How to make a template

Hi,

I am creating a web site for the first time, and I am really confused about how to approach building my website. I have taught myself HTML and I would like to build my site without using a WYSWYG editor.

Question #1: Can I build a good, or even complex website without a software like Frontpage or Dreamweaver?

I have a basic design in mind. What I want is a template for my website. But I want to create the template myself.

Question #2. Is it possible to create a template with Open Office Draw (Windows Vista) or Paint Shop Pro Photo X2?

I am also confused about how to turn a graphic image that I would make into a template.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys

Ryan

1. Defo. Check out NotePad++, or there are stickies in this forum with links to programs for coding. Or, you can use good old fashioned Notepad.
2. Do you mean a template as in 'Mock Up'? Any GFX program will be good for that.

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Dreamweaver is still an extremely powerful program for website management. You don't have to use the visual designer, you can simply use the 'code' view.

Think of it as an advanced notepad, with syntax highlighting and file management. It's very customisable and can certainly improve your workflow. Definitely check out Notepad++ as Jack recomended as well as the HTML Editors sticky.

Converting a graphic into HTML (or 'PSD to HTML' as it also known) is a skill in itself admittedly.

Just try to think about it logically. Try to visualise the segments you could recreate in HTML - map out the 'blocks' of your site in it's simplest form, then slowly build up the details.

It will most definitely be a case of trial and succeed, but it's an extremely effective way of learning. Soon enough you'll get to grips with it and you'll be plain sailing

Try Karinne's tutorial: http://creativecoding.webforumz.com/...e-from-a-z.php

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1. I would definitely recommend Dreamweaver, it's easy to use and navigate.
2. For graphics design, Photoshop and Corel Draw. But you can use other graphics software that is free like GIMP or paint.net

Hey guys, I want to say thank you for all the advice and help. I am still pluggin away on CSS. What I am confused about now is how to put an image on top of another image. Let's take this page, for example. In the upper right hand side we have the banner, which is brown. On top of that is another image, the google ad. Also there are the icons next to "log out", "contact us", and "advertise. Can someone explain to me how this was done? Is this even done with CSS?

Ahhh, I just hate being a beginner....

The banner is known as a background-image. You can specify any element to have a background image, and anything placed within the element will appear 'on top.'

I started of using Frontpage for my coding, but now i have moved to just using notepad++.
In web design you will never stop learning and there is alot to learn.
Im still learning so many things, but defo get use to coding in notepad++. it seemed beyond me at first, but now i acctually know the codes so i just type it all out.