Creating Template Driven Websites With Fireworks 4 & Dreamweaver 4

When the web first opened its doors, site developers had to rebuild every page from scratch for each new design. Template driven sites, which use a single master layout to generate multiple pages automatically, were not yet mainstream. By the early 2000s, however, Adobe’s Flashy Fireworks 4 and its web‑design partner, Dreamweaver 4, offered a streamlined workflow that let designers create consistent, reusable templates without writing complex code. The result was a powerful method for building scalable websites with minimal manual effort.

Designing the Master Layout in Fireworks 4

Fireworks 4’s slice tool became the cornerstone of template design. Designers would begin by creating a pixel‑perfect master page-complete with headers, footers, navigation, and placeholder areas for content. By drawing elements in a single file and using the

Slice

function, each component could be exported as individual images, preserving layout integrity across

The slicing process was not merely about cutting images. Fireworks 4 offered the

Export Options

panel, where designers could specify HTML tags, CSS class names, and alignment properties for each slice. This export step automatically generated the ___MARKDOWN

file that linked every image to its proper CSS positioning. The ability to embedtags with exact coordinates saved hours of manual coding.

Transferring the Master to Dreamweaver 4

Once the master layout was sliced, the next step involved importing the exported HTML and images into Dreamweaver 4. Dreamweaver’s template system, introduced in version 4, allowed designers to convert any HTML file into aGlobal Template

. By right‑clicking the master file and selecting “Create Global Template,” Dreamweaver created a template that could be reused across an entire website.

Dreamweaver 4’s template system distinguished between static blocks-elements that never change across pages-and editable regions that could be customized per page. The designer would mark navigation links, site logos, and footers as static, ensuring consistency, while leaving the main content area as an editable region. The template editor also offered a

Template Settings

dialog where designers could set default page titles, metadata, and CSS linkages.

Generating Page Content with LiveData

Dreamweaver 4 introduced the LiveData feature, allowing designers to bind data from external sources to template elements. By embedding

PROTECTED_2___ tags with unique identifiers in the template, developers could later replace these placeholders with dynamic content such as news articles or product listings. The LiveData Manager in Dreamweaver 4 made it simple to link each placeholder to a data source, whether it was a CSV file, a database query, or a web service.

Using LiveData, a single template could produce dozens of pages: each page’s unique content would be fed into the placeholders, while the overall layout remained unchanged. The process reduced the risk of layout drift and kept design consistency across all site pages. A practical example is an e‑commerce site that displays product images, prices, and descriptions. By storing product details in a CSV file and binding them to the template, new products could be added without touching the layout.

Maintaining Consistency with Template Hierarchies

Dreamweaver 4’s template hierarchy feature allowed designers to create child templates that inherit properties from parent templates. For instance, a website might have a main

Site

template for the overall look and a

Blog

template that inherits from

Site

but adds a sidebar. When a parent template changes-say, a new logo-every child template automatically reflects the update, eliminating repetitive edits.

This hierarchical approach proved invaluable for large sites with multiple sections. By managing only a handful of master templates, developers could scale their site rapidly. The

Site Manager

panel in Dreamweaver 4 made it easy to view and update all templates at once.

Optimizing Images for Web Delivery

Fireworks 4 provided a robust image optimization workflow. After slicing, designers used the

File > Export > Optimized Web Images

option to reduce file size without sacrificing visual quality. By selecting appropriate compression levels for JPEGs and PNGs, designers could keep page load times low, an essential factor for user experience and search engine rankings.

Fireworks also offered the

Image Export Options

panel, where designers could specify

Image DimensionsColor ProfilesFile Formats

for each slice. The resulting images were ready to be dropped into Dreamweaver’s template without further modification, preserving the original design fidelity.

Testing and Publishing

After assembling the template and generating pages, the next phase involved rigorous testing. Dreamweaver 4’s built‑in

Live Preview

function allowed designers to see changes in real time. By toggling between different browsers-Internet Explorer 6, Netscape Navigator 6, and the emerging Netscape Communicator-designers could catch rendering inconsistencies early.

Once testing confirmed cross‑browser compatibility, publishing became straightforward. Dreamweaver 4’s FTP integration let developers upload entire site folders with a single click. The template files, along with their associated images and CSS, were synchronized to the server, ensuring the live site reflected the latest design changes instantly.

Benefits of Template‑Driven Workflow

Adopting a template‑driven approach with Fireworks 4 and Dreamweaver 4 yielded several key advantages. First, it dramatically reduced the amount of code written manually, freeing developers to focus on content rather than layout. Second, it eliminated inconsistencies between pages, as every page pulled from the same master template. Third, it streamlined maintenance: a change in navigation or logo required editing only the template, not every individual page.

, designers who mastered this workflow could produce professional‑looking sites with a fraction of the time traditionally required. By leveraging Fireworks’ slicing capabilities and Dreamweaver’s template engine, the process became both faster and more reliable, setting a new standard for web development during the early 2000s. The marriage of these two Adobe tools democratized website creation, allowing even novice designers to produce scalable, maintainable sites with clean, reusable code.