User Guide

26 Chapter 1: Introduction
Background
This book assumes that you are familiar with Dreamweaver, HTML, XML, JavaScript
programming and, if applicable, C programming. If you are writing extensions for building web
applications, you should also be familiar with server-side scripting on at least one platform, such
as Active Server Pages (ASP), ASP.net, PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), ColdFusion, or Java
Server Pages (JSP).
Extending Dreamweaver
To learn about the Dreamweaver framework and the API that enables you to build Dreamweaver
extensions, see Extending Dreamweaver. Extending Dreamweaver describes the API functions that
Dreamweaver calls to implement the objects, menus, floating panels, server behaviors, and so on,
that comprise the various features of Dreamweaver. You can use those APIs to add objects, menus,
floating panels, or other features to the product. Extending Dreamweaver also explains how to
customize Dreamweaver by editing and adding tags to various HTML and XML files to add
menu items or document types, and so on.
Additional resources for extension writers
To communicate with other developers who are involved in writing extensions, you might want
to join the Dreamweaver extensibility newsgroup. You can access the website for this newsgroup
at www.macromedia.com/go/extending_newsgrp/.
New functions in Dreamweaver MX 2004
The following new functions have been added to the Dreamweaver MX 2004 JavaScript API.
The headings designate the chapters and sections that contain the new functions:
Workspace
The following Insert Bar, Results window, and Toolbar functions have been added to the
Workspace chapter.
Insert object
• “dom.insertFlashElement()” on page 161
• “dreamweaver.objectPalette.getMenuDefault()” on page 162
• “dreamweaver.objectPalette.setMenuDefault()” on page 162
• “dreamweaver.reloadObjects()” on page 163
Results window
“dreamweaver.showResults()” on page 172
Toolbar
• “dom.getToolbarItemValue()” on page 203
• “dom.setToolbarItemAttribute()” on page 205
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