Glossary
absolute path (or absolute URL) A type of path that contains all the information necessary to retrieve a file on the Internet, including the domain name.
accessibility The concept of creating websites so that users with impairments are not prevented from finding resources and information, and that they enjoy content similar to what other visitors enjoy.
ActiveX Software components used in browsers (traditionally Internet Explorer, but also others) to display embedded web content. Most often, ActiveX controls install additional functionality into the browser, such as the capability to play Flash or Shockwave content.
.aiff file An audio file format that is popular on the Mac. .aiff files are usually too large to deliver over the Internet.
AJAX An acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a web development technique that enables data to change on a web page without reloading the page.
alt (alternative) text An attribute of an image or imagemap hotspot that contains a text description of a graphic. Alt text is useful for viewers with text-only browsers and visually impaired viewers using text readers.
antialias To blend the edges of text or an image with its background so that it looks smoother.
AP Div A container that has positioning, visibility, and z-index attributes. Layers are elements of DHTML, and used in Dreamweaver timelines (animations). Most layers are created by using the HTML tags <div> and </div>.
API (application programming interface) An interface between the user and an application that enables you, the developer, to change the user interface with scripting or another application.
applet A small application, written in Java, which is embedded in a web page and requires the user to have the plug-in control installed. An applet can perform calculations, display graphics, and do other simple tasks without accessing the server.
ASP (Active Server Pages) A web technology containing server-side scripts that run primarily on Microsoft web servers. These files use the .asp extension and contain HTML mixed with server-side VBScript or JScript (JavaScript) code.
ASP.NET The next generation of ASP available from Microsoft is used to write server-side web applications and web services. It creates dynamic web pages scripted in either Visual Basic .NET or C#.
asset One of a variety of files stored in a website, such as images, movies, and scripts. You can use the Assets panel in Dreamweaver to view your site’s assets.
Assets panel A Dreamweaver panel that displays all the images, URLs, colors, movies, scripts, templates, and library items in a site.
attribute A property or characteristic of an object or an HTML tag.
Authorware Web Player A player that enables a user to play Adobe Authorware files in a web browser. Developers use Authorware to create training applications.
Autoplay A setting that makes a Flash movie play automatically when the web page loads in the browser.
Autostretch A setting in Dreamweaver’s Layout view that makes a table column stretch to fit the web browser window.
.avi file A sound and movie file format that requires a special player. .avi files are usually too large to deliver over the Internet.
background image An attribute that specifies an image, usually repeated, to appear as the background in a web page, a table, a layer, or another object in a web page.
bandwidth The rate at which the current connection supports the transmission and reception of data.
behavior A combination of JavaScript code added to a web page and an event, such as a mouse click, that triggers the JavaScript. You add behaviors in Dreamweaver using the Behaviors panel.
body The part of a web page that contains all the visible content, such as images, text, tables, and other visual elements. The HTML tags for the body are <body> and </body>.
breadcrumbs A navigational technique that displays visited sections of the website leading from the home page to the currently viewed page. Typically placed near the top of a web page, breadcrumbs link all sections for easy backward navigation.
broadband An Internet connection that enables faster data transfer. DSL and cable TV are broadband services.
browser cache The directory on a user’s hard drive where web pages and related files are stored to be viewed by the web browser.
browser events Signals from the browser that something has happened within a web page, either triggered by the user (such as the onClick event) or triggered by the page (such as the onLoad event).
bulleted list (or unordered list) A list of items preceded by bullet symbols. The HTML tags for an unordered list are <ul> and </ul>.
button down state The state of a button that is in the down position after the user clicks it.
Button object An object that inserts a submit, reset, or generic button.
button over state A button state that appears when the cursor is rolled over the button.
button up state A button state that is in the up position.
C# An object-oriented programming language from Microsoft that is designed to work with Microsoft’s .NET platform.
cable modem A technology for a high-bandwidth Internet connection over a cable TV line.
cell A single field in a table. The HTML tags for a cell are <td> and </td>.
cell padding The space between the cell content and the cell border.
cell spacing The space between adjoining table cells.
Center Align A setting that centers the selected text in the middle of a container such as a web page or table cell.
CFML (ColdFusion Markup Language) A technology from Adobe for building websites that integrate with databases. These pages require the installation of Adobe ColdFusion Server on the web server. A variety of web servers can use this technology.
