The Honey House Buzz - Dreamweaver

Goodby CFUnited, Perhaps next year

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:36:00 -0600

I have planned unsuccessfully to get to CFUnited. But the for last 6+ years, other obligations have interfered for that week..... So, I get my oxes out of the ditch (which included a funeral, a few surgeries to repair cycling injuries, mom-in-law getting 2 hip replacements...you get the picture) to clear July-August 2011 to attend Next Year -- 2011... (sigh) My friend Gene Godsey broke that news to me, no next year.... (sigh). So Here's My VOTE: Have it somewhere, somehow, someway and Honey House Web Designs WILL be there! PLease, please (please)....

DW CS3 Bug? Checking Out Files to Open Externally Can Crash DW

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:35:00 -0600

If you are working in a website that is set up to use Contribute for its users, do not try to checkout a file AND open externally at the same time. DW will crash. I use Topstyle for CSS edits, and I have DW set up to open edit CSS files externally. I often open css files in DW that then open the Topstyle editor. If the CSS file is locked and needs to be checked out of the server, then opening to edit in Topstyle will cause DW to bomb. Solution: Check CSS file out first, then open/edit. Then all works good. Note on 'bug': This occurs in Topstyle versions 3.12 and 3.5 (newest version) and in of the latest CS3 DW version. It also occured in CS4, but that was beta. (don't have CS4 production yet... waiting on bit end-of-year bonus -- ha ha ).

Quick & Dirty: Using LightBox with Image maps

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:26:00 -0600

Lightbox technique is very cool way to view enlarged photos, details for text etc. I use Four Level's extension but didn't know if it would work in an image map situation. It does. I set the lightbox up to link to a normal image, allowing the jquery and other scripts to be copied over to the website directory. Then I updated the image map to contain the reference code to the popup instead of the image. In the example below, each area mapping has only a 'rel' added, and a ref for the photo to be shown. Quite simple.









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CS3 Fails to Install -- Tips to Try

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:59:00 -0600

Arrrgh. DW CS3 started crashing today when I wanted to update a .cfm file. Every time I would click to add a photo... crash. Reinstalling CS3 takes forever, but I was disappointed when I kept getting 'Failed to Install' errors. Geesh. I have encountered this before, but it has been a while. Googling found a wealth of possiblilities to try, but here are a few notes that I made that may be of help to someone. (These are XP-ish tips, since that is what I use). 1) If reinstalling doesn't work (usually the shared components WILL install, just not the program), it won't work regardless of whether you perform the reinstall from the DVD or from the Add/Remove Programs.
2) Uninstalling doesn't usually work either. Failed components error again.
3) Adobe's CS3clean should not be considered except as a last resort as it is going to roto-rooter your settings and registry. However... it does have a 'Preview' option that lets you see what it WILL do if you would like to see the depth of it's cleaning. I put this one asside for the time being.
4)Adobe has install logs for all products. These are in the [Program files]\Common Files\Adobe\Installer folder. The DWCS3 log was 6M compressed. When I opened it in an rtf editor, it was over 10,000 pages... yikes.
I did finally get the reinstall/repair to work, but I had to do some digging and some house keeping to do it. Here are a few Tips to remember to try when reinstalling:
1) Turn off all spyware, and Virus Protector, including Spybot's TeaTimer if you are using it. Allow the install to just install without these interferences. Also turn off any unnecessary processes (Google Toolbar, iTunes, Wacom Drivers if not using) just to make your system as lean as possible.
2) Close the installer and Clean out the installer directory. This directory can become filled with files and logs from both installs and Adobe Updater updates.
3) There is a documented bug with Flash Player that appears to conflict with the CS3 installer. You can uninstall the Flash Player (not the Flash software or Flash video) either via your Add/Remove Programs or using Adobe's Flash Player Removal Tool.
Also using Microsoft's installer cleanup (Here) can be run to ensure that your DWCS3 (if that is your 'failed' install like mine -- you can check for which ever software fails), and Flash player have been cleaned up. If these are listed in the utility, then 'removing' them tidies up what MS installer sees.
4) Run the Windows CheckDisk to ensure that the disk isn't having issues or isn't too fragmented. Also check that you have enough memory.
Reboot, and then try to perform the install again, from the install DVD or hard drive instead of through Add/Remove Programs. This worked for me. particularly after I cleaned out the installer folder and uninstalled Flash player. Now my file opens fine and my settings have all been reinstated after reinstalling the software.

