Good design software

padocon

Firstly I have tried the html method and don't like it. Anyone recommend a software where I can just place images where I want them, text ect, then the program transfers it all to html and upload it with an ftp.
Thanks in advance,
Padraig

drunkmonkey

is it for making websites, adobe dreamweaver would be one of the better pieces of software..

Creamy Goodness

dreamweaver is very bulky and pricey though.

here's ones i like http://www.nvu.com/ and http://kompozer.net/ and if you're a mac user http://www.panic.com/coda/ this is what i use.

you're question is quite vague. your topic says looking for design software what do you mean like that? something to create images? or something like dreamweaver which is a wysiwyg (what you see is what you get) editor which allows you to place images, create text etc etc etc..

you should really try the html method as html is not really difficult at all, the most annoying thing about it is getting your site to behave in certain browsers.

if you're looking for design software to actually create images then photoshop or a free alternative like the GIMP is quite good too.

exiot

padocon wrote: »

Firstly I have tried the html method and don't like it. Anyone recommend a software where I can just place images where I want them, text ect, then the program transfers it all to html and upload it with an ftp.
Thanks in advance,
Padraig

You won't become a good webmaster by doing that, program will probably make a very bulky website. Your best bet is to learn the basics of HTML or else you will never understand what you are doing, once you get the grasp of it other programming languages will become easier to learn

p

padocon wrote: »

Firstly I have tried the html method and don't like it. Anyone recommend a software where I can just place images where I want them, text ect, then the program transfers it all to html and upload it with an ftp.

Come back in 5 years.

In the mean time, depending on your needs using something like iWeb would do that, or maybe taking Wordpress and modifying templates.

ve

padocon wrote: »

Firstly I have tried the html method and don't like it. Anyone recommend a software where I can just place images where I want them, text ect, then the program transfers it all to html and upload it with an ftp.
Thanks in advance,
Padraig

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHH!

Liam Byrne

padocon wrote: »

Firstly I have tried the html method and don't like it. Anyone recommend a software where I can just place images where I want them, text ect, then the program transfers it all to html and upload it with an ftp.
Thanks in advance,
Padraig

What "HTML method" have you tried ? Hand-coding ?

There are numerous WYSIWYG editors available for HTML, and all of them will - to some extent or another, generate the code behind the scenes.

So - if you haven't already done so - you could try a WYSIWYG.

Alternatively, if it's just for a single site that you're doing, consider investing in a new site that contains a CMS, where you can use a WYSIWYG editor online from the site.

Bear in mind, though, that (a) the code generated will - as exiot said - be very bulky and (b) there is no HTML editor that will let you "place images where you want them" - at least not 100%.

Why ? Because in order to achieve that, firstly HTML requires that you insert and position a "container" (usually a DIV element) and put the image into that - the container then moves, not the image; and secondly when you place images like that on a web page (usually only achieved by WYSIWYGs and novices via absolute positioning) you don't know what screen size the end-user will have, so you run the risk of getting it wrong, or having bits off-screen.

padocon

drunkmonkey wrote: »

is it for making websites, adobe dreamweaver would be one of the better pieces of software..

Yes it is for making a web site, however I have a small budget and am only going to make one site.

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

dreamweaver is very bulky and pricey though.

here's ones i like http://www.nvu.com/ and http://kompozer.net/ and if you're a mac user http://www.panic.com/coda/ this is what i use.

you're question is quite vague. your topic says looking for design software what do you mean like that? something to create images? or something like dreamweaver which is a wysiwyg (what you see is what you get) editor which allows you to place images, create text etc etc etc..

you should really try the html method as html is not really difficult at all, the most annoying thing about it is getting your site to behave in certain browsers.

if you're looking for design software to actually create images then photoshop or a free alternative like the GIMP is quite good too.

