Macromedia Dreamweaver UltraDev 4: Training from the Source [Paperback]

Nolan Hester (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2001 | Series: Authorized

Macromedia UltraDev is a powerful Web-building tool--if you know how to get the most out of it. Don’t waste your valuable time: Go straight to the source and learn UltraDev from the experts, with Macromedia Dreamweaver UltraDev 4: Training from the Source.

Based on the phenomenally successful Dreamweaver, UltraDev gives you the tools to build dynamic, data-driven Web pages, with everything from simple forms to sophisticated database applications and inventory systems. Dreamweaver UltraDev 4: Training from the Source is the only book to take you step-by-step through lessons and projects developed by Macromedia’s own authorized training centers. The accompanying CD comes complete with all the files you need to work through every step in the book, just as the trainers at Macromedia would.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Macromedia Dreamweaver UltraDev 4 Training from the Source offers a fast-paced tutorial designed to get Dreamweaver users up to speed quickly with the powerful database features of UltraDev, the companion developer's tool for creating truly dynamic Web sites. Using a step-by-step approach with tightly structured sample data, this guide presents all the fundamentals to get you cooking with databases in a hurry.

This book's text is closely integrated with its accompanying CD-ROM that contains a trial version of UltraDev 4 and sample project files for Active Server Pages (ASPs), JavaServer Pages (JSP), and ColdFusion. Whichever scripting language you choose to go with, the lessons are the same: establishing database connectivity, creating search, inserting and updating pages, implementing security, and working with server behaviors.

Each lesson is clearly outlined with goals, estimated completion time, and pointers to the related lesson files you'll use. Every step in the lesson is clearly explained and illustrated with screen shots to keep you on track. Occasional "Tips" and "Notes" sections help to round out your knowledge as you work with each new concept.

The exercises revolve around a fictitious online coffee store--a realistic implementation of a basic online commerce site. While some background knowledge of databases and SQL is helpful, it is not required to master database integration with UltraDev because of the product's excellent query-building interface. Indeed, newcomers to the concepts of databases can learn plenty by examining the SQL statements they build in these exercises. This tutorial is a great way to step up to the next level of Web development--and boost your value in the Web developer market. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered:

• UltraDev basics
• Data source setup
• Database connections
• Adding dynamic data
• Recordsets
• Inserting data
• Updating data
• Custom searches with SQL variables
• Displaying server objects
• Passwords and security
• Building server behaviors

About the Author

A longtime reporter and editor, Nolan Hester has worked on everything from mainframe newspaper systems to that first breakthrough laptop for reporters in the field: Tandy's "Trash-80." For a while, he had a KayPro but it was stolen, perhaps by someone who mistook its blue metal case for a Ward's sewing machine. Its replacement: a Fat Mac with a massive 512K of RAM and a copy of Word 1.05. There's been no looking back since--for any of us.

A former development and acquisitions editor at Peachpit Press, he also managed the launch of its award-winning Web site. He now works as a freelance writer, editor and Web consultant.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Pearson Education (June 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201721449
• ISBN-13: 978-0201721447
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,568,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nolan Hester's latest book is Photoshop Lightroom 3: Visual QuickStart Guide (ISBN: 0-321-71310-9). Follow the book's blog at: http://lightroom.waywest.net

Nolan has written more than two dozen books for Peachpit Press, focusing on digital photography and Web site creation. He's also has worked as a darkroom technician, ad studio assistant, and photojournalist. His photos have appeared online and in print for a variety of outlets, including ZesterDaily.com, Alaska magazine, and The Los Angeles Times travel section.

His landscape, travel, and Web photography have inspired many of the timesaving tips and techniques found in his Lightroom 3 VQS. Like every photographer, Nolan truly believes he'll eventually find the perfect camera bag.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Tutorials but there are errors in the book!, August 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Macromedia Dreamweaver UltraDev 4: Training from the Source (Paperback)

While I really learned a lot from this book, it was extremely frustrating at times. There is no support to be found on the Macromedia site and there are errors in the book that need to be addressed. For those of you that have already bought the book and are looking for answers, here are some solutions that I have found:
Chapter 7 - Step 4 of page 158 shows incorrect information in the diagram for the Link field. In addition to the instructions for this step, you must also select the browse button and select product_update.asp
- Before Step 1 of page 163 you need to copy the rsSuppliers recordset from the product_add.asp page and paste it in the DataBindings window of the product_update.asp page. The reason for this is that the description at the bottom of Step 3 on page 164 is wrong, but the instructions are correct.
- Between steps 4 and 5 on page 166 you must add a step. You need to identify all fields on the product_update.asp page that have not been setup. To do this select a field, then open the DataBindings window and open the recordset rsUpdate. Select the matching field and select Bind at the bottom right. Then save, put, and view.
In Chapter 8
- page 173, step 4, set the Get Values From to CategoryName, not CategoryID.
- page 184, step 4 yields "No Data". However, when you run it live it does yield data. Therefore test it live and we will need to address this issue with Macromedia.
Chapter 9
page 200, step 3, part b (results) are not viewed in Live Date as book indicates, but it is through a browser.
Chapter 11
pg 239, step 8, does not need to be done. Therefore if you get an error in displaying andes_login.asp in step 11, then erase the code in step 8.
There is also an error with the andes_newuser.asp page but I have yet to figure it out.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Avoid this book!!(...), December 14, 2001

By 

Mug (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macromedia Dreamweaver UltraDev 4: Training from the Source (Paperback)

Both myself and a colleague have spent the best part of a month working through this book. We both have web design experience and are computer literate. So far we have only managed to get to Lesson 4 before hitting a brick wall due to serious ERRORS and misprinted screen shots that render the rest of the book useless.

There is no online support for this book, either with Peach Pit or Macromedia and surely if this book had been proofed it would never have been released in this state.

Avoid this book if you need results as we have spent many fruitless hours going over and over to no avail. It took this us to read previous reviews before we were convinced that it wasn't us being dumb.

Maybe Nolan Hester should take more care as he has wasted our time. (...)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Errors hurt, November 9, 2001

By 

Rick Jensen (Sacramento California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macromedia Dreamweaver UltraDev 4: Training from the Source (Paperback)

(...)I am now at the point in the tutorial where the early review warned of errors. I have about 3 years of Dreamweaver experience, but this is my first plunge into server assisted web sites. So far I have been stumped at 3 other points in the tutorial. I am attempting to go through with the COLD FUSION TUTORIAL start to finish.

1. Lesson 3 Page 41 - When testing the success of the SQL expression, the table is disjointed and over run with information. When I switch the order of the FROM * statement from Products,Suppliers
-to-
Suppliers,Products it straightens out.

2.If you look at the Supplier Table last column labeled
"Web Site" This columnn in the Database (MS Access) must be edited to remove the space "WebSite". If not you will have all kinds of problems later.

3. The links on all of the Cold Fusion Tutorial pages are relatively linked to .asp extensions.
Use the Replace function -Select the entire Cold Fusion Current folder -Select the source code option -Change .asp to .cfm

Learning alot, but wish there was an addendum or way to get support on book

With all of that said still the best book I have seen to move you thru step by step. Trust me I stood in a book store looking at all of them.

Good Luck