hi, i learned photoshop and dreamweaver so far, working on fireworks. i was wondering if anyone knows how to get the sizes right of their buttons, layout graphics, background images, right. so that from photoshop or fireworks, they fit in the html editor page correctly sized. do you start with the graphics of a website first? and also, what is the average length of one page of a website in pixels. one last thing. can you make your website images one giant background and add on top of that? any help greatly appreciated. thank you. derek

do you start with the graphics of a website first?

Definitely. Design in Photoshop (or Fireworks), slice up the images to fit into your page layout.

what is the average length of one page of a website in pixels

There isn't one. However, you generally do not want a page that is more than 1-1/2 times the height of the screen, people just do NOT want to endlessly scroll down a page.

can you make your website images one giant background and add on top of that?

You could, but it's a really BAD idea.

great thanks very much LadynRed. thanks. derek

does slicing up your image layout really reduce the load time alot? derek

Originally Posted by silverglade

great thanks very much LadynRed. thanks. derek

does slicing up your image layout really reduce the load time alot? derek

It depends on how much code Photoshop (or what ever you're using) produces and what size the images are (in storage). I tend to go with the .PNG img format.

Well, I'm telling you my way to proceed.

1 - I design my layout on paper, it's not a green approach but this makes you win time and it's also good to set a 'framework'.
2 - Photoshop! Yes, i start with the graphics, with html/css optimization in mind. Which means : keep in mind that a background, if it's white, will be easier to implement than a radial shadow! don't use too many images. And start by designing the logo, it'll set up the color palette of your entire site and also its mind.
3 - Coding! Html/CSS. Well, you take your PSD file, and you cut it nicely : make your images as smartly small as you can. If a backround can be repeated-y, make it 1px width and repeat it then! it also works for the buttons sometimes and other boxes.
4 - implement a dynamic solution, like WordPress or else.

I hope my post helped you =)

Originally Posted by 8105

It depends on how much code Photoshop (or what ever you're using) produces and what size the images are (in storage). I tend to go with the .PNG img format.

Never use the code Photoshop produces. Keep in mind as well that IE still doesn't like PNGs, and there still isn't a really good fix for PNG in IE that handles repeating ones.

tim