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DreamWeaverBeliever
DreamWeaverBeliever
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Does modifying a template retroactively modify all pages based on it?  Or is that just for CSS?

Apr 27, 2012 11:20 AM

Using CSS style sheets doesn't appeal to me due to the risk that modifying them will enact changes sort of retroactively on all pages incorporating such CSS material.  For me, each page is different and I'd rather not have to check each page previously created just to try and make sure that inadvertently implemented changes don't clash with desired content in at least some browsers.   The CSS-related time savings isn't worth the added time-consumption for me.    

 

    Hopefully pages created that are based merely on templates do not have such retroactive modification vulnerabilities, though?    I'd like to create a template that I might modify as time goes.   Meanwhile I'd use that template to create pages.   Hopefully gradual modifications to the template over time wouldn't sort of retroactively impose modifications to all pages previously created and based on it?   Any thoughts, please?

413 Views   5 Replies   Latest reply: Nancy O., Apr 27, 2012 12:53 PM
 
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  • Nancy O.
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    1. Nancy O.,
    Apr 27, 2012 11:34 AM   in reply to DreamWeaverBeliever
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    I think you can safely put global styles into an external style sheet. Then use embedded CSS in the <head> of your documents for page specific styles. Embedded styles trump external styles.

     

    DW Templates (.dwt files) are a convenient site management tool for people who WANT consistent looking site pages (i.e. a common header, footer, navigation, etc..).  If you don't want consistency in your site, there's no real point in using DW Templates.

     

     

    Nancy O.

    Alt-Web Design & Publishing

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  • DreamWeaverBeliever
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    2. DreamWeaverBeliever,
    Apr 27, 2012 11:43 AM   in reply to Nancy O.
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    Thanks for the reply, Nancy.   I do want consistency in the site, but I do NOT want retroactively applied modifications throughout the site just because I decide that future template adjustments should apply merely to future pages (though not to already created ones).   So I'm still hesitant to use templates.   Any thoughts, please?

     
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  • Nancy O.
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    3. Nancy O.,
    Apr 27, 2012 12:09 PM   in reply to DreamWeaverBeliever
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    Personally, I don't use DW Templates.  I prefer to use SSIs (server-side includes) for my site-wide elements.  Edit one file, upload it.  Done.

     

    A typical scenario for using a DW Template:  let's say you want to change the copyright date in your site-wide footer.

    1) Open Template (.dwt).  Make changes.  Save.

    2) DW will ask if you want to populate changes to child pages. 

    3) Hit yes.  Footer is changed on all child pages spawned from that Template.   

    4) Upload updated child pages to remote server.

     

    If you hit no when prompted in step 3, existing child pages won't be updated.  However any new pages spawned from that Template will contain the new footer.  So site consistency is broken.   Some pages have new footer, some have old footer.

     

    If you don't want to make full use of Template features, there's no point in using them in the first place.   You might as well open an existing page and hit File > SaveAs >new_file.html and edit at will.

     

     

     

    Nancy O.

    Alt-Web Design & Publishing

    Web | Graphics | Print | Media  Specialists 

    http://alt-web.com/

     
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  • DreamWeaverBeliever
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    4. DreamWeaverBeliever,
    Apr 27, 2012 12:35 PM   in reply to Nancy O.
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    Thanks for the reply Nancy.   Regarding:

     

    >>>f you don't want to make full use of Template features, there's no point in using them in the first place.   You might as well open an existing page and hit File > SaveAs >new_file.html and edit at will.<<<

     

    I might wind up doing something akin to that, by creating a template page and using the File > Save As feature like you've suggested. 

     

    Refreshingly enough, it seems from your comments that templates can, indeed, be modified without such changes' being applied retroactively to previously-created pages.   If I'm missing part of the picture, please feel free to correct me.  At any rate, many thanks for the insightful feedback  :-)  

     
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  • Nancy O.
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    5. Nancy O.,
    Apr 27, 2012 12:53 PM   in reply to DreamWeaverBeliever
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    Refreshingly enough, it seems from your comments that templates can, indeed, be modified without such changes' being applied retroactively to previously-created pages. 

    True enough.  But I honestly can't think of one situation where this would be practical or even desirable.   Can you?

     

     

    Nancy O.

     
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