Creating a simple object

The simplest objects require no JavaScript; they contain only the HTML that is to be inserted into the document. For instructions on creating more complex objects using JavaScript, see Extending Dreamweaver overview.

To create a simple object:

1	Create a new blank document in a text editor (for example, BBEdit or HomeSite).
	You can use Dreamweaver's HTML inspector as your text editor, but first you will need to delete all the tags that appear in the HTML inspector when you start a new document.
2	Type or paste in the tags that you want this object to insert into your documents.
	For example, type:
	<P> &copy; 1998 DCD Productions, Inc.<BR> All Rights Reserved </P>
3	Save the file.
	If you want the new object to appear on one of the existing panels, save it in one of the Objects folders (Common, Forms, Head, or Invisibles). If you want to create a new panel, create a new folder within the Objects folder and save your file there. Additional folders inside any Objects subfolder are ignored.
4	Add the object to the Insert menu. See Changing the Insert menu.
5	In a graphics or image-editing program (such as Macromedia Fireworks), create an 18-pixel by 18-pixel GIF image that will serve as the icon for your object in the Object palette.
	If you create a larger image, Dreamweaver automatically scales it to 18 pixels by 18 pixels. If you do not create an icon for your object, Dreamweaver inserts a missing image icon in the Object palette.
6	Give your icon the same file name as your object file and save the icon in the same directory as the object file.
	For example, if your object is called Copyright DCD.htm and you saved it in the Common directory, name your icon Copyright DCD.gif and save it in the Common directory as well.
7	Restart Dreamweaver to use your new object.