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Can Dreamweaver do what tools like XsitePro do?

by Cutthroat
7 replies
I know Dreamweaver mainly an editor for people who hard code websites, but I was wondering if anyone here happens to know if DW can work the same way XsitePro does? Meaning, pump out a simple but decent site without having to hard code everything?

Thanks.
#dreamweaver #tools #xsitepro
  • Profile picture of the author Rob Thayer
    While Dreamweaver can show you the code along with a view of the page itself, it is very possible to create a Web site without ever touching the code itself. It's basically a WYSIWYG editor for Web pages. If you want to add an image, you can click and add an image. Change the font? Click, click. And if you want to load in a template, you can do that too.

    I'm simplifying it, but Dreamweaver lets you do basic stuff and much, much more. I like it, but then I like most of the Adobe products.

    I suggest you get the demo version and play around with it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Cutthroat
      I have a decent working knowledge of HTML, CSS and a little PHP/MySQL but I have never used XsitePro and while in school we only used DreamWeaver for some hard coding (we used Notepad mostly), so I don't know what all DW can do in a more "factory/assembly line" capacity.

      My goal is to create decent quality websites quickly, as I can hard code it but it would take forever compared to a program where I could just slap one together (which is what XsitePro makes it sound like it can do). Most of my skillset is on the frontend, mainly graphics and I would really prefer to avoid coding if I can as I'm slower at it and often get frustrated with it.

      I want to focus on content creation, graphic design and SEO and save myself the backend stuff.
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  • Profile picture of the author gareth
    I'll tell you what - get artisteer and wordpress is superior to xsitepro
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    Gareth M Thomas
    Serial Entrepreneur
    Auckland, New Zealand

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    • Profile picture of the author Kim Standerline
      lol it's a matter of opinion, and to be fair they tend to do different things. (I find Artisteer to be a tad limiting)

      Originally Posted by gareth View Post

      I'll tell you what - get artisteer and wordpress is superior to xsitepro
      XSP was designed (originally) mainly for those people to whom IM is fairly new or complex etc. You don't need any coding skills or anything.

      It's much simpler to add your keywords metatags etc in XSP and the software will also tell you whether you either have enough or to many etc.

      Templates etc are also very easy to load.

      XSP has come a long way since it was first produced, and as someone who has used DW, FP, artisteer etc I absolutely love it though I tend to be a FP gal otherwise.

      My only gripe with XSP (if it is a gripe), is the difficulty if you're not savvy of adding new headers etc. I tend to have to commision my XSP templates, but then if I was that bothered about it I guess I would learn how to do it!

      Kim
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  • Profile picture of the author Rob Thayer
    I think it's probably changed a lot since you used it in school. It's way more than just a glorified text editor, if that's what you're thinking. You can do some pretty advanced stuff with DW, including JavaScript, PHP and ASP.

    Like most Adobe products, it does have a fairly steep learning curve. There is so much functionality packed into it that it can be difficult to figure out at first. But if you want something that is not going to limit you, then you should give DW another try.
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  • Profile picture of the author James Schramko
    xsitepro automates a few things that would be step by step in DW.

    The linking of the site navigation etc...

    It generates sites in a more complete format.

    DW is a pro level authoring tool with more hard core functions (if you know how to operate it)
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    This is where you get real information (backed up by proven results)
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  • Profile picture of the author globalpro
    OK,

    I hard code HTML also and do use DW at times for some of the advanced features. Really love using it when I do.

    To expand on what Kim said, XSP can be difficult to manage the way it writes the style sheet. If I get a client who needs a site set up and provides the page made in XSP, it can be a bear to make changeswith the styles. I hate working with them.

    If you hard code, spend some time working with DW. Once you get past the learning curve, it becomes a real asset for design work.

    Thanks,

    John
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