Hello,

I know this sounds like a really dumb, dumb, newbie question so please don't skip over this thread. I really could use the help understanding, how this should work. I read thru a few books on how-to build websites and thought I knew how the process works. I don't have a problem with coding, or meta tags. The problem has to do with all the images that come together to create the overall look of the site.

How I create websites...I start with a website template and open it up in Adobe ImageReady. Using ImageReady, I'll adjust the look of the template, by taking out certain images, and adding new ones, etc. Once I have everything placed where I want, then I select the 'slice tool'. Starting with the header, I drag the slice around it, then move to the menu and drag the slice around each button and work my way thru the website, slicing any other images.

Then I open the 'Optimize Menu' window and use the 'slice select tool' to click on each slice that I want to adjust the image size/look. After that, I select all slices, and goto 'file-save optimized as' and save it. Next, I start Dreamweaver MX and open the website I just saved. I add the meta tags and etc, then start to click on each of the menu buttons that I sliced, and direct them to their correct page. Followed by adding the content and save it.

Lastly, I'll upload the index.html file and the rest of the html files, along with all the images.


NOW FOR THE REASON WHY I ASK:

After uploading ALL the files, I then goto the 'url' but sometimes, it doesn't display the website in one quick motion. Instead it loads the site, an image at a time...meaning sometimes before the image is displayed, a small icon shows up in the corner, and then it goes away and the image appears. After visiting lots of other websites and not seeing the same issue, I started to question if I was doing something wrong...or not as good as is could be. The only way I can think to explain what the small icon looks like, is if you have ever visited a website that does not load completely and because the image is missing a small icon is displayed.

I know there are many different ways to building a website. Please, if anyone can take a few moments and try to help me figure this out. It would be extremely appreciated. I apologize for writing a step by step process, but I was not sure if you might need that info, to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Here are some of the sites I made, that when you visit for the first time, will do that thing I mentioned about.

http://www.wastenotwantnotusa.org
http://www.hillerexport.com/
http://www.frontstreettrading.com/vintage_leather_and_more_s.html
(Some of the pages for frontstreettrading are down, I only posted it so can see example).

Also, if anyone is not sure what I'm trying to explain or has any questions, please let me know, so I can try a different way to express the problem. Its really very important and would be doing me a great deal of help.


Thanks in advance,

Jon K

OK...You are making web pages in DW...

Then ..go to Site menu --> Manage Site --> New or Define....

1.Name of Your site.....MY SITE (for example)
2.Choose server technology (ASP, PHP,,,)or choose to not use server technology
3.Edit local copies on my machine...(define folder on Your computer where You'll store Your files)
4.How do You connect......NONE

When Your site is finished, use FTP application and move all files from Your folder on server.

I reccomend You to not use DW built-in FTP. Rather use Cute FTP, or FTP Voyager or Total Commander or any FTP app

Sometimes, a very simple problem that causes this is the size of the image file. If this is the case then you need simply to re-size them

Hello everyone,

First thank you all for taking out the time to sharing some tips. I apologize for leaving some parts out. I did mention that I upload ALL the files and the reason I left out the name of program used, was because I didnt think it was needed to help figure out the problem....However,

I use the WS_FTP Pro and upload to my server and into each folder that they need to be placed in.

Someone mentioned that the problem may be from the file being to large, and I can understand how my question might not be clear, but its not about the files being too big or anything...its about:

Why does the sites I create show the small icon, compared to all the other sites I have visited. I have gone to some very heavy graphic sites and they load just fine...however when mine load, they show that small icon and then it goes away.

I just want to make sure there is something I'm not doing wrong...or could be doing a different way, to help it load better. Please take a few min and visit the sites, you will see what I'm talking about.

Please anyone who reads this, help pointing out what I could try to do different. Thanks again.

JK

When you go to a site using a browser, first it downloads the html, then it parses this, displays what it can, and makes a list of other files it needs ( css and images ) and downloads them. Your page will always render before the images, all pages do. Now, it sounds like either your files are too big and take a while to download, or your web server is slow. Maybe it doesn't support keep alives. I'm not sure. When I clicked one of them, it looked fairly normal to me.

As to your question, I used to always use Windows Explorer to upload files using FTP, but it's a pain. Another member of this forum told me about WebMaestro, and I have to say it's a lot better. All it does is upload your files in FTP, which means it won't solve your problem, but still I like it, and you might too.

And speaking of software, I don't think I understand what you're doing in ImageReady?

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

And speaking of software, I don't think I understand what you're doing in ImageReady?

...maybe slicing, but....I don't understand, too

Hello,

Again, I want to thank everyone who shared advice. I know it must be a pain to explain things to newbies. I do appreciate the time taken to try.

As for the program used 'ImageReady', when I wrote me already long post, I didnt want to make it really really long so tried not to give every single step by step...so I apologize if I confused anyone.

ImageReady, is by Adobe and the only real reason why I use it, is to 'slice' the web site. Aside from that, I use photoshop for everything.

A few people have said the same thing about, the site looking fine to them and I understand that is a good thing. Did I create it the wrong way thu? Meaning, is there another way to build the exact website, without slicing it? Do people still slice web sites.

Last question, as mentioned above about how a few people said my site loads fine, I'm trying to figure out why I might be seeing the small icon before it loads. My browser is firefox and I have a verizon FIOS connection. So the only thing I could think might be the reason why I'm the only one seeing the small icon, is because the website was created on the same computer, I'm using to view the online version....possible???


Thanks so much for time and advice,
JK

Hello,

Sorry to bother everyone again, but I noticed no one replied to my last post and I just wanted to make sure I was doing this correct.

Please, if someone could let me know what I might be doing wrong. Also, is the way I'm creating the site, wrong? Meaning by me slicing it. Or is that just one of the many ways that you can build a website?


Thanks again

There aren't problems with the way you've uploaded your files, since in the end everything shows up.

Here's why you see the little icons for the images. The web browser first loads the HTML file and it displays the page as soon as it has enough information to figure out its layout. While it downloads the HTML, it starts downloading the images mentioned in the HTML from your server, which takes a couple of seconds.

All of the image tags in your HTML have their height/width specified - that's all the information the browser needs to figure out the layout, so it displays the page without images before it downloads them and then puts them in their spaces when it's done downloading each image.
This is a completely normal way for the site to show little icons where images will go they're loading. Internet Explorer does not show anything in the space, so most people don't even see that.

For a quick fix, I'd try putting some of the heavier images as background images. I might be wrong, but it probably reduces their loading priority and doesn't show anything in their place while they're loading (when using a big background image, you also should specify a matching background color for the same element, until the image loads, the browser will just display a block of that color).

For a long-term solution, you'll need to learn some HTML and CSS. Modern sites, for example, use text for menu links and a background image to make it look pretty. This is much more economical (only 1-3 smaller background image files for the whole menu) and more importantly it's better for search engines.

Do all of your images have the height/width specified? If not that would cause that little box with the red x to show up for a second or two before the image loads. I'll notice that more when I'm on a slower connection.