Webmaster Tips

Use Hyperlinks Now in Adobe Edge Preview 3

Adobe released their Preview 3 for Adobe Edge yesterday. I had a chance to download and install it this morning. This latest preview build boasts some impressive new features, like adding in loops and hyperlinks, as we will discuss in this article.

Aptana Studio 3 Guided Tour and Tutorial: Create a Web Project Using the HTML 5 Boilerplate Framework

Aptana Studio is one of the most comprehensive tools in the free web editor market. In this tutorial, we're going to get better acquainted with Aptana Studio 3 by creating a hypothetical newsletter subscription page.

Adobe Edge Tips and Tricks

I've recently discovered Adobe Edge, a developer's tool for creating animation in HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript. My experience with creating my own animation using Edge taught me some tips, tricks and bugs to look out for, which I present to you here.

Adobe Edge: Creating Regions in Timelines

In this article on Adobe Edge, we will pick up where our last article left off and will discuss a third mode of animation not yet discussed, which is to create regions in the timeline when you want an animation to take place.

Adobe Edge for Web Developers: Using the Timeline

In the first article in this series, I discussed how to create objects in Adobe Edge and provided a primer on the Properties box. In this article, I will show you how to use the timeline and create an animation using Adobe Edge.

A Web Developer Takes Adobe Edge for a Spin, Part 1

On September 7, 2011 Adobe released preview 2 for Edge, its new HTML5 animation tool. In this series of articles we're going to show you how to use Edge, what it can do, and potential issues you may run into while using it.

CAPTCHA: Image Verification for Web Developers

The problem with most CAPTCHA image verification implementations is that they are so annoying that they often drive humans away. As we will show in this tutorial, there are ample ways to accomplish the task without testing a user's patience and dignity.

Sneak Peak: Adobe Muse for No Coding Web Design

This week we're going to check out Adobe Muse, the no-code web design tool. Adobe Muse, recently released in beta, was created to allow non-programmers to create layouts much like they would do for print publication, use those layouts to create cross-browser compatible web pages, and publish those pages to Adobe hosted servers.

Creating 'Old-School' Web Page Indexes in Drupal

One problem that many Drupal newbies struggle with is the creation of a simple directory listing or 'index' page of articles. In this tutorial we will guide you through the process, and give you some tips to save you time!

A First Look at Adobe Edge, an HTML5-based Animation Tool

Naturally, when Adobe releases a tool that purports to create HTML5-based animations, we had to take a look. In this article we're going to install and try out Adobe Edge, which is currently in "pre-release" form.

More Free Web Page Accessibility Validators

HTML validators are one of the most surefire ways to make certain that you haven't overlooked something crucial. In this article, we're going to be looking at some freely available validation tools and services that you can put to good use on your own web pages.

Review of Aptana Studio 3

With the emergence of HTML5, there is a strong need for HTML5 aware IDEs. The California-based company Aptana has stepped up to the plate with version 3 of Aptana Studio. Touted as a "professional, open source development tool for the open web", we'll put it to the test in this review.

Making Your Website Fun with Games

Everywhere you look you find games, games and more games. They are on your cell phone, connected to your TV via a gaming console and everywhere you look on the web. People love their games, even the corny ones. So, why not attract new visitors or keep visitors coming back with some games on your website? We'll show you how to do just that in this article!

Top Five Free Web Page Accessibility Validators

It's a lot easier to incorporate accessibility into your site while designing it than than after coding is done, and it often pays to run your pages through an HTML validator. It's one of the most sure-fire ways to make certain that you haven't overlooked something crucial. In today's article, we're going to be looking at some freely available tools and services that you can put to good use on your own web pages.

Template Resources for Web Developers

In this article is a list of all the resources I've discovered while writing this series on web development templates. The intention of this resource listing is to provide you with access to some great resources for building a website using templates.