CGI (Common Gateway Interface) script A standard way to process a user’s request to a web server to receive data back or process the data (by sending it to an email address, for instance).
cgi-bin The directory where CGI scripts are kept on most servers.
check box A square box that can be checked on or off.
class selector A type of CSS style that can be applied to multiple elements on a page. A class selector name always begins with a period. You apply a class selector by using the class attribute.
client-side imagemap An imagemap for which all the code is located within the web page, requiring no interaction with a server for the hyperlinks to work. Dreamweaver creates client-side imagemaps, not server-side imagemaps.
client-side script A script that resides within the web page and executes on the user’s computer without contacting the server.
Code view A view in the Document window that displays the code of a web page.
Coder workspace The workspace that approximates the HomeSite workspace and that shows the panel groups on the left with the Code view initially shown.
Collapse button A button within the bar that separates the Document window and the panel groups that collapses all the panel groups and expands the Document window. An additional collapse button between the Document window and the Properties inspector functions the same way.
Color Cubes palette The default web-safe palette, which is arranged numerically.
column A vertical group of cells in a table.
comment Code that isn’t displayed in a web page and that looks like this: <!--comment here-->. Using comments is a way of embedding information within the code of a web page without having it visible on the web page.
context menu A menu that contains commands applicable to the object that was selected when the menu was launched.
Contextual selector A CSS selector consisting of several selectors. To apply, the instance must exactly match the tag hierarchy listed. For instance, the contextual selector defined as “table a” applies only to hyperlinks contained within tables.
Continuous Tone palette A web-safe palette that is arranged by color tone.
CourseBuilder A free extension to Dreamweaver that creates interactions suitable for eLearning applications. Interaction categories include multiple choice, drag-and-drop, text entry, and explore questions, along with button, slider, and timer controls.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) A set of format definitions that determine how a given element appears in a web browser.
Date object An object that inserts the current date at the insertion point.
Design view A view in the Document window that displays the web page similarly to how it displays in a web browser.
Designer workspace The default WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) workspace in Dreamweaver that enables you to design web pages within an environment that displays the pages similarly to how they appear in a web browser.
DHTML (Dynamic HTML) A collection of technologies used together to produce interactive web pages. The three main components of DHTML are layers, CSS, and JavaScript.
document-relative path A type of path that is relative to the location of the current document, allowing you to transfer the files to a server and have the links remain constantly relative.
Document window This is the part of the Dreamweaver interface that displays the web page, enabling you to build and edit it.
Draw Layout Cell object An object that draws a table cell while you’re in Layout view.
Draw Layout Table object An object that draws a table while you’re in Layout view.
DSL (digital subscriber line) A high-bandwidth Internet connection over a telephone line.
dynamic web pages Web pages that are built on the web server by inserting content drawn from databases and controlled by server-side scripts.
Element selector A selector redefining an HTML tag.
Email Link object An object that adds a hyperlink launching an empty email message window addressed to a specific email address when clicked.
expanded Files panel An expanded view of the Files panel that divides the window into two sides to display either the local and remote files or the site map.
Expander arrow The arrow in the upper-left corner of a panel group that expands and collapses the panel group.
extension One of a number of new features that can be installed into Dreamweaver by using the Extension Manager application.
fieldset A form object that groups related form fields together by drawing a box around them.
File field A form field that enables the user to upload a file.
Files panel The Dreamweaver panel used to plan, create, and manage the files and directories in a website.
firewall Hardware or software located on a network server or a personal computer that protects users on a private network from users on other networks.
Fireworks An image-editing program from Adobe that excels at creating, slicing, and optimizing web graphics.
Fireworks HTML object HTML that has been exported from Adobe Fireworks.
Flash An Adobe program that creates vector-based animations that can be embedded into web pages and viewed in a browser with the Flash player.
Flash Button object One of a number of buttons that is configurable in Dreamweaver. Flash Button objects are Flash .swf files. These buttons include the standard button states and can use various fonts. Many of the Flash buttons include animation.
Flash object An object that places an Adobe Flash movie at the insertion point.
Flash Text object One of a number of types of text that is configurable in Dreamweaver. Flash Text objects are Flash .swf files. This text enables you to use various fonts in Dreamweaver without having those fonts available on the user’s system.
font A set of text characters in a specific style and size.
form An object that enables the collection of information from website visitors via input elements such as text fields and radio buttons.
frame One of multiple, separately controlled web pages contained in a single web browser window.
frameset The web page that defines the size, orientation, and source web page for each of the individual frames it contains.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) An Internet protocol used to exchange files among computers over the Internet.
GIF A standard web graphic format good for line art that contains large blocks of the same color. This format also enables image animation and transparency.
grayscale palette A palette consisting of 256 tones of gray. It is not a web-safe palette.
gripper A dotted area, in the upper-left corner of a panel group, which enables you to drag the panel group in and out of its docked position.
