Dreamweaver CS6: The Missing Manual

The Dreamweaver CS6 Interface

When you open Dreamweaver, you’ll be greeted by the program’s Welcome screen (Figure 1-1). This simple starting point lets you open any one of the nine most recently opened files, create a new web page, view instructional videos, and access online help.

Figure 1-1. Dreamweaver’s Welcome screen lets you open existing Dreamweaver files, create new ones, and learn more about the program. It disappears as soon as you open a web page. If you just don’t have any use for this window, turn on the “Don’t show again” checkbox in the lower-left corner.

Dreamweaver CS6’s interface shares the look and feel of other programs, like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash, in Adobe’s “Creative Suite.” Out of the box, Dreamweaver’s various windows are a unified whole (see Figure 1-2). That is, the edges of all the windows touch each other, and resizing one window affects the others around it. This type of interface is common on Windows computers, but Mac fans accustomed to independent floating panels might find it strange. Give it a chance. As you’ll soon see, this layout has its benefits. (If you just can’t stand this locked-in-place style, you can detach the various panels and place them wherever you like; see Organizing Your Workspace for instructions.)

Figure 1-2. Out of the ...