Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 Revealed CHAPTER FOUR: WORKING WITH LINKS

Chapter 4 Lessons 1.Create external and internal links 2.Create internal links to named anchors 3.Insert rollovers with Flash text 4.Create, modify, and copy a navigation bar 5.Create an image map 6.Manage Web site links

Understanding Internal and External Links  Web Pages contain two types of links  Internal or relative: links to Web pages in the same Web site  External or absolute: links to Web pages on other Web sites or to addresses

Understanding Internal and External Links  Internal and external links have two important parts that work together:  The element that viewers see and click on a Web page (text, image, or a button)  The path, or the name and location of the Web page or file that will open when the element is clicked

Create Links  Create external links  Absolute paths  Create internal links  Relative paths

Absolute and Relative Paths

Creating External Links  Select the text or object that you want to serve as a link  Type the absolute path to the destination Web page in the Link text box in the Property inspector

Fig. 1: Example of Absolute Path

Selected text URL for link Fig. 3: Creating an External Link

Four internal links from the activities page navigation bar Two external links on the activities page Fig. 4: Site Map Displaying External Links on Activities Page

Creating Internal Links  Select the text element or graphic object that you want to make a link  Use the Browse for File icon next to the Link text box in the Property inspector to specify the relative path to the destination page

Fig. 2: Example of a Relative Path

Text to be used for link Relative link to fishing.html Browse for File icon Fig. 5: Creating an Internal Link

Create Internal Links to Named Anchors  Named anchor: specific location on a Web page that has a descriptive name  Acts as a target for internal links  Target: location on the Web page that a browser displays when internal link is clicked

Named Anchor button Named Anchor Text used for link to named anchor Link to named anchor Point to File icon Fig. 7: Named Anchor Button on the Insert Bar

Name of new anchor Fig. 8: Named Anchor Dialog Box

Point to File icon dragged to named anchor Named anchor preceded by # Selected text to link to named anchor Fig. 10: Dragging the Point to File Icon to a Named Anchor Point to File icon

Understanding Flash Text  Flash text is a vector-based graphic file that contains text  Flash text allows you to add visual interest to an otherwise “dull” Web page  Flash text files are saved with the.swf file extension

Flash Text + link path + rollover Text

Inserting Flash Text

Fig. 12: Media Menu on Insert Bar

Color text box Font list arrow Size text box Rollover color text box Target list arrow Text text box Link text box Save as text box Fig. 13: Insert Flash Text Dialog Box

Flash button Flash text file Click play button to preview Flash text Fig. 14: Flash Category on Assets Panel

Create a Navigation Bar Using Images  Allows you to create a more visually appealing method for navigation that utilizes graphics rather than text  Can be created in many different graphics programs including Adobe Fireworks or Adobe Illustrator

Create a Navigation Bar  Navigation bar elements can have four possible states  A state is the condition of the element relative to the mouse pointer  There are four possible states

Navigation Bars  Can place only one navigation bar on a Web page using the Insert Navigation Bar dialog box  Multiple links  Four rollover states  Up, over, down, and over while down

Four States  Up Image: mouse pointer is not on top of the element  Over Image: mouse pointer is positioned on top of the element  Down Image: when you click the element  Over While Down Image: mouse pointer is positioned over an element that has been clicked

Navigation bar with rollovers Fig. 17: Ohio Historical Society Web Site Images serving as links

Copy and Modify a Navigation Bar  Create a navigation bar using images  Add elements to a navigation bar  Copy and paste a navigation bar  Copy and Paste from menu bar  Customize a navigation bar  To change orientation, you must start over

Element name text box Image file specified for Up image state Insert list arrow Remove check mark Click to select an image for each element state Fig. 18: Insert Navigation Bar

Table 3

Show “Down image” initially is selected Fig. 24: Changing Settings for the Activities Element Asterisk is placed next to element name

Fig. 25: About_us Page with Modified Navigation Bar

Create an Image Map  Another way to create navigation links for Web pages is to create an image map  Image map: graphic that has one or more hot spots placed on top of it  Hotspot: area on a graphic that, when clicked, links to different locations on the page or to another Web page or Web site

Fig. 26: Viewing an Image Map Clicking an individual state will link to information about parks in that state Pointer is over Arkansas, which results in a window with a photo and introductory text about Arkansas to display

Image map name Fig. 28: Properties of the Hotspot Alternate text for hotspot Target for hotspot Link to index page

Manage Web Site Links  Check Links Sitewide feature  Internal links  External links  Named anchors  Graphic files  Orphaned files  View results in Link Checker panel

Show list arrow External links displayed Fig. 30: Link Checker Panel Displaying External Links

Show list arrow No orphaned files shown Fig. 31: Link Checker Panel Displaying No Orphaned Files

URLs button External links for The Striped Umbrella Web site Fig. 32: Assets Panel Displaying Links

Chapter 4 Tasks  Create external and internal links  Create internal links to named anchors  Insert rollovers with Flash text  Create, modify, and copy a navigation bar  Create an image map  Manage Web site links