginner's
Guide, Mastering Macromedia Contribute
Technical Reviewer: Dynamic Dreamweaver MX/DMX: Advanced PHP Web Development

"mar0364" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dfara2$oi2$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Well I'm excited now!! I'm really looking forward to being DW MX kind of

guy. So what extensions do you use the most? Lets see if I can get this
junior member thing gone. LOL