Using Templates for Website Design: Dreamweaver

As you can imagine, there are many ways of building a standard website, or a CMS site which makes use of other template designs, such as Joomla! or WordPress. In this series we're going to look at different methods of creating websites using templates, both commercial and free. We'll start out by looking at Adobe Dreamweaver's layout capabilities.

Move Over Google Analytics, Here Comes Woopra!

In the past, I’ve always relied on Google Analytics as my go-to tool.  I’ve used and recommended Google Analytics most of all because it is free and feature rich. However, there’s a relatively new player in town called Woopra, and it provides real-time as-it-happens analytic reporting for your website.

How To Add Social Networking Buttons To Your Site

By adding social networking buttons to your site, you are providing your current audience with a means to provide word-of-mouth advertising to their friends, who will hopefully become your future audience. In this article we will show you how to add social networking buttons to your website.

Third Party CSS Apps to Speed Up Your Workflow

In this article we're going to look at some third party applications that will allow you to create some cool CSS effects without breaking the bank.

How to Build a Native Mobile Application in Dreamweaver CS5.5

In earlier articles we covered HTML5 Semantics and multiscreen authoring in Dreamweaver. In this article we're going to look at the process of building a native phone application in Dreamweaver CS5.5.

HTML5 Semantics in Dreamweaver CS5.5

Prior to the development of HTML5 sematics, building a web page could be a real headache, mostly due to all the <div> elements through the page and little, if any idea what they were. Introduced in Dreamweaver 5. HTML5 starter layouts appeared and in Dreamweaver CS5.5, that continues, as you will see in this article.

Multiscreen Authoring in Dreamweaver CS5.5

A common problem when building a website is when the layout looks just great on your computer but when the client views it on their system, the design appears to be "off." By using Dreamweaver's Multiscreen Preview Panel, you can pro-actively solve any such issues before your site goes live!

Five Essential HTML5 Editors

HTML5 has garnered plenty of attention in the last two years, and for good reasons. The internet as we know it is changing, and HTML5 is at the forefront of those changes. If you are eager to jump into the HTML5 mix, you will be interested in the tools we have found for creating websites and web apps using HTML5.

Working With E-commerce Plugins for WordPress

WordPress is versatile piece of software. Not only can you blog with it, add galleries, video and other cool effects, you can also use it to make money. In this article we will look at an e-commerce WordPress plugin you can use, and show you how to secure your digital downloads.

Which Adobe Creative Suite is Right for You?

It's no secret that Adobe is at the top of the heap when it comes to graphics and publishing software. Their software is typically also among the most expensive, as well. In this article we're going to look at the current group of Creative Suite 5.5 software packages by Adobe, as well as their new subscription model.

A Web Developer Looks at Interactive Mapping Solutions From FlashMaps.com

In our last article, we looked at flashmap APIs from Yahoo, Google and MapQuest. This time we're going to look at the FlashMaps.com mapping tools that are used by sites including eBay, FoxNews, Adobe and Verizon--and the extensive and flexible options they provide developers.

WordPress 3 Custom Menus: Adding a 2nd Level Menu

In the previous article on creating custom menus in WordPress 3 we looked at how to setup a custom menu in a simple, straightforward way. In this article we will customize things a bit more and add a second level menu.

An Introduction to Flash Maps for Interactive Mapping

Most of us have seen or used a Flash-based map on a website that allowed us to drill down by clicking on the map, with each "level" providing us with additional information. In this article we're going to look at free flashmap Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)  from Yahoo, Google and MapQuest.

Categories, Pages, and Posts in WordPress

So far we've looked at WordPress themes, templates, headers and pages. In this article we're going to explore WordPress categories, pages and posts in more depth.

Customizing Your WordPress Installation

Setting up your initial WordPress installation is only the beginning. In this article we're going to do some more tweaking to customize your WordPress installation. Some of the topics we'll cover are: Pages, Posts Categories.

