Inserting AP Div into dreamweaver page

[binkyrar]

I have version 21.3 of Dreamweaver. I cannot find how to insert an AP or "floating" Div into a page. It used to be part of the drop down menu for "INSERT" but I can't find it anywhere and the online chat people are clueless. And there is no phone support for DW. HELP!

[Nancy OShea · Accepted solution]

That option is deprecated.   Adobe saw fit to remove Layers (AP Divs) from Dreamweaver 10 years ago because it was bad web design.

See this related discussion for more details.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/dreamweaver-discussions/o%C3%B9-se-trouve-quot-layer-quot-quot-calque...

[binkyrar]

You know, all I ever used this feature for (I've been using dreamweaver for 15 years) was to insert a small "floating" balloon with a marketing message. Very effective, no issues or problems. You'd think I was trying launch a space ship. I have no idea what the flaws of such a DIV were but it was a simple that I found useful. And now it's unavailble for me to insert. I'm not a coder, that's why I use Dreamweaver. But it seems such a huge deal to want to find a feature that was once available and useful.

[L e n a · Accepted solution]

Indeed, direct access via the menu and property inspector have been removed for several versions now.

If you want to use floating elements and/or absolute positioning (AP), you'll have to do so in code. It's not very complicated, and you'll find good explanations on MDN https://developer.mozilla.org/fr/docs/Web/CSS/position.

Beware, however, that a common error is that elements positioned Absolute are positioned in relation to their first explicitly positioned parent. For this reason, it's often usual to position the referent container with a Relative position, which doesn't vary its position in the flow, but provides a defined anchor for the child block to be positioned abolutely.

[binkyrar]

Sorry, not a coder, so not helpful. I use Dreamweaver because I have a simple website for my small business and I know how to use it. All these great minds and no one has a simple solution or fix.

[Nancy OShea]

Sorry, not a coder, so not helpful.

By @binkyrar

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Therein lies the problem.  Coding tools like Dreamweaver assume you have basic coding skills.  In the absence of coding skills, you shouldn't be using a code editor. 

Switch to an online site builder that allows you to create sites with drag & drop ease of use.  You'll be less frustrated and your new site will be mobile-friendly.

ONLINE SITE BUILDERS:
-- Squarespace - https://www.squarespace.com/
-- Webflow - https://webflow.com
-- Wix - https://www.wix.com/
-- WordPress (open source) - https://wordpress.org/

Hope that helps.

[binkyrar]

Are you kidding me?? I've been doing my own website for 15+ years. My website has nearly 1000 pages. Do you think I'm going to start over with some lame online website builder. God, this forum is ridiculous. You shouldn't be giving advice about how people should run their busienss. And Dreamweaver was never marketed a coder's application. It was marketed at the time to people like me. And I'm still using it, just wishing to find a solution to one feature that is no longer available. NOT helpful. Is there anyone else out there with a work around or solution?

[BenPleysier]

God, this forum is ridiculous. Is there anyone else out there with a work around or solution?

By @binkyrar

What do you want? Both @Nancy OShea and @L e n a have given you the correct workaround yet you refuse to take their advice.

AP;s are gone, past tense, never to come back. Take it or leave it.

[Nancy OShea]

My website has nearly 1000 pages. Do you think I'm going to start over...

By @binkyrar

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A 1000 page static website built with outdated code & software is unfit for use in 2023.  You really should have switched to a database-driven CMS site 950 pages ago. But you didn't.

Nobody can turn the clock back to a previous time & technology.  It's impossible.  For what it's worth, I still have music on cassettes & movies on VHS tapes.  Unfortunately, the technology to play them no longer exists.  And so it is with websites.  Nothing remains the same.  You have to be able to pivot to new solutions if you're going to stay in the game.

If you can't or won't learn HTML (content) & it's relationship with CSS (styles), I fear your current site will languish because you lack the skills to maintain it.

https://www.w3schools.com/html/

https://www.w3schools.com/css/

Rebuilding your site with a database driven CMS like WordPress is probably your best long term option.   810 million websites use WordPress and most reputable web hosts support it.  Many hosting plans have one button WP installation from the server's WHM or c-Panel.

https://wordpress.org/

All you need to get started is a good WordPress Theme (free or Premium) and a few WordPress plugins to handle any functions your Theme doesn't have.  It will require a lot of copying & pasting of content but the site itself can be up & running in a few hours.

https://wordpress.org/themes/

https://wordpress.org/plugins/

Good luck.

[binkyrar]

how can I delete this post?

[Nancy OShea]

how can I delete this post?

By @binkyrar

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You can't.  Public posts on the Internet don't go away. 

However I can lock it for you.