Re: HomeSite/Dreamweaver

by =?iso-8859-1?Q?St=E9phane?= Bergeron <stephberg(at)videotron.ca>

 Date:  Mon, 15 Nov 1999 17:03:33 -0500
 To:  hwg-software(at)hwg.org
 In-Reply-To:  iserv
  todo: View Thread, Original
At 09:54 PM 14/11/99 -0500, you wrote:
>I have been using HomeSite 4.0 for some time now and have been using a=
 trial
>version of  Dreamweaver 2 for about three weeks.  I like the combination=
 and
>am planning to purchase Dreamweaver very soon.  I would appreciate some
>feedback from those of you who are actively using this combination=
 regarding
>tips on how to get optimum results from the pair.  I find I tend to do some
>initial work in Dreamweaver and then move to HomeSite for polishing and to
>run CSE Validator.  There is not much in either program's help areas to=
 help
>one learn to use the two together.  Also, which is the best application to
>manage a site and to publish it.  I assume HomeSite is the best choice
>there, with its Project feature.

Hello Steve,

I've been a die hard HomeSite user for years myself  (since when version=20
2.5 had just came out of beta, before Allaire hired Nick Bradbury in fact)=
=20
but I have started using Dreamweaver more and more recently.  The two=20
together make for an unbeatable team but as far as Site management features=
=20
go, Dreamweaver is light years ahead of HomeSite.  Even with HomeSite 4.5=20
that will come out soon I find that the Projects feature and the way HS=20
integrates FTP is almost unusable for me.  As much as I think HomeSite=20
rocks in all other areas, it seems to me that Allaire seems hell bent on=20
implementing project management features their way without listening to=20
their user base.  I have been active in 4 beta cycles for HomeSite so far=20
(for versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.01 and 4.5 now) and projects seems to be the=20
feature that never really improved despite numerous specific feature=20
requests from users.

Useful site management features you'll find in Dreamweaver that HomeSite=20
still lacks include site wide link checking and updating... this means that=
=20
if you rename or move a file that's included in a defined Site, Dreamweaver=
=20
will update the links in all the files that point to it automatically. DW=20
can also scan a file, a folder or an entire site to find all orphaned files=
=20
and broken links and lists all those in a window where you can fix=20
them.  Also, when working in a team environment, you can "check out" a file=
=20
so that other members of the team cannot edit it at the same time as=20
you.  DW's site window is also a lot easier and more intuitive to use that=
=20
HomeSite's FTP tab in the resource pane and acts much like most FTP=20
programs but adds a lot of features not found in any FTP program I know=20
like a site map and more.

HomeSite's Snippets and templates are also nice but Dreamweaver's library=20
and Dream Templates go a step further.  With snippets you can only insert=20
often used pieces of code into your files but with DW library items, you=20
can make changes to a library item and have the change reflected=20
automatically across the site in files that use that item.  HS templates=20
are very handy but DW's Dream Templates also remain linked to documents=20
based on them so that you can edit a template and update your whole site at=
=20
once if you want... or at least all the files that use that template as a=20
base.  At any time if you want you can break the link between documents and=
=20
their template or the library items they use.  If you want simple=20
snippets-like behavior then you can also create your own "objects" and use=
=20
those.  Like HomeSite, Dreamweaver has a complete internal DOM that you can=
=20
access to create commands, objects, new property inspectors and more.  From=
=20
the sight of it, Dreamweaver 3.0 will be even more powerful and flexible so=
=20
I think you can't go wrong with this combo.  Btw, I work for neither=20
Allaire nor Macromedia... just love their products... ;-).

HTH!

St=E9phane Bergeron

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