H space The horizontal space to the left and the right of an image, measured in pixels.
head An element of a web page that’s not visible in the browser but that contains information and code (JavaScript, styles, meta tags, and so on).
header The top row or leftmost column, which describes the content of the column or row.
heading A type of text that is wrapped in one of six levels of HTML heading tags, <h1></h1> (largest) through <h6></h6> (smallest).
hexadecimal A base-16 numbering system used to describe RGB (red, green, blue) values of colors. Hexadecimal numbers contain the numerals 0–9 and the letters A–F.
hidden field A field not visible to the user and that contains information to be submitted with the other form elements.
home page The web page that is the entry point for the website.
horizontal rule A line across the page.
hotspot A region on an imagemap that has specific coordinates and contains a hyperlink.
.htm or .html file An HTML file that is viewable in a web browser.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) A language that consists of paired and individual markup tags and is used to create web pages.
Hyperlink object An object that inserts a hyperlink, including the text and the link location.
id selector A type of CSS style that can be applied to a single item in a web page. An id selector name always begins with the # symbol. You apply it using the id attribute.
image A file that contains graphical information and is loaded into a web page by a web browser. The HTML tag for an image is the single <img/> tag.
Image field An image that acts as a submit button in a form.
Image object An object that places an image in a web format at the insertion point.
Image Placeholder object An image that inserts a placeholder for an image to be added to the web page later.
imagemap An image that has regions defined as hyperlinks. These regions can be circular, rectangular, or polygonal.
inline style A CSS style that is defined within the actual tag.
Insert bar A Dreamweaver interface component that contains buttons for inserting objects into web pages. The Insert bar contains all the same objects as the Insert menu.
insertion point A blinking cursor that marks the location where new content is inserted into a web page.
invisible element A visible representation in Dreamweaver of an object that is not visible in the web page, such as forms and named anchors.
Java A programming language, developed by Sun Microsystems, which can be used to program applications and create applets.
JavaScript An interpreted scripting language, originally developed by Netscape, which is used to add scripted functionality to web pages. Dreamweaver inserts JavaScript automatically by using behaviors. JavaScript is in no way related to the Java programming language.
JPEG (or JPG) A standard web graphic format good for photographs and images containing color gradients.
JSP (JavaServer Pages) A scripting language that is embedded in web pages and processed by servlets on the server. A variety of web servers can use this technology.
jump menu A drop-down menu within a form that enables viewers to navigate to multiple hyperlinks on the Web.
Justify Align A setting that distributes the selected text across a container, such as a web page or a table cell, so that it forms a clean left and right margin.
keyframe A special frame in an animation (a timeline in Dreamweaver) where attributes of an object can be changed.
keyword A type of meta tag that contains keywords used by search engines to index the content on the page.
label A text description added to a form element that contributes to an accessible web page.
LAN (local area network) A group of computers connected together to share data, applications, and other resources.
Layer object An object that turns the cursor into a marquee tool to draw a layer onto the Document window.
Layout view A view in Dreamweaver that enables you to draw cells and tables.
Layout View button A button, in the Insert bar, which enables you to display tables containing selectable cells with tables outlined in green and cells outlined in blue.
Left Align A setting that aligns the selected text with the left margin of a container such as a web page or a table cell.
Library An Assets panel category that stores web page objects, such as tables, images, or blocks of formatted text, to reuse throughout a website.
Line Numbers A setting that turns on line numbers to the left of the lines of code in Code view.
List/Menu object An object that inserts a list or a drop-down menu into a form using the <select></select> tag.
Live Data view A view that is used in dynamic websites to display live data from a database in the Document window.
local site The development computer on which website files are located.
loop To repeat playing an audio clip or a movie file.
MacOS palette A palette consisting of the 256 colors in the Macintosh OS palette. This is not a web-safe palette.
meta tag An HTML tag that encodes web page information that is usually used to index the page in Internet search engines.
MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) A compact sound format for recording and playing back music on digital synthesizers.
.mov file An Apple QuickTime sound and movie file format that requires a player capable of playing QuickTime files.
.mp3 file An audio file format that can create small, high-quality files. It is a popular audio format on the Internet.
multimedia A combination of multiple media, such as images, text, sounds, and video.
named anchor An invisible element that is used to create hyperlinks within a web page.
Named Anchor object An object that places a named anchor at the insertion point.
Navigation Bar object An object that inserts a set of button images to be used for navigating throughout a website.
nested list A list within another list.
nested table A table within another table.
NoFrames content HTML that is displayed when the viewer does not have a frames-capable browser.