Thanks for the links, I have photoshop thats were I made all the designs and logos. Its piecing the site together thats my problem.

exiot wrote: »

You won't become a good webmaster by doing that, program will probably make a very bulky website. Your best bet is to learn the basics of HTML or else you will never understand what you are doing, once you get the grasp of it other programming languages will become easier to learn

I guess I haven't given it time. I have used it by a template so everything was ready all I had to do was type what I wanted to appear.

p wrote: »

Come back in 5 years.

5 years, thats no good I want a site know.

ve wrote: »

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHH!

I know, remember I'm only a beginner!

Liam Byrne wrote: »

What "HTML method" have you tried ? Hand-coding ?

There are numerous WYSIWYG editors available for HTML, and all of them will - to some extent or another, generate the code behind the scenes.

So - if you haven't already done so - you could try a WYSIWYG.

Alternatively, if it's just for a single site that you're doing, consider investing in a new site that contains a CMS, where you can use a WYSIWYG editor online from the site.

Bear in mind, though, that (a) the code generated will - as exiot said - be very bulky and (b) there is no HTML editor that will let you "place images where you want them" - at least not 100%.

Why ? Because in order to achieve that, firstly HTML requires that you insert and position a "container" (usually a DIV element) and put the image into that - the container then moves, not the image; and secondly when you place images like that on a web page (usually only achieved by WYSIWYGs and novices via absolute positioning) you don't know what screen size the end-user will have, so you run the risk of getting it wrong, or having bits off-screen.

I have gotten a ready template. I literally just had to type the information I wanted to appear. I guess thats not much.

A WYSIWYG? That is? And where can I find a good one?


Sorry for the post lacking vital information. Its a website I am making, just the one. I want it to look good. The problems I had with html was I had to use a pre-made template, any way I can make my own & how, or does a designer have to make one for me. I do not want to just add text but pictures and logos and well, I don't have a clue how to do it!

I really appreciate all the posts so far, and look forward to more help.
Thanks!

drunkmonkey

are you a student or any family? maybe you could get a student copy of dreamweaver http://www.software4students.ie/

have you a mac? iweb is very simple and should do what you want while looking good.

padocon

drunkmonkey wrote: »

are you a student or any family? maybe you could get a student copy of dreamweaver http://www.software4students.ie/

have you a mac? iweb is very simple and should do what you want while looking good.

Nope iweb is not what I am looking for. The site remains in the middle of the page & every one recognizes the templates as so many people are using them.

Dreamweaver, I am a student so it's a possibility, what is it?

Liam Byrne

padocon wrote: »

A WYSIWYG? That is? And where can I find a good one?

Most decent editors (including Dreamweaver and NVU) are "WYSIWYG" - i.e. "What You See Is What You Get", as distinct from "see the code and guess what it might look like until you preview".

This might help:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_HTML_editors

Pablod

Expression Web is a good WYSIWYG designer (previousily Forntpage)
It has an easier learning curve than Dreamweaver and is a fraction of the price

Liam Byrne

Don't think you did it any favours by reminding anyone about FrontPage :P, Pablod!

But I have to say, having previously dissed MS for their crap support of cross platform and cross-browser technologies, the fact that all of the following highlighted options are present....

Microsoft Expression Web 3 gives you the tools you need – PHP, HTML/XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, ASP.NET, ASP.NET AJAX, visual diagnostics, & sophisticated CSS design capability – to produce high-quality, standards-based Web sites.

....means that I'm pleasantly surprised! Who'da thunk it - MS actually supporting other (read : decent) browsers and server technologies!

Pablod

thanks for the vote of confidence Liam....lol

I know when you hear frontpage you think oh god no..
But as you mentioned above the latest version EW3 has the latest

It has great features like compatibility checker and warns you as soon as you enter bad code etc... and coforms to all the latest web standards.

One of the newest and best features is cross-browser compatibility preview(SuperPreview)
so at a glance you can preview your pages in say IE8/IE7/IE6 vs Firefox and see any differences instantly.
This comparison List was created about 2 years ago when EW was first released but shows main pros & cons