When developing web applications, if you are using a database, designing it first is essential. The database used in this tutorial has a very simple and clear structure. It uses only one table:
Note: The database diagram in the image above was built with MX Query Builder (an InterAKT product, also referred as QuB) to better illustrate the database structure. You do not need to build it in order to complete this tutorial.
The product_prd table stores data about software products:
id_prd - product ID.
name_prd - product name.
logo_prd - product logo filename.
tagline_prd - product slogan.
shdesc_prd - product short description.
desc_prd - product description (presentation).
To quickly create the database structure, use the scripts provided in the .zip package (either .sql or .mdb) corresponding to your database server. You can find the scripts in the \tutorials\Another table structure\db folder.
Before you start building the actual application, there are a few things that you should do/know:
Create a new site in Dreamweaver and make sure it is correctly configured: set the Local Info, Remote Info, and Testing Server options (since you are using a database, a server model is required).
Your site will have four pages that will be created starting from a Dreamweaver template. You will be told when to create the template file and the four server model-based files, and what to name them.
You will also be told when and how to define the Dreamweaver database connection.
From the \tutorials\Another table structure folder in the package, copy the logos folder in the local site root. It contains all the image files (product logos) used in this tutorial - the image names are stored in the database table provided.
Note: For more instructions on how to configure your site and how to create the database connection, consult the Getting started help file. It can be accessed in Dreamweaver from the Help menu, InterAKT -> Getting Started.
Continue with the next topic to build the Dreamweaver template that includes the CSS menu.