Noscript A command that inserts the <noscript></noscript> tags around HTML code displayed by browsers that do not support scripts.
null link A simple JavaScript statement placed as a link that has no response when the user clicks the link. This is useful when using a link to trigger a Dreamweaver behavior. Enter javascript:; in the link box in the Property inspector to create a null link.
numbered list (or ordered list) A list of items preceded by numbers or letters. The HTML tags for an ordered list are <ol> and </ol>.
page layout The design and positioning of text and images on a web page.
palette A set of colors available in Dreamweaver from the color picker.
panel group A set of panels that are grouped together in the Dreamweaver interface.
PDF (Portable Document Format) A file format for encoding printable documents with fonts and navigation elements. You can create these files with Adobe Acrobat and view them through Adobe Reader.
PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) A scripting language embedded in web pages and processed by the server. This technology is freely available as open source software and works on a variety of web servers.
playback head An indicator that shows the current frame in a Dreamweaver timeline.
player A third-party program, in the plug-in or ActiveX format, used to display nonstandard content in a web browser.
Plugin object An object that places any file requiring a browser plug-in at the insertion point.
plug-in A type of player used in Netscape and other browsers to display nonstandard web content.
PNG (Portable Networking Graphics) A standard web graphic format developed to replace the GIF format. Like the GIF format, the PNG format is good for line art containing large blocks of color and offers advanced transparency options.
pop-up message A JavaScript alert message created by the Popup Message behavior in Dreamweaver.
Property inspector A panel that enables you to set properties for the selected object. The Property inspector presents the properties of the object currently selected in the Document window.
protocol A method of transferring information over the Internet. Examples are HTTP for web pages and FTP for file transfer.
Quick Tag Editor An editor that enables you to edit the content of a single tag.
QuickTime Player A player created by Apple for viewing QuickTime sounds and movies, along with many other formats.
radio button A circular button inserted as a group into a form.
radio button group A group of radio buttons that acts as a mutually exclusive group, enabling only one button in the group to be selected at one time.
RDS (Remote Directory Services) A method of exchanging files on a ColdFusion server with a local site.
RealMedia Multimedia content encoded with one of the methods available from RealNetworks and played with a RealPlayer application.
relative path A type of path that does not contain all the information necessary to get to the object but instead creates an address relative to the object’s location. A relative path can be relative to a document’s location (see document-relative path) or the website (see site root-relative path).
remote site The website located on a remote computer, usually a web server or staging area where groups can share project files.
Right Align A setting that aligns the selected text with the right margin of a container such as a web page or a table cell.
rollover An image effect in which one image is swapped with another image when the cursor rolls over it.
Rollover Image object An object that contains two images. One is the regular image and the other is the image that appears when the user puts his cursor over the image.
row A horizontal group of cells in a table.
rule (CSS Rule) The pairing of a property and a value to define a selector in CSS (an example is h1 {color:red}). CSS styles can have multiple rules.
sans serif font A font without the curved details, called serifs. Arial is one example of a sans serif font.
screen resolution The number of pixels displayed on the horizontal and vertical axes of a monitor screen. Common screen resolutions are 800×600 and 1024×768.
script A block of coded instructions.
Section 508 Compliance Section 508 of the United States government’s Rehabilitation Act of 1973 mandates that government sites using technology must be accessible to those with disabilities. Compliance with this law is required for those delivering technology-based products, such as websites, to the United States government.
serif font A font with curved details, called serifs. Times New Roman is an example of a serif font.
selector The part of a CSS style that selects the part of the web page to which to apply the selector’s rules. Element selectors usually apply to individual HTML tags, id selectors apply to objects with a certain id attribute, and class selectors apply to objects with a certain class attribute.
server-side imagemap An imagemap in which the code is located on the server. The web page makes contact with the server to resolve the hyperlink. In Dreamweaver-generated client-side imagemaps, the map instructions are located within the web page.
server-side script A script that resides on a web server and executes on the server.
servlet A small program that runs on the server and processes script commands.
.shtml file A file that contains a server-side include.
Shockwave Specially prepared Adobe Director movies that play in web pages by using the Shockwave player.
Shockwave object An object that places a Shockwave movie at the insertion point.
site definition The description of the configuration, directory structure, and preferences for a particular website.
Site Definition Wizard A Dreamweaver wizard that guides you through the naming and configuration of a site definition.
site root–relative path A path to a file that is relative to the root of a website. This type of path works only on a properly configured web server.
snippet Stored content that can easily be inserted into web pages. Snippets are stored and accessed from the Snippets panel in Dreamweaver and are a handy place to store chunks of frequently used code.
