java_roshan

For designing simple forms and things that could be done pretty easily using GUI softwares in HTML, is it better to use softwares like Composer (in Mozilla Suite) or Dreamweaver or code them?

Would Coding be better?

I would like to know you opinions.

I prefer coding, only because I have time to do it. In the industry, do they use such tools or even they would code simple forms and paragraphs, body content and stuff like that?

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OpenLoop

in the industry, they use whatever tool that:
- is affordable
- reduces development time
- reduces (or at least doesn't increase) maintainance costs

DaWei

Actual software code produced automatically is usually ugly and inefficient. HTML produced by a tool may or may not be effective. Try a tool and look at the source. If the tool uses deprecated stuff extensively, it's not being properly supported. If it uses tables for layout, say, it belongs in the trash. You might buy a $2 drill off a sale table in a schlocky place, you would probably get what you paid for. I have little doubt you would evaluate it for performance. Do the same for your layout/programming tools.

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Mocker

If I am writing mostly code and not 'designing' a site, then I will usually use a text based editor. I tend to use dreamweaver for most sites because I can switch to code view to make sure everything is exactly what I like. The design view is also really helpful though, because even if the code gets a little uglier, it is much easier to visually design the appearance and then tweak it afterwards. Just because you CAN write all the <div> tags you need to format a page, it'll still take longer then draggin the layer tool across the page in Dreamweaver, and you can't eyeball it as well.
This is up to whatever works best for your coding style though. Some people have a strong disdain for anything wysiwg, and some prefer it.

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java_roshan

I did not understand what these lines meant :-?. Kindly simplify

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java_roshan

So Dreamweaver generates code as per W3C standards? Or is it something specific to the software?

So, if there are updates to the website, then the code, wont be referred to..? (be it design or any other changes)

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Infinite Recursion

Personally, I prefer VI... if the programs require a GUI, i use an IDE. Normally, anything within reason and budget, that helps meet the deadline with minimal effort is considered useful.

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King

For HTML I would just code it.. most of the tools out there produce very ugly code. HTML is easy enough you shouldn't need too many tools anyways.

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DaWei

I use Dreamweaver. I don't use the Design (drag-drop, view) mode. I use the Code mode. Why? The design mode view is inaccurate, it doesn't correspond well to ANY browser except from the most trivial placement of the simplest elements. Further, if a file has a .php extension, it won't display, anyway. I use it because I can select any of my sites for any servers I have set up, view the local and remote file sets, ftp back and forth, immediately preview directly in any browser I have on my machine, use CVS if I like, and get some very simple (not thorough) validation. All this with a couple clicks or keystrokes. Instant preview in Firefox with F12, IE with ALT-F12, Mozilla and Opera with two clicks. These are previews from the server, the 'real' code as it exists. It's productivity. If I need local debugging of a serious nature, which is extremely rare, I can fire up Zend. Must be six months since I did that. Is a very nice Zend worth the money to me? Nopey. Dreamweaver most definitely is. Any tool that does the same would be worthwhile if you work professionally. Sure, I can fire up any text editor, browser window, FileZilla, a whole set of different things all at once, and move around from window to window. I donwanna. I wannamaxoutprofit.

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java_roshan

If you are asked to develop a lot of HTML pages within a time period that is too short to develop those many, would you still do coding or opt for a tool that would reduce the time of development, considering the fact that you might have to update it in the long run?

There's nothing so specific for me to find out this, but I am trying to understand what would an individual do and what his decisions would be based on!

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