How To Convert PSD To HTML CSS In Dreamweaver?

Businesses are giving a tough competition to each other in the current online space. Every business owner wants to stand high in the market. Therefore, PSD to HTML CSS Conversion becomes an effective approach towards it. This conversion helps in optimizing your business site and improving its performance to get a rich online presence over the web.

However, many business owners get into this dilemma when it is about to choose best design tool to convert PSD to HTML for building a responsive site. At onlypsd2html, after researching a lot, we have drawn some useful points that elaborate how can you convert PSD to HTML CSS using Dreamweaver, the best design tool to create amazing websites.

Why choose Dreamweaver for PSD to HTML CSS Conversion?

Dreamweaver is an Adobe product which provides useful tools for those who prefer to write code through a window that displays both code and design views. Other useful features include the file manager, code validation, and accessibility checks. Dreamweaver’s main functionality focuses on creating HTML & CSS whilst also managing your files.

“Dreamweaver CC comes with a modern interface and a fast, flexible coding engine to give web designers and front-end developers easier ways to create, code, and manage websites that look amazing on any size screen.”

This blog will show you how you can convert your PSD layout into a website by using slice and coding technique in Dreamweaver. Let’s check out the two conversion methodologies to convert PSD to HTML CSS using Dreamweaver:

FIRST METHODOLOGY: Flexi CSS Layouts

Flexi CSS Layouts is a Dreamweaver Extension that helps you create browser compliant table-less web pages with an ease. Flexi CSS Layouts for Dreamweaver also helps you in building your own custom layout structure without coding which is not possible with templated CSS layouts(1, 2 or 3 columns).

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PSD design, Flexi CSS Dreamweaver extension, Adobe Dreamweaver CS3, CS4 or CS5 are the main requirements to accomplish this task. You can easily create fixed, liquid or elastic layouts in seconds and can generate custom website sections with unlimited DIV levels, following even the most detailed mock-ups from your designer.

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Have a look at the step by step procedure of PSD to HTML CSS Conversion:

– Know the Layout Structure:

It is the very first step which makes you understand how to build the page structure that holds the elements from the PSD layout. First plan the generic page elements viz. the header, the main content and the footer. However, you might need other elements such as menus, sidebars with ads, text, images, facebook ads etc. For each element you use on the layout, a cell(divs) should be created from the interface which is as easy as working with tables.

– Use Flexi CSS Layouts Dreamweaver Extension:

Now, Download and install the Flexi CSS Layouts extension in Dreamweaver. After opening the archive, you can double click the .mxp file and your Adobe Extension Manager should open and install it automatically or you can extract the archive, open your Adobe Extension Manager and select install. Then search the folder where you extracted the .mxp file and click open.

After you done these steps, open Dreamweaver, go to the Insert Panel, find the Flexi CSS Layouts tab and press Insert Full Page Layout.

– Create the main Layout structure:

Here you must see a popup window where you need to set up the main properties of the layout such as center alignment, background color. For CSS, set the CSS rules to be written into an external CSS file. You will get multiple pop-ups for the header, content and footer rows where you need to set the height of these rows, padding, width of the columns etc. as per your project’s requirements.

layout

For building a flash drop down menu, I suggest you use Dreamweaver menu extensions. However, you can test your own ideas for your navigation menu.

– Create a layout for content:

For this, you need to make the columns for the text and make cells for the images. You can even create a section for each content piece called as “section layout”. It all depends on your project need how to split the main content into rows. It would be like if you add one row at the time, just split the main content into 2 rows.

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– Use Page Section Layout for details:

The page section layouts can be inserted into full page layouts because you mainly focus on the details instead of the main layout. The section layouts can be inserted in any cell created in the main layout.

SECOND METHODOLOGY:  Extract CSS layouts

Dreamweaver has a complete integration of Extract which helps businesses to easily go from PSD to HTML CSS using Dreamweaver. Extract enables web designers and developers to build the web and mobile content from a PSD to HTML CSS using Dreamweaver. It bridges the gap between Photoshop and Dreamweaver.

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With the help of Extract panel, you can easily extract images, fonts, CSS, gradients etc. which help build websites faster. You can even launch the Dreamweaver CC if the panel is not opened by default.

“Dreamweaver CC has a modern UI, CSS Designer, edit capabilities in Live View and a 64-bit architecture. That’s not all though, it gets even better. It also has a complete integration of Extract which empowers users to easily go from PSD to HTML CSS using Dreamweaver.”

Have a look at the step by step procedure of PSD to HTML CSS Conversion:

– View PSD in Dreamweaver:

When you click “Get Started” button in the extract panel, it will automatically sync to your Creative Cloud folders and then you can easily upload and view your PSD in Dreamweaver.

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– Extract CSS:

When a PSD is opened in the Extract panel, you can fully inspect the CSS that is pulled from Photoshop layers. When you select a layer, you’ll see all the CSS associated with that selection.

– Extract image:

Now, the PSD to HTML conversion experts can extract web-optimized images into their designs, all without leaving Dreamweaver. After this, it will prompt another dialog where you can set the folder location, name the image and change the image format.

– Use Layer tab:

With the help of layer tab, web developers can easily view the PSD structure and layers in one place. It actually enables them to view PSD layers, toggle eye icon and can download multiple layers.

