Dreamweaver CS4: The New Interface (Part 2)

Dreamweaver CS4 has a lot to offer its users. Just one of the exciting changes you’ll find is in the application’s new interface.

The new interface in Dreamweaver CS4 is very different. OS Widget Library (OWL) creates the minimal look and feel of the program. The OWL interface is designed to allow you focus on the content not the application.

You’ll notice the differences from the moment you open the application. The Splash Screen contains links to videos housed at www.adobe.com showing how to use the top features of the program.

Dreamweaver CS4 Splash Screen

Interface elements

You’ll find new and exciting options that will speed up your workflow.

New Dreamweaver CS4 Interface.

Workspaces

There are many preset workspaces and you can grab the one that you want or create your own easily. If you customize your workspace, Dreamweaver CS4 will remember it. Built in workspaces available on the toolbar include

• App Developer
• App Developer Plus
• Classic
• Coder
• Coder Plus
• Designer
• Designer Compact
• Dual Screen

Insert tool bar

You’ll notice significant change in the location of the Insert tool bar. The toolbar is now docked as a panel to the right rather than above the work area.

File path and related files

Not only will you have your files lined up in tabs as in prior versions of Dreamweaver, you will have the complete path of the file as well as each related file. This allows you to work on the right file.

Screen views

Improving the workflow in yet one more way, you are now able to split your screen both vertically as well as horizontally. An excellent option to be able to see what is most important to you as you develop our pages. The live view is improved as well. When working in live view, you will be able to work with your dynamic data. If you hit F4, you will collapse your panels. You will be able to work directly in the live files, selecting your tools from the panels as you desire by simply toggling the panels.

Dreamweaver CS4 in Live View with a vertical split screen.

This post is part two of a series about what is new in Dreamweaver CS4.

• Dreamweaver CS4 What’s New (Part 1)
• Dreamweaver CS4 New Interface (Part 2)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Related Files (Part 3)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Code Navigator (Part 4)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Live View (Part 5)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Editing CSS through the Property Inspector (Part 6)
• Dreamweaver CS4 JavaScript Extractor (Part 7)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Photoshop Integration (Part 8 )
• Dreamweaver CS4Spry Validation Radio Group (Part 9)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Password and Confirm Validation Widgets (Part 10)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Spry Tooltip Widget (Part 11)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Customizing Spry Tooltips (Part 12)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Understanding Spry datasets (Part 13)
• Dreamweaver CS4 HTML Datasets (Part 14)
• Dreamweaver CS4 Master/Detail Region (Part 15)

Tags: Dreamweaver, Dreamweaver CS4, Using Software, Web Design, Web Development