[caminator]

I am not quite a beginner with html and/or web page developement, but pretty close. I am trying to create a website right now, and I'm having several problems and was hoping someone here could straighten me out. here is my biggest problem...

My site si going to have many pages. Maybe like 10 or so. I want to create a "template" design and use that for every page in my site. The only thing that will be different will be my content (text). How do I create this, so that if I chose to change something, everypage will change that design? Right now I have several pages that I just copied and pasted to initially create it, but that doesn't work very good anymore. I was going to add a sidebar, but now I have to go to EVERY page and manually do that, which will be a HUGE pain in the butt the more involved I get.

Hopefully this all makes sense to you guys. Is there an "easy" way to do this "template" thing? Hopefully so, and if so, can someone please explain this to me? Thank you so much!!

For your reference, I am using Photoshop, and Macromedia Dreamweaver. I don't know if that matters to you guys or not. I want to start using these programs all the time, and am considering starting to do this full time (after awhile) as my primary job.

[php guy]

Heres what you do for the template on all pages:
Make sure the host you get has something called SSI's(Server Side Includes), and these are things like php, perl, asp, asp.net ect. Then, you save everything that goes before the text in a file like header.php or header.asp (what ever kind of SSI you get), then everything after the text footer.php. Then, you can include them in each file before and after the text. That way, when you make a change to header.php, the change will be seen on all pages. Post when your getting ready to use the includes or have any questions and I'll go more into detail.

Dreamweaver, in my opinion, is the best web development tool. I use, but not the greatest, photoshop as well, but I'm more of a function over form kinda guy.

[caminator]

Ok, I understand that part. I think anyway. It will still be awhile, because I have to finish putting this together, but I'll follow up with you when I get there. Thanks a lot for that help. It definitely pointed me in the right direction.

Now I just need to finish setting these tables up. This is very hard for me, and I'm stuck on one part....so I'm trying to figure this out first. :-/

[php guy]

Well if you need any help, you know where to find me.

[Sequal7]

To make a template with dreamweaver you do this:

1) Create your page, layout your tables, images, nav bar etc
2) Think about areas you may need to change in your individual pages, these areas include header images, banners, nav bar componants, page body text, footers etc
In your page, click an area (for example an image) and then choose Insert>Template Objects>Editabe Region. (Dreamweaver will automatically convert the document to a template)
Type a name for you editabe region (example headerimage) and click ok
3) Do that for every area you think you may need to edit later on pages (not that you have to once its done).

Once your done doing that, you need to save the template file.
1) Click file>Save as Templates
2) Pick your site (if you have created more than one) in the dropdown list.
3) Type a template name, example templateblue (to match the color scheme?)
4) Click the save button (Dreamweaver will ask you if you wnat to update links, choose yes)

Now you can create many pages using that template, as you edit the template, every page common template areas are also edited (once you save the master template fle)

To create your first page using the template, click File>new>click the templates tab>choos the site the template is in (if you have more than one site), click the "update page when template changes checkbox, then click create.

You will now see the webpage created from the template with the editable areas you created. You will quickly notice that you cant change anything but those areas you specifed. If you need to change other ares, open the master template file again, and edit it.