Specifications

Introduction 15
New document types
Extensible document types
Dreamweaver MX lets you create new document types, including types that have file extensions
that are identical to those of built-in Dreamweaver document types (such as .asp, which is
associated with the default ASP-JS document type). You can define a new JavaScript function
(
canRecognizeDocument()) to help Dreamweaver determine which server model (when more
than one server model claims a particular file extension) Dreamweaver should use to control a
new document. For more information on this new function, see “The Server Model API” on page
217. For more information on extensible document types, see “Extensible document types in
Dreamweaver” on page 22.
Also, a new property has been added to the document object model (DOM) to facilitate working
with new document types.
XHTML document types
Using four new JavaScript functions, you can create a new or clean up an existing XHTML
document, determine whether a document is an XHTML document, and convert an HTML
document to XHTML. For more information on XHTML functions, see “File manipulation
functions” on page 447.
Enhanced server model extensibility
Dreamweaver MX makes it easier to add new server models. A new JavaScript function
(
serverModel.getServerIncludeUrlPatterns()) lets the code that translates include file
statements access the translator URL patterns. You can also add server-side set-up instructions for
users. For more information on these new functions, see “Server model functions” on page 552.
Improved database connection handling
Implementing new connection types
Dreamweaver MX simplifies the process of defining new types of database connections and
handling connections at runtime, as described in the following list:
• The following associations are now implicit within Dreamweaver MX: ASP sites use ADO
connections, JSP sites use JDBC connections, and ColdFusion sites use ColdFusion data
sources that are accessed through Remote Development Service (RDS).
• The Define Connection dialog box has been replaced by server-model-specific dialog boxes
that are defined in the Extensibility layer.
• Connections are shared through use of an include file that contains the connection parameters,
which automatically reflects changes to connection parameters everywhere the connection is
used.
There are three new functions that you can define to implement a new connection type.
Dreamweaver uses these functions to create a shared include file that defines the parameters that
are needed to make a database connection. For more information on these new functions, see
“The Connection API” on page 338.