Microsoft expression web review
by Pierre Boisvenue. 13/08/2007 7:44:27 AM
It is always a bit of a challenge to grasp new technologies and techniques. Being a developer first and
coming from using all flavours
of Microsoft Visual studio editions including the latest visual studio 2005, expression web was unknown territory.
The tool is really for front end web design, look and feel, what you see is what you get and should not be considered
a Visual Studio replacement but more of an assistant. If you are more interested in database driven and/or
dynamically backend html generated content this is not the tool for you. As opposed to visual studio where the object oriented
approach is king expression web treats HTML and CSS has king. Expression web does
recognizes asp.net file and asp.net master files
so one can switch back in forth between visual studio and expression web.
One thing that strikes me about expression web
is with Layout Tables used for framing content as opposed to using CSS code for layout. Table layouts are not available for use on content
pages used with master files however fully available for regular html and aspx files that makes no use of a master file. The
consensus on the internet is that
CSS should now be used for layout. Expression web provides the facility to create new web sites via internal template giving multiple choices for the look and fell.
Mind you it will not be an asp.net web site. Interestingly when using the built in template DIV and CSS is being used for layout as opposed to table layouts. Go figure.
You can also create your own template as well.
Another nice feature is to be able to preview your work in your web browser in different resolutions and for this Expression web makes use of a built in web server.
The facility to work in WYSIWYG mode and code mode is similar
to what is front page but without inserting or changing any html code. The intellisense is similar to visual studio and is a feature that one always appreciates.
The ctrl-right click allows to follow an hyperlink allow to jump in code view to an image or to a CSS id is a feature worth mentioning.
There are many more features available and recommend downloading the demo version and try it out yourself.
I will most likely add Expression web in my tool kit.
Microsoft Expression Web, HTML, CSS, Layout, DIV, ASP.NET
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