Front Page OR Dreamweaver

[umairraja52]

I want to update my website and want to attach database with it.

Which is better tools and easy to use and handle with database :

Microsoft Front Page.
OR
Macromedia Dreamweaver
OR
Any other reliable tool.

Waiting for your answers
Thanks

[orokusaki]

I would stick with no database if you're brand new. If you absolutely must have a database, then I would use Word Press or Drupal, or Joomla, or pay somebody to build a site for you if you need custom.

However, of the two tools named, DreamWeaver will be your best choice.

[Nadia P]

As far as I know Front Page doesn't do databases

I'd go with Dreamweaver (but then I'm biased :-) You'll need to understand the basics of PHP & MySQL also if you want to create a dynamic website using a database.

David Powers is my favourite author when it comes to anything Dreamweaver, but in particular teaching you how to create dynamic websites. His writing style is terrific, so it's easy to understand and the exercises included are easy to follow.
Master standards-compliant web design with Dreamweaver CS4
is geared towards the Dreamweaver user and will teach you how to create dynamic websites using PHP and MySQL.

This book by David, however, doesn't rely on Dreamweaver at all, you can use any text editor that you are comfortable with:
Create Dynamic Websites Quickly and Painlessly

and not forgetting SitePoints' book
Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySQL

Depending on why you want to 'attach' a database, if it's so that you can udate your website on a regular basis, then the other possibility as already mentioned is to use an Open Source product like Word Press, Joomla, or even look at something like Expression Engine as a CMS

[Dr John]

Front Page is the sign of the beast
No-one should use it or they will suffer eternal damnation.
And almost no-one will be able to help you if the "code" gives you any problems.

[BrandonK]

Use Dreamweaver if you know enough to design and code your site from scratch. If you are just looking for a CMS or blog recommendation, then see post #2

[geosite]

FrontPage was so bad even Microsoft finally abandoned it. I forget what their replacement program is called - Expression? I'm sure it's far better, but most people would still consider Dreamweaver the better choice. It's the industry standard and can be purchased bundled with other dynamite programs, like Photoshop and Flash.

[AlexDawson]

Front Page is the sign of the beast
No-one should use it or they will suffer eternal damnation.

Amen to that. In request to the OP's question if you want to get into more complicated subjects such as serverside scripting or working with databases you should be learning to take away the training wheels and coding by hand. Dreamweaver may be able to help you in-depth with HTML and CSS (though it's results may be slightly garbled) it is in no way equipped (to my knowledge) to deal with the complexities of scripting (outside templated examples).

[Nadia P]

Dreamweaver may be able to help you in-depth with HTML and CSS (though it's results may be slightly garbled)

Why should it be garbled? :-) I use Dreamweaver every day and my code isn't horked, garbled whatever :-)

It's the problem of not having any knowledge of HTML & CSS that causes the majority of coding problems - people just naturally assume it has to be Dreamweavers' fault.

it is in no way equipped (to my knowledge) to deal with the complexities of scripting (outside templated examples).

There are a numerous developers - and very experienced ones at that, using DW for dynamic driven sites with no problems at all - so not sure why you'd say DW can't cope with complex scripting. (Earlier versions admitedly had a few issues, but not so with the latest versions). There is also no need to rely on design view, that can be switched off and just use the coding window, the same as any text editor :-)

[oddz]

There is also no need to rely on design view, that can be switched off and just use the coding window, the same as any text editor :-)

Then there shouldn't be a problem with using a text editor

Never use Front Page to develop websites. It shouldn't even be a question just say no.

It's the problem of not having any knowledge of HTML & CSS that causes the majority of coding problems - people just naturally assume it has to be Dreamweavers' fault.

it is the fault of the software because it promotes poor and outdated practice. That is unless its used as a sole text editor but that is hardly its purpose. The purpose of Dreamweaver is to provide people with little knowledge of code the ability to put together a website. That is its fundamental market and purpose.

[livetech]

I consider myself very proficient in producing HTML, and I use Dreamweaver. It's because it does produce clean code that 99.999% of the time works, even in design mode.

I do use it a lot for dynamically generated sites. Sure, it's not perfect, but the reason why I use it is to save a lot of time writing out text & code, which would take longer if using something like Notepad.

[Nadia P]

Then there shouldn't be a problem with using a text editor

None at all - I even gave a link to 2 references where you don't need to use DW at all :-)

it is the fault of the software because it promotes poor and outdated practice.

I agree with you with earlier versions - but CS3 and now CS4 are trying to turn that around by providing better options to get the user to use valid coding practices.

That is unless its used as a sole text editor but that is hardly its purpose. The purpose of Dreamweaver is to provide people with little knowledge of code the ability to put together a website. That is its fundamental market and purpose

.

