Creating Pages and Basic Page Editing in Expression Web 4
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Creating Pages
Expression Web gives you plenty of choices when creating new pages. Not only can you choose between standard HTML pages, ASP.NET pages and files, PHP files, and ASP files, but you can also create new pages that have an existing CSS layout.
To create a new page in Expression Web, select File, New, Page to display the New dialog shown in Figure 3.1.
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Figure 3.1. The New dialog makes it easy to create any type of page.
The left side of the New dialog contains a list of page types. When a page type is selected, the list at the right is populated with numerous pages that can be created.
Many of the page types listed aren’t really pages in the traditional sense. For example, if you select ASP.NET as the page type, you see options such as Web Configuration and Site Map, both of which are Extensible Markup Language (XML) files instead of actual pages.
Creating a page is literally as easy as selecting the type of page in the New dialog and clicking OK. After you create the new page, you need to add content to it before it will serve any useful purpose. Let’s review the types of page formats you can choose when using the New dialog to create new pages.
General Page
Table 3.1 shows the page formats available when you select General in the New dialog and where you can find more information on certain formats.
Table 3.1. General Page Formats
|
Type |
Description |
More Information |
|
HTML |
Creates a standard, blank HTML page. |
|
|
ASPX |
Creates an ASP.NET Web form. When you choose this option, you also have the option of choosing a programming language for the page. |
For more information on ASP.NET Web forms, see Chapter 25, “Using Standard ASP.NET Controls.” |
|
ASP |
Creates a legacy ASP page. |
For more information on legacy ASP, read Sams Teach Yourself Active Server Pages 3.0 in 21 Days from Sams Publishing. |
|
PHP |
Creates a PHP file for use with PHP scripts. |
For more information on using PHP, see Chapter 32, “Using PHP.” |
|
CSS |
Creates an empty CSS file. |
For more information on CSS files, see Chapter 17, “Creating Style Sheets.” |
|
Master Page |
Creates a new ASP.NET Master Page that can be used as a template for other ASP.NET NET pages. |
For more information on ASP.NET Master Pages, see Chapter 27, “Using ASP.NET Master Pages and User Controls.” |
|
Dynamic Web Template |
Creates a new Dynamic Web Template. Other pages can then be attached to the Dynamic Web Template to create a consistent look and feel for your site. |
For more information on Dynamic Web Templates, see Chapter 19, “Using Dynamic Web Templates.” |
|
JavaScript |
Creates a new JavaScript file (with a .js file extension). JavaScript entered in that file can then be used on one or more pages by linking the file to the desired page. |
For more information on JavaScript files, see Chapter 22, “Client Scripting.” |
|
XML |
Creates a new, empty XML file. |
For more information on XML files, read Special Edition Using XML from Que Publishing. |
|
Text File |
Creates an empty text file. |
|
|
Create from Dynamic Web Template |
Creates a new page based on a Dynamic Web Template. After selecting this option, you are prompted for the Dynamic Web Template on which the page should be based. |
|
|
Create from Master Page |
Creates a new ASP.NET Web form based on an ASP.NET Master Page. After selecting this option, you are prompted for the Master Page on which the page should be based. |
NOTE
The Create from Dynamic Web Template and Create from Master Page options only appear if a site is already open in Expression Web.
ASP.NET Pages
The page types shown in Table 3.2 are available when you choose ASP.NET in the New dialog.
Table 3.2. ASP.NET Page Formats
|
Type |
Description |
More Information |
|
ASPX |
Creates a new ASP.NET Web form. This is the same option available in the General section. |
|
|
Master Page |
Creates a new ASP.NET Master Page. This is the same option available in the General section. |
|
|
Web User |
Creates a new ASP.NET user control that can then be inserted into an ASP.NET Web form. |
For more information on ASP.NET user Control, see Chapter 30, “Using ASP.NET Web Parts.” |
|
Web Configuration |
Creates a new web configuration file (called web.config) that can be used to configure the settings for an ASP.NET2.0 application. |
For more information on using the web.config file, read Special Edition Using ASP.NET from Que Publishing. |
|
Web Configuration 3.5 |
Creates a new web configuration file (called web.config) that can be used to configure the settings for an ASP.NET 3.5 application. |
ASP.NET 3.5 applications allow for the use of ASP.NET Ajax. For more information on using ASP.NET Ajax, see Chapter 31, “Using ASP.NET Ajax.” |
|
Web Configuration 4.0 |
Creates a new web configuration file (called web.config) that can be used to configure settings for an ASP.NET 4 application. |
|
|
Site Map ASP.NET |
Creates a new ASP.NET site map that can be used in conjunction with ASP.NET navigation controls. |
For more information on ASP.NET site maps, see Chapter 26, “Using ASP.NET Navigation Controls.” |
|
Create from Master Page |
Creates a new page based on an existing ASP.NET Master Page. This is the same option available in the General section. |
CSS Layouts
When you choose the CSS Layouts option in the New dialog, you have the option of selecting from a series of page layouts. When you choose a particular layout, Expression Web creates a new CSS file as well as a new HTML page and then links the new CSS file to the HTML page. Code also is added to both the HTML page and the CSS file that creates the layout you choose.
After selecting the desired layout, you can modify the CSS file to customize the appearance of the page.
For more information on modifying CSS files, see Chapter 18, “Managing CSS Styles.”
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The CSS Layouts option allows you to easily create page layouts that are CSS-based instead of using tables or other traditional layout techniques. CSS-based layouts are growing in popularity, largely because today’s browsers are capable of rendering them consistently. However, if you choose to use a CSS layout, you should check your site carefully in a variety of browsers.
Style Sheets
The Style Sheets section offers a wide assortment of precreated CSS files that you can use in your site. Unfortunately, Expression Web doesn’t provide a preview of the styles present in the CSS files, so you will need to apply one to your site to see what kind of formatting it will provide.
NOTE
As long as you have Service Pack 2 or later installed, Expression Web 4 does support CSS 3. However, none of the existing CSS layouts use CSS 3 features.
These CSS files are a great way to move to CSS, as long as you are willing to do some modification to them when they don’t give you what you want. For example, in my experience, the colors applied by these CSS files are a bit loud and unpleasant in appearance. However, they are easily modified.
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You might be better off using the CSS files supplied with Expression Web as a way to learn CSS techniques. After you’ve gained a better understanding of CSS, it’s often best to create your own CSS files so you have complete control over them.
Frames Pages
The Frames Pages section provides a series of frame layouts. When you choose one of the frame layouts, Expression Web creates all the pages that make up the layout for you.
- For more information on using frames, see Chapter 6, “Using Frames.”