How to Add Images, Galleries and Video to Your WordPress Blog

In our previous tutorials we looked at WordPress Categories, Pages and Posts and showed you how to set up the structure of your blog. This time we're going to show you how to add images, galleries and videos to your WordPress blog.

How to Move a Module from One Joomla! Template to Another

Not all Joomla! templates are created equal. Templates that you buy or download for free online have different features. At some point you may need to move a module from one Joomla! template to another, and we're going to show you how to do just that in this tutorial.

Installing and Configuring a Theme in WordPress

When you install WordPress, it comes with one theme built in, but what if you want to use a different theme for your website? In this tutorial you'll learn how to install and configure a new WordPress theme.

How to Create a Menu for Your Joomla! Template

If you're creating your own Joomla! template from scratch, you'll want to know how to add in a menu. In this tutorial I'm going to walk you through creating a menu off the default and pre-installed Main Menu.

How to Add Advertising to a WordPress Theme

In this tutorial, we're going to look at adding advertising to our WordPress theme, and we're going to work with one of the most popular forms of advertising, AdSense, which allows you to make passive income.

Create Custom Page Templates in WordPress

One of the most effective ways to create a custom website with WordPress is using the custom page templates feature. In this tutorial we will look at how to access custom page templates and then how to create your own templates.

Web Developer Class: Security and the WordPress CMS

WordPress is a great CMS. Unfortunately, with flexibility comes a down side--a vulnerability to attacks and exploits. In this article you'll learn several methods which you can use to secure your WordPress blog.

Getting Started with the WordPress CMS

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS's) and is quite full-featured, out-of-the-box. In this tutorial we will show you how to get started with WordPress, and will walk you through the installation process.

How to Work With WordPress 3 Custom Menus

WordPress 3 has a revamped menu system which allows developers to do a lot more with the menu and do it with a lot more ease. You can, for example, rearrange your menu with a simple drag and drop. In this tutorial we will look at how to do this and much more!

Web Developer Tools for Low Cost Web Development

In our last article we showed you some free online web development tools as well as a free open source shopping cart CMS. In this article we will look at some economical web development tools that, while not free, are well worth the cost to the developer on a tight budget.

Web Development On the Cheap: Free Tools and Shopping Carts

In our last article we looked at several ways a web developer could create and develop websites on a shoestring budget. In this article we are going to look at some of the free resources that are available for developers, as well as PrestaShop, a free full-featured shopping cart CMS. 

A Web Developer Looks for Useful Joomla! FTP Extensions

Previously we looked at several useful extensions for Joomla!. In this article we'll search for Joomla! extensions that are useful for transfering files via FTP.

Defining Joomla! Module and Article Titles in CSS

This article will fill in some of the missing details about creating a Joomla! Template from scratch, show you how to get module and article titles to appear as well as how to define them in the CSS.

Social Media Extensions for the Joomla! CMS

Social networking is another tool in the developer's toolbox, and is an important aspect of SEO. In this article we'll look at some social media extensions for the Joomla! CMS. 

Customizing Joomla!: Adding a New Position to a Template

Let's say you scoured the internet looking for that perfect Joomla! template and you found one that fits 99% of your needs--but you need a left position. This article will show you how to add that a new position into your Joomla! template so that you can fill the left column with modules.

How To Combat Spam on Your Joomla! Website

In this tutorial we will look at how to add contact information to your Joomla! site, while keeping spam out of your inbox. While that seems simple on the surface, it can lead to a major problem if you aren't proactive about spam. 

How To Develop Websites on a Shoestring Budget

Although the economy may be improving, web developers are increasingly being asked by clients about low cost web development. In this article we will show you how it is possible for developers to create, host and maintain websites cheaply, using free software, open source content management software and economical web hosts. 

Web Development Primer: E-Commerce with Joomla!

While many people are interested in creating a basic website, others are more interested in building a more advanced ecommerce site where they can sell their products. In this article we're going to look at using E-Commerce with Joomla! 