Migrating from One DW template to another

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:58:00 -0600

HHWD often uses DW templates so that clients who use Adobe's Contribute can update their sites and add pages. In order to facilitate updating a site's design you should use CSS to separate the content from the style or layout. But if you also use the same template editable region names in your new design template, you'll have a much easier time applying that template to the old pages without having to resolve each and every page. When creating editable regions remember 1) keep the similar regions the same name. 2) use the same case in old and new template. DW considers 'ContentBody' template a different region than 'contentbody'. 3) Avoid using the differing case (as described in #3 above) to make multiple editable regions on a page. While you might remember now what and why. In 6 months when you come back to the template, those brain cells may be long gone :). 4)Avoid using HTML or CFM markup words or reserved words as editable region names. While 'Body' or 'cfoutput' will work as a region names, it isn't the best form and could lead to issues down the road.

Quick & Dirty Tricks -- Using CFDUMP inside CFC -- Viewing All Methods, Pt. 2

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:24:00 -0600

In the second part of CFDump Q&D tricks, you can view the entire methods and settings for a CFC, just like you would see in the 'Live Data View' from inside Dreamweaver. Placing in a CFC outside a function, but inside the tags starts the setup and produces a runtime dump that looks like this: Clicking on the linked 'component' in that dump will open up the Live data View (note, you'll need administrator privileges to view the methods). And, in keeping with Adobe's color coding, CFC Dumps are red :).

Coldfusion Support Help -- Ongoing support & Maintenance

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:33:00 -0600

HHWD is turning over the reins of a project to a new developer to provide onging development and support of a large international website project (entertainment based). The client has immediate needs and prefers a male developer, readily available for future project development. If you are well versed in Coldfusion 8, CFIMAGE & CFCs Project Seven MySQL 5 SoThink DHTML menu Paypal Processing CSS based design Please contact HHWD at 803-648-8556 or email us at hhd - at - honeyhousedesigns (you know the schpeal). HHWD will assist in providing turnover of the project and provide the new developer with any technical questions regarding design and development. The new developer will become the primary contact with the client and will NOT be in a sub-contract relationship. The pay is nice, the project in very interesting. It simply no longer fits our business model for projects.

Resetting Editable Region Content Across all pages of Template

Fri, 09 May 2008 11:30:00 -0600

Quick & Dirty Dreamweaver trick: You have your DW template created with all the editable regions, and you realize you want some content in a region to be on all pages. The easy way to manage this is to have that content inside the edible region when you set up the template. However, if you are like me.... (and gosh, I hope you're better ), you may get 5, 10, 30 pages down the line before you realize you want the area to remain editable, but you want to start over and re-create the content in that region with new default content be different than 'BlahBlah goes Here' or 'regionname'. One quick and dirty way to manage this is... (make a backup of your site project first incase you hoze it up)... 1) Add your new content to editable region of the template you want to be on all pages of that template. 2) Save, you'll notice it DIDN'T get copied 3) Click on the tag for that region at the bottom of your DW coding screen 4) Right click and Remove that region. 5) Save and Choose Update all files, resolving the region to 'Nowhere' when prompted. Yes, YOU WILL LOSE ANY CONTENT THERE, but Your GOAL is to wipe it out and replace w/ your new content. If you have customized each page and do not want to lose the content on the region deleted, then DON'T SAVE! 6) After save, Press CTRL-Z (or Undo) and return the removed region and then resave. All of your pages using this template will be updated to the new default content, and your region will be returned as normal.

Tech Books Free to Good Home

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 06:55:00 -0600

As I clean out my library for the upcoming school year. (Hey, I figure if the kids have to do it, I should set the example too). I have several books, that I bought, then never used that I am offering free to a good home. Pick one or all, whichever you need and prefer. I only ask you pay shipping. New Books:
ColdFusion MX (version 6) Web Application Constr. Kit
(this is the Ben Fort, et al Beastie). I somehow managed to have 2 of these.
Flash MX 2004 Bible - brand new, w/ CD still sealed in book Gently Used Books But still great, esp for students:
Dreamweaver MX 2004 - Training from the Source
Dreamweaver Mx 2004 - The Missing Manual
Flash 8 Foundation - by Bhangal/Besley
Flash MX 2004 - Accelerated
Feel free to email me if you are interested