Differences between CSS and Styles, Dynamic Web Templates and Them

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Guest

The Dynamic Web Templates, Styles, and Themes are new concepts to me. I have
used Dreamweaver but am now trying to learn FrontPage 2003.

I’m trying to understand how these items work together, and when they should
be used. What is the difference between a template and a theme? Can you
apply a template to a theme and also the other way around?

What I would like to be able to do is to have a “Template†that is applied
to all the web pages in the site, and just changing the “Template†will cause
the entire web pages in the site to automatically update (or just by clicking
on one button “Update all Pages†to update the entire site). Is this the
same as a “Dynamic Web Template†in FrontPage?

I think that Cascading Style Sheets and Styles are the same thing or
something similar, am I right? I understand that by linking to an external
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) file, that I can also make a change in the one
CSS file in order to impact the entire site web pages. Does this have
something to do with the “Styles†in FrontPage, or is this something entirely
different?

The “Themes†in FrontPage is an entirely new concept to me. How do these
work together with CSS and a “Dynamic Web Template†in FrontPage?

What I would like to do is to plan to use all of the correct tools in the
beginning, so that if changes need to be made with the layout of the web
pages throughout the site, or a font, color or background needs to be
changed, that it will be a simple matter of changing only 1-3 files, which
will in turn affect the entire web site.

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Inline
--
Ron Symonds
Microsoft MVP (FrontPage)
Reply only to group - emails will be deleted unread.

Digital said:
The Dynamic Web Templates, Styles, and Themes are new concepts to
me. I have
used Dreamweaver but am now trying to learn FrontPage 2003.

I'm trying to understand how these items work together, and when
they should
be used. What is the difference between a template and a theme?
Can you
apply a template to a theme and also the other way around?
Click to expand...

A template governs page layout primarily, and may also set page
colours and fonts.
A theme sets page colours and fonts, but has nothing to do with
layout.
What I would like to be able to do is to have a "Template" that is
applied
to all the web pages in the site, and just changing the "Template"
will cause
the entire web pages in the site to automatically update (or just by
clicking
on one button "Update all Pages" to update the entire site). Is
this the
same as a "Dynamic Web Template" in FrontPage?
Click to expand...

That is indeed the concept behind Dynamic Web Templates (DWT). Some
templates are not Dynamic, in that once applied to the web/page, the
pages cannot be updated by changing the template. Make sure any
template you use is based on one or more DWTs if you need this
functionality.
I think that Cascading Style Sheets and Styles are the same thing or
something similar, am I right? I understand that by linking to an
external
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) file, that I can also make a change in
the one
CSS file in order to impact the entire site web pages.
Correct.

Does this have
something to do with the "Styles" in FrontPage, or is this something
entirely
different?
Click to expand...

FrontPage styles are CSS, often applied inline rather than through a
style sheet.
See http://www.w3shools.com for a tutorial in CSS.
The "Themes" in FrontPage is an entirely new concept to me. How do
these
work together with CSS and a "Dynamic Web Template" in FrontPage?
Click to expand...

The themes in FP2003 generate an external CSS which is applied to all
pages using the theme. The CSS describes the colours and fonts used
for each HTML element in the page.
In earlier versions of FP, themes could also be applied (messily, IMO)
using said:
What I would like to do is to plan to use all of the correct tools
in the
beginning, so that if changes need to be made with the layout of the
web
pages throughout the site, or a font, color or background needs to
be
changed, that it will be a simple matter of changing only 1-3 files,
which
will in turn affect the entire web site.
Click to expand...

You have the right ideas, IMO. Use DWTs to define page layout and
common elements like navigation, and CSS to define the presentation of
the page (colours and fonts).
I do not use themes, prefferring to have complete control over the
page.
 
Ronx said:
Inline
--
Ron Symonds
Microsoft MVP (FrontPage)
Reply only to group - emails will be deleted unread.

"Digital" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The Dynamic Web Templates, Styles, and Themes are new concepts to
> me. I have
> used Dreamweaver but am now trying to learn FrontPage 2003.
>
> I'm trying to understand how these items work together, and when
> they should
> be used. What is the difference between a template and a theme?
> Can you
> apply a template to a theme and also the other way around?

A template governs page layout primarily, and may also set page
colours and fonts.
A theme sets page colours and fonts, but has nothing to do with
layout.

> What I would like to be able to do is to have a "Template" that is
> applied
> to all the web pages in the site, and just changing the "Template"
> will cause
> the entire web pages in the site to automatically update (or just by
> clicking
> on one button "Update all Pages" to update the entire site). Is
> this the
> same as a "Dynamic Web Template" in FrontPage?

That is indeed the concept behind Dynamic Web Templates (DWT). Some
templates are not Dynamic, in that once applied to the web/page, the
pages cannot be updated by changing the template. Make sure any
template you use is based on one or more DWTs if you need this
functionality.

> I think that Cascading Style Sheets and Styles are the same thing or
> something similar, am I right? I understand that by linking to an
> external
> Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) file, that I can also make a change in
> the one
> CSS file in order to impact the entire site web pages.

Correct.

> Does this have
> something to do with the "Styles" in FrontPage, or is this something
> entirely
> different?

FrontPage styles are CSS, often applied inline rather than through a
style sheet.
See http://www.w3shools.com for a tutorial in CSS.

> The "Themes" in FrontPage is an entirely new concept to me. How do
> these
> work together with CSS and a "Dynamic Web Template" in FrontPage?

The themes in FP2003 generate an external CSS which is applied to all
pages using the theme. The CSS describes the colours and fonts used
for each HTML element in the page.
In earlier versions of FP, themes could also be applied (messily, IMO)
using <font> tags and other HTML attributes.

> What I would like to do is to plan to use all of the correct tools
> in the
> beginning, so that if changes need to be made with the layout of the
> web
> pages throughout the site, or a font, color or background needs to
> be
> changed, that it will be a simple matter of changing only 1-3 files,
> which
> will in turn affect the entire web site.

You have the right ideas, IMO. Use DWTs to define page layout and
common elements like navigation, and CSS to define the presentation of
the page (colours and fonts).
I do not use themes, prefferring to have complete control over the
page.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
Click to expand...

This is the BEST answer to a question I have ever seen posted on any forum! Line by line, question by question! I love it.

I am going the opposite way in that I have used Frontpage and now have to learn a "real" web design software. Your explanation of DWT's, Templates and CSS's is so clear.

Thank you.
 
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