Crash Course: Refining Your Joomla! Template

In our last article, we provided a rough outline and introductory code for creating a Joomla! template from scratch. In this article we continue the process, and fine tune our new Joomla! template. 

Crash Course: Create a Joomla! Template from Scratch

Once you've worked with the out-of-the-box features of Joomla!, it's time to dig into templates. In this tutorial we'll show you how to create a Joomla! template from scratch!

Useful Joomla! Extensions for Web Developers

One of the best things about Joomla! CMS is that there are so many extensions that can be added to enhance a website. In this article we're going to have a look at some useful Joomla! extensions for web developers.

Developers Embrace Drupal and Microsoft Technology Synergy

By combining Drupal with Microsoft technology, Microsoft and the Drupal Community have made using Drupal on Windows even easier, with all the features developers have come to expect.

Joomla! On a Windows System Opens a World of Extensibility

Joomla!, the award-winning content management system (CMS), enables web developers to create websites and powerful online applications. Microsoft has joined with the Joomla! community with the goal of making Joomla! on Windows an easy-to-use combination, even for beginners.

Web Design Class: How to Add a Photo Gallery to Joomla!

You may have used a photo gallery that allowed you to easily scroll through multiple images on a website, and wondered how you could add this feature to your own website. In this article we're going to look at the process of adding a photo gallery to Joomla! using an extension. 

Using a RAD Tool to Generate a Web Site: Iron Speed Designer

With the right tool, nearly anyone can generate a hard-core web site rapidly. One such rapid application development (RAD) tool that can help speed the process is Iron Speed Designer. See how you can get this tool to try out today. Discover how much can be done with little to no coding! (Sponsored)

WordPress and Windows A Powerful Combination

Microsoft is working with the WordPress Community to make WordPress on Windows even easier--the synergy from the combination makes it a great choice for everyone. Take the plunge now!

Adobe Converts Flash to HTML5 With Wallaby

Adobe doesn’t want to be left behind when the world eventually moves past Flash and embraces new standards, so this week they announced Wallaby, an experimental technology that converts the artwork and animation contained in Adobe&reg; Flash&reg; Professional (FLA) files into HTML.

Joomla! for Web Developers: How to Secure Your Joomla! Installation

Security is one of the most important issues facing both web users and web developers. It becomes even more important when you're using a CMS such as Joomala!. In this article you'll find out how you can secure your Joomla! website.

Web Development Class: Adsense in Joomla!

One of the most common forms of advertising is the Adsense program by by Google. It's relatively easy to set up a variety of ad formats. In this article we're going to show you how to use the Google Adsense Easy Extension with Joomla!.

Editing CSS and Joomla! Templates: Logos and Banners

When you first start working with Joomla!, you're likely to start with a pre-designed template. In this article, I'll show you how to adjust the CSS top banner area of a template to accommodate the specifics of your logo and to allow for a banner advertisement. 

Web Developer School: Working with CSS in Joomla!

To become familiar with Joomla! CSS files, it’s important to learn how they differ from the typical CSS layout that you might be accustomed to working with for static HTML sites. In this tutorial we will get you up to speed when working with cascading style sheets in Joomla!

Content Management 101: Building a Joomla! Site

After many articles on how to use Joomla! now we're ready to actually build a site. In this tutorial we will begin the process of getting our website up to speed from a fresh installation of Joomla! 1.5.

Web Developer Class: How to Use Extensions in Joomla!

When you set up a site with Joomla! you have enough information to build a basic site, but if you want more options, you'll need to use extensions. In this article you'll learn how to browse the Joomla! extensions directory, and download, install and configure an extension.

A Web Developer Looks at PrestaShop, an Open Source Instant eShop Script

After struggling to use a CMS such as Drupal or Joomla! to create an ecommerce site, I came across PrestaShop, a free "instant storefront" CMS that seemed to have all the features I was looking for. In this review we'll take a look at PrestaShop, walk you through the installation process, and tell you what it can do. 

I Saw a Cool Font Online. How Do I Find Out What It Is?

