Can't use DW WYSIWYG with php?

Hi,

I'm a graphic designer who has used Dreamweaver for years to design HTML and CSS. I am comfortable jumping back and forth between code and design views to manipulate the code as needed.

I have a new co-collaborator on a project who is extremely knowledgeable about backend/programming stuff (I'm not) and he cut up my original HTML files and turned them into .php files. For efficiency, he is using include files all over the place, which I can totally understand.

However, as I'm way more comfortable designing visually, with the awesome help of DW CS4's interface and code navigator, I feel like I'm floundering trying to manipulate the design now that I'm working with the includes.

I successfully installed XAMPP and am able to view the "complete" web page design using //localhost, or  if I'm using "Live View," however, that's the only way to see it all come together. Also, I am now unable to use the code navigator to jump right to the CSS for any given item. Basically, I feel like everything has to be hand coded and previewed in the browser for every single change.

Am I missing something here? Now that all the files are set up as .php, can I no longer use the WYSIWYG features of DW???

Someone pleeeeeease tell me I just need to set some sort of preference. I really need to be able to work these pages as if they are just HTML, with full DW interface "hand-holding" so to speak.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

-Karen