Yes, I have to agree there - but being a Dreamweaver Mentor on the Adobe forums - we always promote the fact that people should be learning HTML & CSS before they even touch DW, or at the very least keep an eye on code view so that they can see what's happening under hood - of course that doesn't always teach them clean coding practices :-) if for example they start dragging and dropping stuff (which has been taken out of the latest versions), then they will not learn about clean code most certainly :-)

[iveka]

I never understood where all of the weird code in FrontPage comes from. I cringe when someone asks me to work on their site if it has been set up in FrontPage.

So, in short - go DreamWeaver!

[orokusaki]

I'm telling you, stick to non-dynamic sites, until you find yourself comfortable with a CMS or with PHP/MySQL. Even if you feel fluent in programming, I would use a framework before building anything yourself from scratch.

[AlexDawson]

Why should it be garbled? :-) I use Dreamweaver every day and my code isn't horked, garbled whatever :-)

It's the problem of not having any knowledge of HTML & CSS that causes the majority of coding problems - people just naturally assume it has to be Dreamweavers' fault.

There are a numerous developers - and very experienced ones at that, using DW for dynamic driven sites with no problems at all - so not sure why you'd say DW can't cope with complex scripting. (Earlier versions admitedly had a few issues, but not so with the latest versions). There is also no need to rely on design view, that can be switched off and just use the coding window, the same as any text editor :-)

Nadia, the OP was asking between two visual editors in opposition to asking how he would go about implementing it (regardless of editor), therefore I make the direct assumption (based on what he said) that he was looking for a method to do database work directly through the products in opposition to a coding window. Just because you know how to use the code editor and can make some sexy code does not mean that the OP has the ability or the predefined knowledge to use anything other than what is included from the visual end. Therefore all of my comments were obviously directed towards dreamweavers capability as a visual editor (as itself and frontpage are (were) marketed as). I know full well that any code IDE can work with complex sites but the OP as I mentioned earlier was targeting WYSIWYG editors in opposition to it being a neutral coding question.

[Nadia P]

Nadia, the OP was asking between two visual editors in opposition to asking how he would go about implementing it (regardless of editor),

Point taken :-)

[fredda]

I would download (its free) Visual Web Developer and watch a couple of these videos.

[sg707]

Neither if you're truly creating a web site w/ database. To communicate w/ database you need to learn some form of db accessible language like java/php/ror/etc... I believe DreamWeaver have some wizards that connects to the database but most likely, it's very limited.

[techvb]

It is best to go with DreamWeaver if given a choice between two.The startup will be tougher,you will need to know full HTML but the results will be rewarding..
As for as I understand It's not the questionas which of them can handle DataBases as all can do.This will require knowledge of some Java/script PHP etc.But for design needs stick to Dreamweaver.

[Faseeh]

Dreamweaver is better than Front page, if you are planning to use a databes.

[rguy84]

I am scratching my head here. While I am going to say use Dreamweaver all the way. I am looking at the OPs signature. He has an AdSense help site hosted on a free site, that I am not sure you can have custom ads nonetheless databases on...

[molona]

Microsoft Front Page.
OR
Macromedia Dreamweaver

None of these. It's been ages since FrontPage disappeared and was renamed to Expressions. It has been also a few years that Macromedia was bought by Adobe and Dreamweaver is now Adobe DW

Regarding your question, it is also a matter of budget. I used Notepad++ which is free, but I know PHP and MySQL. If you are a complete newbie, DW may help you to get the site working, even if the code is not nice. But at the end, if you want to optimize it, you will need to learn those skills. As Nadia said, most of the problems arise because we don't know what we're doing.

[Jack32]

umairraja52, it all depends on how well you know about Dreamweaver, and if you just want a simple or a complex site, along with your database.

If you do not know that much about Dreamweaver, go with Frontpage.

I have been using it for quite some time now. It is easy to understand, and you don't need hours and hours of study time just to do little things.

[geosite]

umairraja52, it all depends on how well you know about Dreamweaver, and if you just want a simple or a complex site, along with your database.

If you do not know that much about Dreamweaver, go with Frontpage.

I have been using it for quite some time now. It is easy to understand, and you don't need hours and hours of study time just to do little things.

I designed my first websites with FrontPage many years ago - long before I had a clue about web design - and you're right: FrontPage is very easy to understand. But (as someone pointed out earlier), FrontPage is the king of page bloat.

After I upgraded to Dreamweaver and began studying web design more seriously, I spent a lot of time using Dreamweaver's search and replace function to clean up the pages I created with FrontPage. It probably wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I cut the file size of many of my pages in half or better.

If you want to make crap, use FrontPage. Dreamweaver is harder to learn how to use, but it isn't THAT hard.

[Michael Morris]

Front Page - produced by a company that considers web standards an option; versus Dreamweaver - produced by a company that considers backwards compatibility an option. I'd stay far away from both. If you use either your work will always be subpar to the stuff coded by hand.

[frank1]

i started with frontpage in back 2000 but to be frank i have forgotten(or didnt knew) that front page was still in the market.....
i thought microsoft gave up the frontpage project...

we have been using dreamweaver and now cs4 and it is getting more powerful now....
so frontpage may have lot to do for now.....
atleast here....