Spry framework A library of client-side JavaScript libraries that enable adding effects, content presentation widgets (like tabbed panels), and widgets that present XML data in a web page.
Spry widget An object added to a web page that depends on the Spry framework to work. Widgets require that you copy the supporting JavaScript and CSS files into the website.
SSI (server-side include) A variable that is inserted into a web page and processed by a web server. A common use of an SSI is to load a header or footer from a separate file into the page at request time.
Standard view The view in Dreamweaver in which tables are displayed as grids and cannot be drawn.
Standard View button A button that displays tables as grids of cells.
static web pages Web pages that can be displayed without any additional processing by the server.
status bar The bar at the bottom of the Dreamweaver window containing the tag selector, the window size drop-down menu, and the document size.
.swf file A Flash file that is viewable in the Flash player. You cannot edit a .swf file in Flash.
table A data structure that is made up of rows and cells and is used to organize information or a page layout.
Table object An object that creates a table at the insertion point.
Tabular Data object An object that creates a table at the insertion point and that is populated with data from an imported data file.
tag An HTML element descriptor that is either a single tag or a pair of tags surrounding content. HTML tags are contained in angle brackets (for example, <table> and </table>).
tag selector An element in the Dreamweaver interface, located in the status bar, that presents the hierarchy of tags, enabling you to select a tag and its contents.
targeting Creating a link that loads a web page into a specific frame in a frameset. There are four target reserve words: _top, _self, _parent, and _blank. The _blank target opens the web page in a new browser window.
template A special type of web page that is used in Dreamweaver to create locked and editable regions. Templates enable you to control the layout of content and help to ensure consistency and ease updating multiple web pages at one time.
text field A single-line form field for collecting text in a form.
textarea A multiline form field for collecting text in a form.
tiling When an image repeats within a web page or a container. The image repeats both horizontally and vertically.
title The name of a web page that appears in the title bar of the browser and is saved as a favorite or bookmark. The HTML tags for title are <title> and </title> and they are held in the head of the web page.
title bar The bar at the top of the window that contains the filename and other window controls.
TTS (Text-To-Speech) browser A browser that synthesizes voice output allowing people with visual impairments or reading disabilities to listen to the content of web pages.
URL (uniform resource locator) The address of a file accessible on the Internet.
V space The vertical space on the top and bottom of an image, measured in pixels.
VB (Visual Basic) A programming environment from Microsoft that is used to create code written in BASIC.
VBScript An interpreted scripting language that is a subset of Microsoft’s Visual Basic language. Developers commonly use VBScript when scripting ASP code.
visibility An attribute of a layer that enables the content of that layer to be either visible or hidden on the web page.
Visual Basic .NET The next generation of Visual Basic, used to write Windows applications, ASP.NET web applications, and ASP.NET web services. The primary alternative .NET language to Visual Basic .NET is C#.
VSS (Visual SourceSafe) A version-control program, from Microsoft, which is used to share files in a group.
W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) A group that develops standards and specifications for web technologies. W3C is a forum for information, commerce, communication, and collective understanding. The website is located at www.w3c.org.
web-safe palette A group of 212 colors that can be displayed in both Internet Explorer and Netscape on both Windows and the Macintosh machines running in 256-color mode (8-bit color).
web server The computer hardware where web pages are stored and accessed by others using a web browser.
WebDAV A standard version-control system used to exchange files over the Internet.
Welcome screen The screen that you see when you initially open Dreamweaver and the screen that is displayed when you do not have any files open in Dreamweaver. The Welcome screen lists recently opened files and enables you to quickly create new files.
widget See Spry widget.
Windows Media Player A player created by Microsoft to view many formats of audio and video files.
Windows OS palette A palette that consists of the 256 colors in the Windows palette. This is not a web-safe palette.
Word Wrap A setting that wraps the lines of HTML code in Code view.
workspace The Dreamweaver user interface. In Dreamweaver for Windows there are two workspace choices: an integrated interface and a floating interface. The workspace on the Mac uses the floating interface.
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) A graphical interface that presents a web page that is very close to what appears in the web browser. Pronounced “wiz-ee-wig.”
XHTML (Extensible Hypertext Markup Language) A more structured version of HTML that applies the strict syntax rules of XML to HTML. XHTML supports user-created tags for storing and structuring data within web pages. The document type definition in Dreamweaver uses transitional XHTML, so Dreamweaver inserts XHTML tags into web pages by default.
XML (Extensible Markup Language) A structured, tag-based language for describing data. XML describes data but not the way that data displays.
z-index An attribute of a layer that enables the content of a layer to be stacked above objects with z-index attributes lower in value.