Dreamweaver in a Nutshell

Chapter 22. Extending Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver is highly extensible. You can download new functions and commands (known collectively as extensions) from the Dreamweaver Exchange on Macromedia’s web site. Although many extensions are written by Macromedians, hundreds more are written by third-party companies and users.

Dreamweaver Extensions

By definition, an infinite number of extensions are possible and we can’t cover them all here. For those using extensions created by others, this chapter covers some of the most useful extensions. For those creating their own extensions, see Section 22.2 at the end of this chapter.

The Dreamweaver Exchange

You can search for, learn about, and download extensions using the Dreamweaver Exchange web site. If you develop your own extensions, you can upload them to the Exchange for others to use.

Using Dreamweaver extensions requires four steps:

1. Pick an extension from the Dreamweaver Exchange.

2. Download the extension to your local hard drive.

3. Install the extension with the Extension Manager. (Installing an extension will update one or more parts of Dreamweaver’s UI, such as the Objects panel, Insert Menu, Commands menu, Help menu, or the Add Behavior pop-up menu in the Behaviors panel.)

4. Access the extension as you would access built-in features from the Objects panel, Commands menu, or elsewhere in the UI.

You can access the Dreamweaver Exchange in several ways:

• Choose the Help → Dreamweaver Exchange option from Dreamweaver’s main menu bar.

• Choose the Commands ...