Web designers - Is there a better way to layout pages?

Question

I have just put my site (created with dreamweaver) online and I have copied the code for every page - changing only the table in the center of the page.

Now there are like 13 pages (because I have it open up a new page everytime you view an article or set of images).

Should I be working with frames or embedding some of the information or something? Is it ok to have tons of pages or should I organize the information differently?

If you want to look at the site and offer a suggestion:
http://www.signfire.net

Answer 1

In dreamweaver, the best way is templates.

You create a template page with the parts that won't change, and then add content pages for it.

To add new content pages, click you "assets" tab in the right column, right-click or control-click (Macs) the template and select "New from template". Whenever you change your template, it will save the changes to every page within the template. Also, it will disallow editing to parts outside the editable regions. For more information, search "dreamweaver templates" online.

Answer 2

There is nothing wrong with having a page for every part of your site. Do not use frames! Frames are all but dead in the world of useable web design. Most designers have abandoned them. What you really need to do is study other people's designs that you like to get a better sense of how to organize and layout your information.

Also, don't use that steel background or those beveled edges for your windows. Not a rule set in stone, but it doesn't really look that great. Keep it simple and clean. Oh, and create a consistent area for your content on every page. Don't have your content be 100% centered on one page and then blocked out and left aligned on the next. The user's eye needs consistency.

Answer 3

it could unquestionably help to kickstart a undertaking the place a clientele layout spec is only, "we'd like an internet site". showing them loose pattern templates or different present web pages can in lots of situations inspite them into making a determination and asserting, "definite! that's what i want." the only actual question right it is whether or no longer the 'loose' templates incorporate a license settlement that forbids advertising derivatives for a earnings. so a techniques as i will see from Template Monster dot com, the only actual option is a builders license which permits packaging of a offered template alongside with a stepped forward cyber web application as a framework for delivery, yet precludes advertising the template itself. different template sources could have distinctive licenses.

Answer 4

One of the easiest ways to simplify what you're describing is to use include files. This is simply taking out common parts of the page, such as the code for the header, and placing it into a separate file. Then on each page, simply put something like the following:



That works on Windows/IIS servers and Apache... probably some other common ones, too.

(It is common, but totally unnecessary, to use "inc" extensions for include files).

Another easy way that is more Dreamweaver-specific is to use Templates. Macromedia/Adobe product support has tutorials and examples for creating templated sites here: http://www.adobe.com/support/dreamweaver/templates/dwfw_templates_tutorial/

Also, in line with a few other comments on here, I would recommend getting some books on general design theory.

Answer 5

The layout looks fine. Don't use frames they are outdated and bad design practice. Use external style sheets so you don't have to go back and edit every single page every time you change something.

For your content if you don't wanna get into using databases and server side technology, you may want to look into using Ajax to dynamically load content into a page.

Answer 6

consider using CSS for your layout instead of tables - you'll find that there will be lose content downloaded for all your pages.

Answer 7

great site i would say keep it the same so that way it will be able to keep them separate and therefore easier to edit