Dreamweaver 4.0 tables -> MX headache

Major_Tom

I've got this site I did in DW 4.0 some time ago. The pages are done with tables for layout and validates ok as HTML 4.01 Transitional. Now I'm trying to open these files in MX and run into problems...

When I open a file in design view it shows the bottom part of the page as far up as the screen will show but nothing more. 😕 Any attempt to scroll up is futile.

Are there any compability problems here I don't know of?

(The site is here, btw...)

Edit: I know, I know... this isn't PHP-related. Please delete/remove if I'm off topic here :o

mzanimephp

Hi, I opened the page in my Dreamweaver MX and it looked just fine to me.

Can you better explain the problem you are having? Also... Macromedia released a DWMX 6.1 update which fixes a ton of bugs, you might want to download that if you haven't already got it.

http://www.macromedia.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Also, I was looking at your code. Here is two tips you may want to keep in mind.

If you have a:

<td></td>

without any content between the TD tags, always make sure you change it to:

<td>nbsp;</td> (put a "&" before nbsp; )

non-breaking space prevents the empty cell from appearing strange in NS4.

And also even though you have a CSS file, it is still good practice to include text, bgcolor and/or background inside your BODY tag.

This way that info will display to users of NS3.1 because it doesn't really support CSS.

mzanimephp

You posted this topic inside the Dreamweaver forum, so its okay. 🙂

Major_Tom

Originally posted by mzanimephp
Hi, I opened the page in my Dreamweaver MX and it looked just fine to me.

Can you better explain the problem you are having? Also... Macromedia released a DWMX 6.1 update which fixes a ton of bugs, you might want to download that if you haven't already got it.

The problem is that no matter how long the page is, the design view will only show what fits into the window - I can't access the rest of the page in design view, only in code view...

I wasn't aware of an update. I guess I'll have to take look at that one. Thanks 🙂

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Also, I was looking at your code. Here is two tips you may want to keep in mind.

If you have a:
<td></td>
without any content between the TD tags, always make sure you change it to:
<td>nbsp;</td> (put a "&" before nbsp; )
non-breaking space prevents the empty cell from appearing strange in NS4.

And also even though you have a CSS file, it is still good practice to include text, bgcolor and/or background inside your BODY tag.

This way that info will display to users of NS3.1 because it doesn't really support CSS. [/B]

Oh, the code is old and bad... I'll take a look at this though. Thank's for the tips.

I'm considering rebuilding it into layer/CSS layout though - get rid of those layout tables once and for all :p

mzanimephp

Originally posted by Major Tom
The problem is that no matter how long the page is, the design view will only show what fits into the window - I can't access the rest of the page in design view, only in code view...

So, your saying you don't see no scroll bar?? In design view?

Originally posted by Major Tom
I'm considering rebuilding it into layer/CSS layout though - get rid of those layout tables once and for all :p

Yeah Dreamweaver MX also has a neat little feature; in design view, at the top in the menu bar:

Click on "Modify" > "Convert" > "Convert Tables to Layers"

This may need some tweaking afterwards, but it is supposed to be a quick table/layer converter. 🙂

Major_Tom

Originally posted by mzanimephp
So, your saying you don't see no scroll bar?? In design view?

Basically yes. Or rather: I see a scrollbar, but nothing to scroll 🙁

Yeah Dreamweaver MX also has a neat little feature; in design view, at the top in the menu bar:

Click on "Modify" > "Convert" > "Convert Tables to Layers"

This may need some tweaking afterwards, but it is supposed to be a quick table/layer converter. 🙂

shudder

I think I'll code it from scratch (the layout, that is...). It'll be easier when I don't have to drag along all the old errors into a convertion 🙂

mzanimephp

I figured it out. 😃 Inside your CSS file there is a statement for tables that says:

table { font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;
        font-size: 10px;
        color: #006600;
        border: 2px #006600 solid;
        position: relative;
        background-image: url(img/chart.gif)
        }

If you remove the line that says "position: relative;" it'll display fine. positioning is a aspect that applies to layers, not tables, so it is confusing DWMX.

Also you should atleast try the converter, if you don't like how it works, you can simply undo it.

Major_Tom

It works! You're a frickin' genious! 😃