Hello,

Please is there any way to find out from the source code if a web page was designed by dream weaver?

As in does the HTML codes contain some unique stuffs that will indicate dream weaver?

Cheers.

Check the meta tags. Most HTML editors automatically include their names to the meta tags.

Thanks seun,

But besides that, is there no other thing like say the format it presents its code etc.

I will really appreciate input from other pros.

Here are a few things that have turned me off from using DW.  I like to call them, "The Big 3):

1) Top of page: you see javascript functions that start with "MM_". I see this and I am grabbing for epsom salt.

2) Page level CSS with id/class names like "style1". I see this, and I am grabbing for mist alba

3) countless (albeit meticulously laid out) tables. I see this and I am grabbing for conquer mixture.

I see all 3 and one can only imagine the chemistry experiment going on within my tummy

Of course, these could be avoided but in a zest to crank out N50K websites, the "webmasters" in question could care less.  Their usual defense? "Weeell, the client doesn't care about how the site is coded, as long as it is what they want and like".  Either this or the classic, "Google looks ugly but they are making billons".  Bad way of thinking, if I may say.

Bottom line, the above 3 are bad because they add unnecessary "weight" to pages (code bloat). This also makes code hard to read (bad for maintenance reasons) and hard to follow (especially for embedded tables. Again, bad for maintenance). These 3 also increase page download times which makes a browsing difference if you are in a place with a slow connection.

I see these 3 and I am saying to myself, "if ever I were hiring a developer, I wouldn't hire whoever did this site"

Okay, I am off my soapbox now.  Did this answer your question?

Thanks alot fr your input,

Actually, im suppose to make a website using only HTML, but im trying to take a short cut thru dream weaver, so i need to know what i should remove to make it look NOT LIKE dream weaver.

Please more help.

So in essence you want to cheat

Sha, I dislike DW with a passion and so don't use it. Having said that, I am sure you could use the code view (that means you will have to hand code) and get away with the above. Either that or code in design view (drawing and dragging things I would imagine. Again, I hate DW (I think I said this before )) so don't know how it goes), then opening the same code in code view and removing any erroneous code.

yeah, i too hae DW, but now it would b my friend till i get the job completed.

Since u are a pro (dont know if u r with DW), i planned to use the drag and drop so that it will generate the codes for me,
but what do i need to change or delete from the generated code, so that a pro cant tell i used DW?

thanks alot for your input.

1) I wouldn't exactly call myself a pro, at least not yet. To me,words like "pro", "master" and "guru" carry huge responsibilities and as such should be conferred on those who actually are worthy of those names

2) As I said, after working in design view, switch to code view and delete/add from the code that is generated. That should do the trick.

@yawa-ti-de

what software do you use for your design.

Cos I hate DW DIE

I use and have been using for the past 8 years, HomeSite. Having said that, my job recently switched to DW (as they say, be careful what you wish (or in my case, don't wish) for ). You need to see the blood capillaries in my eyes man. From auto-complete (hate it), to weird indentations.

Recently, I almost got rushed to the hospital. Why? Because all I wanted to do was search for something in my code but mistakenly hit "replace all (with nothing in the field)" instead of of "find next". Every single occurrence of what I was searching for got replaced. Sure, I could do "undo" but for heaven's sake why couldn't the "geeks" who made DW separate the "find" functionality from "replace"?

When you guys say you hate DW, i begin to wonder. What is it tht's hated about this IDE?
Honestly i think its not about DW not working for you, the problem is about u not knowing how to make DW work for you.

Installing DW is like installing an OS (e.g winXP).
When u install it, all you get is the basics. Who of you installs an OS and ends there without having to install third party apps?

Extensions is to DW as third party apps is to an OS.
You dont just install DW, start working with it and expect it to work for you.

I dunno what could be better than my DW CS4, Spry effects and tons of Extensions and plugins. i really dunno.


Having a tool is one thing, gaining mastery over it is another.
So brurvs stop the hating, DW(CS4) is here to stay.

and whts this thread even doing in programming section?
Moved to Webmasters section!
oh well the line between these two sections is faint.

@ poster

So basically, you want to cheat, and you want to be sure you don't get caught. A little FYI, and maybe I'm just preaching to myself here, but that isn't the way to learn.

That said, yawa was right about the MM_ whatever. But I believe you should only get that if you slices (I think), which seems unlikely.

Also, you'd want to avoid inline styling, that is, styling a font from the design view, because Dreamweaver attaches random styles to your code, like style1, style2 etc. Also as yawa said. Do your styling from a stylesheet.

@saddik
You also appear to not really know all that much about Dreamweaver (or coding HTML, apparently), so what basis do you have for hating it?
Like I've read on so many design blogs, it's not the tools, it's what you do with it. I use Dreamweaver, and I'm yet to have much complaints with it. If it does everything you want, use it. DW is extremely robust. IMHO.

@yawa
I'm going to hope that THAT is not your one of your reasons for hating DW. Most applications join their Find and Replace together. It's nt exactly a DW-specific issue. Just sayin'.

