Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 and Databases

If you've chosen Dreamweaver MX 2004 for developing your web sites but need to get across the "great divide" from static to dynamic sites, Sean Nicholson's book will guide you skillfully across in the shortest possible time and distance.To keep things in perspective, learning how to develop dynamic web sites involves application server (ColdFusion, ASP, etc.) and database technologies (Access, SQL Server, etc.) in addition to your present use of web server technologies (XHTML, CSS, etc.). Learning how to do so quickly while addressing real world issues like database security, application and server choices, and related concerns is no small undertaking. The journey, without the assistance of a skillful guide, can take months or years, mostly because most books on this topic are either too light or heavy on the topic.As an entrepreneur seeking the fastest and most skillful route across these technologies, I estimate this book will save me several months on the learning curve. Essentially, Sean guides you through increasingly complex exercises that demonstrate and point the way to how you can build your own dynamic sites using the same skills and knowledge.I give the book high praise for both its business savvy in providing an overview in Part I and the comprehensive, industrial strength exercises in Parts II/III. However, in order to spare you months on the learning curve and to keep you moving forward, the author has had to assume a certain level of skill on your part, including the ability to troubleshoot problems with your code. In the world of dynamic sites, even the smallest piece of wrong code can stop you in your tracks until you resolve the error. And while I have found the exercises to be comprehensive and virtually error free, keep in mind that to show every dialogue box or key stroke would require a volume 3x its present size.Ready for the adventure of crossing over to dynamic sites? Buy the book, roll up your sleeves, and start the journey!

`To know how to do something is to enjoy it", this was said by the Nobel laureate Pearl Buck. This line I found in the introduction pages of the book before going through the book. This really impressed me as I also have same thoughts about learning, hence moved ahead and enjoyed reading through these pages. The author has written the book in a very interactive way and the best thing is that he is himself a developer, hence has hands on experience of developing the Applications and also is aware of the pitfalls one falls into. So at every point he even advises about such problems. The book is truly a very easy learning path for the beginners. If you have thorough knowledge of Dreamweaver and have worked on earlier version i.e. Dreamweaver MX and are new to Databases, then this is a perfect book. All new and complicated topics related to Dynamic Applications, Database management etc has been taken in a very systematic and easy to understand way. The topics are explained in point form step by step and then the related exercise is given, so that the reader does them and keep learning about them.The book has everything that a beginner would need for developing Dynamic Application, starting from choosing the right tool, to understanding the backend processes involved in the Database-Driven Applications etc. The book also helps you in planning your Application development and explains the Security issue your application would need. All the major technical issues like Building Database for Dynamic Applications and Web Applications, has been very well explained and in a very interactive way. You can begin the actual hands-on process of using Dreamweaver MX 2004, Access, and ASP.NET to build an intranet and, later, SQL Server and ColdFusion to build an organizational Web site. Author has also included all of the code and other information necessary to build the book's demo applications.Conclusively I strongly think this book is a great starting point for web developers who may have been a bit hesitant to move into dynamic database-driven sites. Written for at least moderately experienced developers, the book doesn't waste time with too much 'catch up' information and definitions. This book is going to be an excellent resource that I envision being referenced again and again. Categorically I find the last chapter, which will help you in building your online catalog so that you are engaged in E Commerce. All difficult topics are explained in an easy way.

For helping users of DreamweaverMX to start developing dynamic web sites, this book is right on target. It is a good read that eases you into the waters of developing database driven web sites. The way it is written is very easy to follow and understand, and its follow-along nature encourages a hands-on approach, which is really the best way to learn dynamic development.For any current Dreamweaver MX user wanting help getting their head around developing dynamic sites, I'd highly recommend this book. You can dive into the more language specific books later, but to get started, this is a very good choice!

I found this book to be an excellent hands-on introduction to creating database-driven intranet/Web applications using Dreamweaver MX 2004, ASP.NET or ColdFusion, and Microsoft Access or SQL Server. Though intended primarily for beginning web-application developers, intermediate developers should find it a solid refresher ... and learn some new, useful tips/techniques along the way.ProsAs we've come to expect from New Riders, this book is very nicely produced. It has a great feel and look to it: Not too hefty (432 pages), sits comfortably fully open on a desk (perfect for reading the hands-on procedures at your computer), nicely laid out with enough white space to please the eyes, loaded with useful sidebar tips, logically organized, well indexed.The writing is clear, concise, and trust-inspiring. The hands-on procedures are structured in incremental, easy-to-follow steps with plenty of screenshots to keep you on track.The author, Sean Nicholson, is a seasoned network administrator and developer with experience in front- and back-end Web-site creation and maintenance. His stated goal is to help the reader 'build the skills you need to ... make yourself more marketable.' And he succeeds admirably.By performing the hands-on procedures in the book, you will create two substantial applications from scratch that you can use as templates for your real-world projects: An intranet application using Access, ASP.NET or ColdFusion, and Dreamweaver MX 2004; and a Web application using SQL Server, ASP.NET or ColdFusion, and Dreamweaver MX 2004.ConsJust one: Although the book mentions other dynamic application platforms (ASP, PHP, JSP) and database management systems (MySQL, DB2, Oracle, PostgreSQL), it doesn't actually use any of them in its hands-on procedures. So, if you intend to steer clear of ASP.NET/ColdFusion and Access/SQL Server, this probably isn't the book for you.Rick Scott

I am a Web developer working primarily in ColdFusion and am looking at developing some applications on the ASP.NET platform as well. I need a book that provided me with the fundamentals of .NET fast, and what I found in this book was perfect. The book shows how to build each piece of the larger application using both the ColdFusion and ASP.NET platforms. Because I already understand CF, I was able to leverage that knowledge to better undestand what is required in ASp.NET to accomplish the same task. And boy and I'm glad this book covers both platforms. For you CF developers expecting to make an easy transition to ASP.NET...it's a whole new world out there!Anyway, the pros of the book are that it is easy to read and the author writes in a helpful tone. The cons of the book are that each chapter leaves you having to complete the project using the skills you learned in the chapter. I guess it's necessary to keep the book from being something no one could carry, let alone read. The only other con is that it left out JSP and PHP, but most of the topics are portable to those platforms. The book was great and will stay on my bookshelf for future reference.