An easy tool for web page / CMS template layout

[kelraie]

I have sometimes the need to build a very small website only a few pages. So it would probably not be worth it to post on eLance and pay a couple hundred dollars for it. But I have a hard time controlling the design and element placement on the page. Is there a software that does that simply?

If I use simple free software like NVU you just insert HTML tags and have to go in and change the <TD> attributes for alignment to control where a graphic would show on the page, which is a tedious process.

If I use Dreamweaver, it basically lets you "draw" an element where you want it on the page, but then it hard codes the dimensions in pixels and you lose the natural auto-stretch properties of tables. And you can't let the page adjust for different monitor resolutions.

If I use, say, a WordPress template and need to change it, the only way I know to do that is to open the php page in Dreamweaver, which still doesn't make it easy.

And now of course the shift is towards CSS. But I don't know of an easy to use software that does that easily.

Any advice?

Thanks
Khaled

[rezzy]

The question is what direction do you want to go? If you go with a cms you will have to succumb to its rules. If you use Dreamweaver you will have to hand code to make it all work.

It appears you are using Dreamweaver, and if you are using the WYSIWYG editor, there should be an option to adjust picture size. Instead of using width=xxx, using width=100% or some other percentage. This will allow the page stretch with the table.

As you mentioned tables are on their way out. To my knowledge, no program will code CSS properly. So, either learn the gap in your knowledge, use a CMS or get a friend that can fix the problems.