by: Kay Zetkin
The latest version of Macromedia Dreamweaver, Dreamweaver MX works with a standalone program that is a wonderful assistant in managing your file extension. Macromedia Dreamweaver MX offers extensions to improve the functionality and scope of Dreamweaver. This program is the extension manager that can be relied upon to install and remove your file extensions. Through this program, you can turn your extensions on and turn them off, as you please. Plus, true to Dreamweaver’s integrated capabilities, the extension manager program works well with Flash and Fireworks to manage their extensions as well.
If you haven’t got any idea on how to manage your extensions through Dreamweaver MX, then, after going over these simple steps, you will find out how reliable and easy it is:
First, open the Extension Manager. Do this by going to the "Commands" menu and choosing "Manage Extensions..."
Second, if you haven't gotten around to downloading the extension or extensions you want to install, then start downloading them before we go another step further.
Third, since the Extension Manager handle extensions for several programs, as mentioned above, you must make sure that Dreamweaver MX is displayed in the drop-down menu.
After checking out the drop-down menu, go to the "File" menu and choose "Install extension". This command will open a standard file selector box. Once opened, browse to the file you downloaded and click "Install". A disclaimer announcement will appear before you. Be sure to read it and that there are no unexpected requirements for use of the extension, since some extensions happen to have these. After reading, click "Accept". And lastly, click "OK" and close and restart Dreamweaver.
If you don’t like to go through all these process we gave you above, you can skip them and install the extension by double clicking on it after you download. You can also import extensions from Dreamweaver 4 into Dreamweaver MX, but not all Dreamweaver 4 extensions will work in MX. There are important points to remember in installing your extension, though, whenever you install quite a large number of extensions, optimal function of Dreamweaver can slow down. Thus, always make sure that you disable extensions you don’t necessarily need.
It’s very easy to disable your extension: first, open the Extension Manager by going to the "Commands" menu and choosing "Manage Extensions..." Then highlight the extension you want to disable and uncheck them by clicking on the check box next to the extension. Always remember that you may need to restart Dreamweaver to fully disable extensions. If you want to reenable the extensions, just go to the same process. Make sure that the "On/Off" check box is checked. -30-