Adobe® Dreamweaver® CS4 Bible

1167

Customizing Dreamweaver

33

Extending C-Level Libraries

All programs have their limits. Most limitations are intentional and serve to focus the tool for a par-

ticular use. Some limitations are accepted because of programming budgets—for both money and

time—with the hope that the boundaries can be exceeded in the next version. With Dreamweaver,

one small section of those high, sharply defined walls has been replaced with a doorway: C-level

extensions. With the proper programming acumen, you can customize Dreamweaver to add the

capabilities you need.

As with most modern computer programs, the core of Dreamweaver is coded in C and C++, both

low-level languages that execute much faster than any noncompiled language, such as JavaScript.

Because C is a compiled language, you can’t just drop in a function with a few lines of code and

expect it to work—it has to be integrated into the program. The only possible way to add significant

functionality is through another compiled component called a library. With the C-level extensions

capability, Dreamweaver enables the incorporation of these libraries, known as DLLs (Dynamic Link

Libraries) on Windows systems and as CFMs (Code Fragment Managers) on Macintosh systems.

One excellent example of the extended library is

DWfile. This C-level extension is used by several

Dreamweaver partners, including RealNetworks and iCat, to perform tasks out ...