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Part III
Adding Advanced Design Features
Merging HTML data into Web pages
XML is, without a doubt, a powerful tool in bringing data to the Web. However, sometimes it can be
difficult, if not overwhelming, to implement. If you find yourself shying away from XML, Dream-
weaver has a simpler path for your data to travel: good old HTML.
The Spry Data Set Wizard reads HTML pages containing text and images in tables, lists,
<div> tags,
or paragraphs. Tables are the default choice and very easy to set up. Once a table or other HTML
structure with data has been identified, you can include or exclude data columns just as you can
with XML. The final step of the Spry Data Set Wizard for either data source choice provides the
same range of output options.
If you’re creating an HTML data source, tables are definitely the way to go. Although
Dreamweaver supports other HTML elements, like lists and divs, tables are the easiest
to set up and use—you can even have multiple data tables on the same page. You’ll have to give each
table tag a unique ID so that it can be read properly.
The data in an HTML table looks like the table shown in Figure 17-3, with the header cells (Type,
Address, City, and so on) acting as data column names. The data records themselves are located in
the subsequent rows.
FIGURE 17-3
Data in a table can be read into a Spry Data Set just as easily as XML data can.