Dreamweaver - How To Format Text
Formatting text in Dreamweaver is similar to using a standard word processor. You can set default formatting styles (Paragraph, Heading 1, Heading 2, and so on) for a block of text, change the font, size, color, and alignment of selected text, or apply text styles such as bold, italic, code (monospace), and underline. Dreamweaver offers several ways for you to add and format text in a document.
All MRI templated sites utilize custom CSS for text formatting. CSS gives greater control over web page design, while providing improved features for accessibility and reduced file size. By separating visual design elements (fonts, colors, margins, and so on) from the structural logic of a web page, CSS gives web designers visual and typographic control without sacrificing the integrity of the content. CSS defines the formatting for all text in a particular class or redefines the formatting for a particular HTML tag (such as h1, h2, p, or li).
Text format can be defined through the Text menu, and through the Properties Bar (above). Simply highlight the text you want to format, and click on the option desired. Below are the fomatting options available on the Properties panel.
Format: Lets you select from preformatted text styles. You will find all the 'Heading' styles here.
NOTE: Heading 1 is to be used for page titles only. Please use one of the other choices for page content headings.
Font: Lets you select a set of fonts. There are fonts sets because it's possible that if you set just one font, the user could not have that font on their computer. If you select a set of fonts, and the user doesn't have one of them, another will be applied from the set. For example, if you choose "Arial, Helvetia, Sans-serif," you'll see the text with Arial font, but if it doesn't exist on a user's computer, they'll see the text in Helvetia, and so on.
NOTE: Since all MRI site designs utilize CSS to format text, you should NOT use or set any font choices when working with a templated site. All editable areas within the template already have a font assigned.
Size: Lets you change the text size. You can indicate the size in different units, such as pixels, centimeters, etc..
NOTE: Since all MRI site designs utilize CSS to format text, you should NOT set any new font size when working with a templated site. All editable areas within the template already have a font size assigned. Choose "Heading 5" if you need the text be larger than the default.
Color: Lets you select a font color, ignoring the defined color. The text color is black by default.
NOTE: Since all MRI site designs utilize CSS to format text, you should NOT set any new font color when working with a templated site. All editable areas within the template already have a font color assigned. Choose from Heading 2, Heading 3, and Heading 4 if you need color.
Style: This button lets you choose a CSS style from the attached CSS.
NOTE: Included in the list are styles which are not meant for text. With a templated site, you should have little use for this button.
Bold & Italic : These buttons let you establish whether the text will be bold or italic. Through the Text menu you can also underline the text and do many other things not available on the Properties panel.
Align: Use these buttons to establish the text aligment in four different ways: (in order of appearance) left, center, right and justified.
List: These buttons allow you to create bullet lists, or enumerated ones. For more list formatting options go to Text >List>Properties.
Text Indent: These two buttons let you set, or clear the text indent. The text indent is a kind of margin which is established at both sides of a block of text.
