Ready to Rock, where to start...?

Ok so it's been 2-3 years since I did a webpage/site. Las time I think frames with big honkin' borders and framing scroll screens were big.

So now I wanna do another one. I got the dreamweaver software installed, pencil sharpened, ideas, knowledge of FTP and all the other stuff.

Now when I start a page design, I get 15 million options like CSS, PHP as well as the old HTML like I'm familiar with but I dunno what all the others are. What's easiest?

If I have a layout in mind like a banner with a top drop down nav menu etc......how the heck do I get started? It's just the initial first step that I can't seem to get past. Everything after that like graphics and stuff is not a prob. I keep seeing a term called "slicing". Is this something I should be doing to start?

All these websites these days look like they've been painted up in photoshop or something with just text written overtop.

A suggestion on how to get past that first hurdle would be nice.

If I have a layout in mind like a banner with a top drop down nav menu etc......how the heck do I get started? It's just the initial first step that I can't seem to get past. Everything after that like graphics and stuff is not a prob. I keep seeing a term called "slicing". Is this something I should be doing to start?

Well...I think it would be javascript...will i had a site like that with a drop down nav. and it was javascript

try looking at a few other sites, the way they are laid out etc.

look at whats easy for you to work around, how you like the positioning of something on one, and the menu on the other.

don't necessarily take the idea's, but keep them in mind for coming up with your overall design for your site

hope you post your site when you get round to making it for us all to have a look

The main thing I did when initally learning to do websites was compile code from web-sites you like, and examine it. After I got a decent knowledge of what the code did I would go to work, create my own ideas based off of it. Not the most effective way to do it. But I am here today none the less.

Peice of cake. Well Im just saying that. First of PHP is a Sever Side Language, or a powerfull code thingy that does alot of neat dynamic things.

Ok so first off get that pencil to work, draw a sketch of what you want and stuff. Now this is where you use Dreamweavers new plugin, its called Paper Sketch to HTML convertor, use that and it will put what you have on paper to dreamweaver now save it and Im just kidding with you. So you got that sketch right, now without using frames (they suck like Java) makes tables of your outline, this shouldnt be no big deal at all. Now this is where you should learn CSS. CSS is a very very very ....................... very very very, awesome thing. You know all those atributes that you use for the font tag and such? What that does is enable you to give it a class and BAM its there like that. Now you ask why thiis is cool? Because you can change things options and such on the fly. If your grey is too dark you dont need to change all that code. BAM its done.

Ok so lets get this basicly summed up for you. Learn CSS. Use CSS. Apply CSS. Now you probualy have a crappy site. Right? Good. Now you look at it and ask to your self, what makes it look bad? How can I fix it? Now you do that. Untill you get to a few steps.

1. You start to yell at your gf
2. You begin to dream about your next site.
3. Its 5 AM and you have no coffee left.

Good luck, have fun, all that good stuff. Look at some tutorials too. Got any question Im not around. Well Not alot anymore, Im learing the god foresaken thing called ColdFusion....

Dude for one myth it is called a WYSIWYG Editor, what you see is what you get. Dream Weaver is the only acceptable one I would ever use.

Thnx for the replies. Myth, i knew I missed that memo about the gf........found it on my desk under all the other memos to myself lol.

<Gramps looks around for his gal>

ack!

I always look at sites offering similar content to mine and sketch out the bits I like, then I try to create my own versions of the bits I liked in Photoshop and put them all together.
I use iframes on my site as its quicker to update and to create pages in the first place. I'd recommend you use iframes or the php include command in your site.
The hardest bit for me when I create a site is deciding on a colour scheme.

Do it my way, look at some good sites on the net, take every good bit of em and sploosh it all in Photoshop in a good lookin way