Web Design Class: Customizing a Joomla! Template

In this article we pick up from where we left off in the last one and continue to customize our Joomla! template, changing the header image to suit our needs.

Creating a Site Map in Joomla! Using Xmap

Eventually, you'll want to start customizing your Joomla! site to suit your specific needs. To do this, you'll want to discover new components, plugins and modules. We'll start off with Xmap, a handy tool which automatically creates a site map of your website.

Web Developer Class: How to Use Templates in Joomla!

If you're using the Joomla! CMS, there are many templates available. You can design one on your own or hire a designer to make one for you. In this tutorial we're going to focus on how to use an existing template, rather than build one.

Web Design Class: How to Use Images in Joomla!

In this article you'll learn how to work with images and upload them into Joomla! using Joomla!'s Media Manager.

Web Developer Class: How to Manually Install Joomla! 1.6

At the beginning of this series, we looked at the minimum system requirements to install Joomla!. In this article you'll learn how to install Joomla! 1.6 manually on a hosted web server. 

Web Development 101: Designing Your Site for Google TV

Google TV is here, and despite the critics bashing it, Google is determined to make the Web on TV a big success. What they need is content. In this web development tutorial we're going to show you how to create websites for Google TV.

How Can I Make BB Code Display My Web Pages?

Discussion forums provide a way for people to discuss a myriad of topics, and provide marketers with a way to reach their audience. In this article you'll learn how to use what's called BB Code to display your website--on discussion forums.

Exploring the Joomla! Storage and Article System

One of the most important parts of a website is how the content is stored. In Joomla! there are two components that we'll look at here. These are: Storage and articles. 

Getting Started with Joomla!

If you've never heard of Joomla!, it's known as a CMS (content management system), which allows you to build complex web sites and run various applications. In this article we'll look at the many options for setting up Joomla! and how to configure the software.

Using the Joomla! CMS with Cloudaccess.net

In this article, we're going to walk you through the process of installing Joomla! using Cloudaccess.net, a virtual Joomla! application host.

Google Webmaster Tools: What Have You Done for Me Lately

Learn to use these free tools to help take your website traffic to the next level.

Live Sponsored Event: Web Development Is About to Get Easier

Join us of the live broadcast of a new product that contains everything you need to build Web sites using Windows. See how Microsoft WebMatrix can provide you with everything you need to start building Web sites from a development server to a Web framework to a database.

Firefox Extension for Web Development: Font Finder

Continuing with the series on Firefox extensions for web development, this article features the Font Finder add-on which allows developers to analyze font information on a Web page and modify it for demonstration purposes.

Firefox Extension for Web Development: Color That Site!

Continuing with the series on Firefox extensions for web development, this article features another design tool to help you conceptualize a Web page or site by dynamically modifying its colors. This is one sophisticated application.

Firefox Extension for Web Development: Dummy Lipsum

Continuing with the series on Firefox extensions for web development, let's look at an add-on to generate lorem ipsum, otherwise known as simulated text.

Firefox Extension for Web Development: LinkChecker

Continuing with the series on Firefox extensions for web development, let's look at an add-on that checks for broken links.

Website Coding: ASCII Special Characters

Many Content Management System (CMS) users who have entered what are referred to as "special characters" into the CMS have run into the situation where those characters do not show up as intended once they are live on the site. In this tutorial we'll show you the way they are supposed to appear, the numerical code and the hex code for these characters to avoid these problems in the future.

Six Web-based Tools for Web Developers

Web developers are, like everyone else, slowly getting used to the idea of doing things online, via web-based applications. For web developers, that means finding ways to handle their normal web dev tasks via any computer that has an up-to-date web browser. In this article we will take a look at some top-notch web-based tools for web developers.

vBulletin Publishing Suite 4.0 CMS: Removing Sections and Adding Widgets

Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing the vBulletin Publishing Suite 4.0 CMS right before it was officially released to the public. After working with it over the last year, I have some tips that will save you time and effort, including removing default sections and adding new widgets!

