Dreamweaver MX 2004 layers question

[biru32]

Why is it when I insert a layer into a cell that the layer does not stay in position when in design mode? When I preview the page in firefox it looks fine, but it sure is a pain in the @ss when the layer is hanging out in the upper left corner of my page when I'm entering text in edit mode. How can I get the layer to stay in place while designing!?

I've looked in the Dreamweaver book and followed how to insert a layer, and it still does this annoying thing.

 

[Excavator]

I have had the same problem with the preview window ever since I started using DW. It just doesn't always show what is really going to be rendered.
I use F12 a lot to preview in IE and I also have CTRL F12 set to preview with FireFox.

I've found, since FireFox is a code compliant browser, that if you write it for FireFox then tweak it for IE it will usually look right in all browsers. (credit Triumph for that bit of advice)

Validate your HTML markup
Validate your CSS
Don't use Tables for layout

 

[gadnium]

I agree with Excavator on just doing previews in DW cause the design mode is a piece of crap. You'll find the design mode is just for speeding up the process of adding simple elements. I do most of my work, about 80 percent of coding by hand in text/code mode or notepad.

And about the using layers thing, don't ever use them. Some browsers don't support them. My buddy who works for a graphic design company showed me a site that someone he worked with did in layers. Absolute mess...

Stick with CSS positioning or at least use tables. Most web developers hate the use of tables but learning CSS properly takes some time.

 

[biru32]

Are there any other scroll options within cells in DW besides layers? I really like the ability to have content scroll within cells.

Thanks.

 

[biru32]

Well, I've found a solution to this layers problem while in edit mode. The solution: Dreamweaver 8. This must have been a problem Macromedia was aware of and enough people complained about, so they fixed it in DW8...thank goodness! Layers now stay in place and don't appear out of place while in edit mode!!!!

Thanks for your help!