Chapter 3: Extending Dreamweaver - MACROMEDIA DREAMWEAVER 8-EXTENDING DREAMWEAVER Manual

CHAPTER 3
Extending Dreamweaver
Typically, you create a Dreamweaver extension to perform one of the following types of tasks:
Automating changes to the user's current document, such as inserting HTML, CFML, or
JavaScript; changing text or image properties; or sorting tables
Interacting with the application to automatically open or close windows, open or close
documents, change keyboard shortcuts, and more
Connecting to data sources, which lets Dreamweaver users create dynamic, data-driven
pages
Inserting and managing blocks of server code in the current document
You might want to write an extension to handle a commonly used, and therefore repetitive,
task. Or you might have a unique requirement that you can satisfy only by writing an
extension for that specific situation. In both cases, Dreamweaver provides an extensive set of
tools that you can use to add to or customize its functionality.
When you create a Dreamweaver extension, you should follow the steps outlined in
an extension" on page 10.
The following features of Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 let you create extensions:
An HTML parser (also called a renderer), which makes it possible to design user interfaces
(UIs) for extensions using form fields, layers, images, and other HTML elements.
Dreamweaver has its own HTML parser.
A tree of folders that organize and store the files that implement and configure
Dreamweaver elements and extensions.
A series of application programming interfaces (APIs) that provide access to Dreamweaver
functionality through JavaScript.
A JavaScript interpreter, which executes the JavaScript code in extension files.
Dreamweaver uses the Netscape JavaScript version 1.5 interpreter. For more information
about changes between this version of the interpreter and previous versions, see
Dreamweaver processes JavaScript in extensions" on page
"Creating
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