Discussion Forum Metrics and Tips for Website Developers

Having a popular discussion forum on your website can grow your site's community and keep visitors coming back. But how users utilize your site's forums may be directly tied to the subject matter of your site, rather than the design, number of ads or the forum's usability.

Firefox Extension for Web Development: Pixl Grabber

We've been looking at Firefox extensions for web developers, and we last looked at ColorZilla, an image editor extension. This time we're going to check out Pixl Grabber, a go-to tool for making screenshots of content within the browser viewport.

ColorZilla, a Firefox Extension for Web Development

We last looked at the Pixel Perfect extension for Firefox. This time we're going to look at ColorZilla, a Firefox extension that functions as a color selector with features that mimic those of Photoshop and other image editors!

Firefox Extension for Web Development: Pixel Perfect

In our last article we looked at the MeasureIt extension for Firefox. In this tutorial we look at Pixel Perfect, a great tool to help you conceptualize a look for your site (as designer) and perfect the designer's mockup (as developer).

MeasureIt: Another Firefox Extension for Web Developers

Last week in our ongoing series on Firefox extensions we looked at the Web Developer extension. This week we'll take a look at MeasureIt, a tool that enables developers to accurately measure items on a website.

Tools for Cross-browser Compatibility: Screen Capture

In our last article we discussed using live testing tools to aid in your cross-browser analysis. This article introduces a few screenshot sampling tools which can provide you with an unbiased look at how your website appears in multiple browsers.

Tools for Cross Browser Compatibility: Live Testing

Cross browser testing, through which you compare a website's look and performance among different browser versions and platforms, is an important and often frustrating task. This article introduces a few live testing tools to aid in your analysis.

Firefox Extensions for the Web Developer

In this series of articles, I will introduce a few Firefox extensions (also called "add-ons") to aid web development. The mini applications let you quickly evaluate and tweak your sites look and performance. This week we look at the popular Web Developer extension.

WordPress For the Web Developer: Join The Social World With BuddyPress

WordPress is not only one of the world's most popular blogging tools, it's also a solid platform on which to base news and even commerce sites. Enter BuddyPress, first released in 2009, which has since taken the WordPress community by storm as a social networking plugin.

Top 10 Productivity Tips for Web Developers

Web development is about many things: concept, design, development, testing and much more. In this article we're going to look at a variety of tips to help you throughout the design process.

Web Developer Class: How to Create Consistent Web Layouts

Web page design has become quite complicated due to the rapid advances in technology. Still, you can make your life much easier if you plan your web site in advance of building it. In this tutorial are some tips to help you with the design process.

A Web Developer Looks at Adobe Dreamweaver CS5

It's been many years since I reviewed the previous version of Dreamweaver (CS3) and I have been looking forward to the updates in this application. In this review we'll take a look at several important updates, including enhanced CSS starter layouts, comprehensive CSS support and integration with Adobe BrowserLab.

An Overview of Open Web Applications for Developers

You may have heard about Google's coming venture in web-based applications. Now Mozilla has announced it will be opening its own Open Web App Store where similar apps will be available. So just what are these web apps? They are applications that are made using the core technologies of the web: HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

Top Five Web Hosting Companies for Web Developers

At some point most web developers will be in the position of having to either provide hosting for their clients' websites, or they will need to know which web hosts to to recommend to their clients. This article will tell you about five of the most reliable, economical and dependable web hosts out there who cater to web developers.

Drupal 7 Beta: A Developer Looks at Themes and Modules

Last week we took a look at the beta release of Drupal 7, a long awaited update to one of the most popular open source content management systems (CMS) today. This week we're going to take a look at Drupal 7's themes and modules!

Featured Drupal Module: Taxonomy Image

The Drupal module "Taxonomy Image" enables a site builder to associate an image for dispaly with a taxonomy term, without the need to modify any template files.