@yawa, have you 4gotten you told me once that you want to start learning DW because of the environment you find yourself ? see there is no point, yawa you have always preach that ppl should stop trying to re-invent a wheel,

just to add to what hanen said, is not about tools you know, it just how you use it.

lol,

Yes smartsoft, DW has been forced upon me at work and most of my posts above are in reference to my experiences with it.  Sorry but it sucks.  Give me Homesite, Eclipse or MyEclipse any day

hanen:
Homesite is not "most"

The fact remains, any IDE that you know pretty well and it works for you, you use.

For PHP, some use DW others use other IDEs like Zend and the rest.

For HTML, some prefer DW others prefer their Homesite, Coffe cup, etc

All that matters is how good are you using them?

To the topic of this thread and some of the replies here, getting MM_ blah blah blah comes when you are using DW MX but never comes on DW 8 (correct me if wrong pls). For it to come is when you did the work on Fireworks then exported as HTML. When you open in DW 8, you then see all these MM_ stuffs.

Wen u use DW effects tht generate embedded javascripts, u get tht mm_ suffix. Wen u import FW html, u get a lotta crap as code. I really cant stand d sight of FW html.

Too bad for those who hate DW!

I use DW with other Adobe products such as FW, FL, PSD, INDD integrating to each other much easily for me. All of them support CSS loading recognizable which integrating software you use (DW, FL, FW, PSD, or INDD)

In the past in the USA companies FORBID hiring web developers using DW/FrontPage ---prefer HARD-CODED notepad ONLY on the job .

NOW USA companies changed their minds, allowing to hire DW/FrontPage web developers. (how do i know about this? Read newspaper classified AD as well as internet job boards---everywhere i see THE BOLD TEXT EMPHASIZED saying "NO DW/FrontPage Please when you apply for web developer jobs" there)

Because the majority of web developers in the USA use DW/FrontPage MUCH HIGHER THAN notepad web developers. THE BIG-BOY companies are FRUSTRATED HARD TO FIND to hire NOTEPAD-ONLY web developers in the USA.

That's why BIG-BOY companies can afford to hire H1-EMPLOYEES (foreigners with NOTEPAD-ONLY web developers) outside the USA, like Bill Gates (now retired), the founder of Microsoft prefer to hire more foreigner programmers (mostly India).

How do I know Bill Gates' preference? Few months ago this year, i watched cable tv on CSPAN ---Immigration Issues, surprised seeing Bill Gates there facing discussing with 6 top judges listening to Bill Gates explaining why he prefer H1 employees on his companies instead of US employees.

The last statement Bill Gates says," If Congress veto Immigration bill, then Bill will move HIS HEADQUARTER, Microsoft (Washington State) to India----GOOD BYE the USA."

I don't use DW anymore but I think it's an excellent tool. It's a monster to master but once you do - it's great. I does generate some convoluted nonsense sometimes but if you know your code you could always trim it down.

At the risk of playing devil's advocate, I must say that although industry standards are a very important issue and should serve as a guideline for every developer, if you're happy with your work and the customer is happy then I don't really see much of a problem. Just make sure that you can defend your work. If down the line your cutting corners caused problems and cost you your client then you only have yourself to blame. If on the other hand you pride yourself on being standards-compliant and using clean code then that can be used as a unique selling point. Developers can find themselves jobs in which they have to clean up the mess their predecessors left behind. And those clients are usually willing to pay more for the service. Unfortunately, the sad fact is a vast majority of potential clients couldn't care less about the code as long as the site does what it's supposed to do. 

*Disclaimer: I hate table-based layouts with a passion. They are an abomination and should be eliminated at all costs

@yawa lol  eehehehe you love homesite  pretty much i haven't fogetten they you told me that long time ago hummm 2years back or something lol abi ?  well i don't think the client you are designing the website for will ask you what kinda software you using for it what they want is there job been done ! shiki na. i don't know why we are killing ourself over notting.  i drive bug car,  and you drive 3x BMW, another person drives molue, why another drives cabucabu  and we are both heading to VI, i might be faster than you think but all the same we go reach there togther  abi no bi so ?,

yolu:
Whenever I am assigned with others to hire people as web developers, you know the first thing we do? That's right - we view source. If I am opportuned to work in Nigeria and have to hire people, guess what the first thing I will do is? Again, you got it right. Standards as you have pointed out, are standards. However, they are there for a reason. Just like you probably don't care what brand of engine oil your mechanic uses on your car, it doesn't mean you don't care that it is good quality right?

smart:
2 year ago? you must have me confused with someone else. All the same, though we all reach VI at some point (I am glad you noted that you would be slower to get there than me ), some cars are natural head-turners and a head-turner my friend, is what I want be identified with

Aren't you guys tired yet?

Look, I make use of Zend studio my PHP or PHP Designer. I'm switching to PHP Maker Ver 5. Who cares how I did the job? For HTML, my DW is there, no doubts. I make good use of it though I must confess that I start with my notepad. Don't know why but think because I started learning with it. No matter how much work I do there, I still get it to DW for more editing.