– Use Styles tab:

Using the style tab, web developers can easily copy, inspect and extract font styles, colors, sizes and much more.

Both of the above methods can help you easily convert PSD to HTML using Dreamweaver. Flexi CSS Layouts is applied when you are working with Adobe Dreamweaver CS3, CS4 or CS5 while Extract CSS layout works with Dreamweaver CC.

When you convert PSD to HTML CSS using Dreamweaver, you become able to attract more organic traffic to your website. In fact, your website becomes more recognized and more people will automatically land on your website. This also improves your website rankings. So outsourcing PSD to HTML conversion services is a cost efficient way of getting a dynamic website which yields high profits.

At onlypsd2html, we have a large team of PSD to HTML conversion experts who are adept at both the above methodologies. If you are looking to hire PSD to HTML conversion experts then we can provide the same.

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Cоnvеrѕіоn PSD tо HTML: What ѕhоuld уоu lооk for?

PSD tо HTML conversion іѕ the most соmрrеhеnѕіvе methodology of wеb dеѕіgn tо dаtе. A unіquе іnnоvаtіvе dеѕіgn іѕ very аdhеrіng for оnlіnе сlіеntѕ аnd аlѕо a wеll brushed uр ѕіtе dоеѕ wоndеrѕ for buѕіnеѕѕ. Thе соnvеrѕіоn has tо bе dоnе very саrе fully іn HTML оr еvеn XHTML tо quаlіfу аѕ a high-end company.

Professional Wеbѕіtеѕ tо dаtе аll have conversion mеthоdѕ thаt аllоw thеm tо gеt thе mоѕt out оf соmраnіеѕ. Wеb designing соmраnіеѕ hаvе аll uрреd their gаmе and ѕtаrtеd adopting thіѕ mеthоdоlоgу іn thе last 5 years as іt рrоvеd a lot mоrе рrоduсtіvе, аnd a great wау tо ѕаvе tіmе іn сhаngіng directly frоm HTML but rаthеr PSD. Thе best аѕресt оf PSD іѕ thе flеxіblе dеѕіgnѕ that саn bе сrеаtеd wіth it. Evеrуthіng is vеrу free-flowing аnd nаturаl аnd іf composed properly іt looks grеаt оn the ѕсrееn.

Kееріng оrdеr, logic, аnd aesthetic арреаl of thе wеbѕіtе dеѕіgn аrе thе qualities оf a good соnvеrѕіоn. Thіѕ muѕt bе achieved еvеn аftеr a mаrk uр оf the process has been dоnе. Not all Web dеѕіgn соmраnіеѕ аrе аblе tо ѕuссеѕѕfullу provide quality соnvеrѕіоn іn thеіr ѕеrvісеѕ; hеnсе business оwnеrѕ should аlwауѕ do the research on the соmраnу bеfоrе they go with thеm.

Cоnvеrѕіоn of PSD to HTML іѕ аlѕо important for web dеvеlорmеnt for thіѕ соnvеrѕіоn уоu can open thе PSD fіlе іn Imаgе Rеаdу аnd аftеrwаrdѕ ѕlісе the dеѕіgn mаnuаllу. Thеn уоu саn furthеr рrосееd tо соnvеrt PSD tо HTML уоurѕеlf uѕіng HTML Cоdіng. Evеn ѕо thіѕ іѕ a very tіmе-соnѕumіng process ѕо іѕ not recommended. A wеbѕіtе which dоеѕ not hаvе рrореr соdіng wоuld rеѕult in ѕlоwеr lоаdіng tіmе of your wеb pages. This іѕ оnе оf the rеаѕоnѕ whу a quality PSD tо HTML оr PSD tо CMS соnvеrѕіоn іѕ еѕѕеntіаl so thаt you can аvоіd ѕіmіlаr conversion рrоblеmѕ.

Nоwadауѕ PSD-tо-HTML соnvеrѕіоn ѕеrvісеѕ are vеrу popular аnd аrе used extensively. Althоugh nо оnе wоuld ever еxрlоіt them if thеу were nоt аblе to give аnу benefits. Sо whаt do you gеt whеn уоu hіrе аn еxtеrnаl соmраnу to соnvеrt уоur dеѕіgnѕ (і. e. , dіgіtаl іmаgеѕ іn Adоbе Photoshop *.рѕd, *.аі, еtс. fоrmаtѕ) іntо xHTML/CSS соdе?

As a rеѕult of thе PSD tо HTML conversion thіѕ іѕ whаt you gеt:

  1. Cоѕt Sаvіng.
  2. Well grарhісаllу presented website.
  3. Conversion іѕ vеrу fаѕt.
  4. Bеttеr Customer satisfaction.
  5. More еffісіеnсу and flеxіbіlіtу.

Tо vіеw great PSD to HTML converted websites you саn visit оur website onlypsd2html.com аnd visit the роrtfоlіо section оn there. All thеіr wеbѕіtеѕ hаvе a wеll рrеѕеntеd PSD background thаt соvеrt іntо HTML. If уоu wоuld lіkе a соmрrеhеnѕіvе quote for a wеbѕіtе I wоuld trу hеrе. Yоu wіll gеt Prоfеѕѕіоnаl wеbѕіtеѕ аt аffоrdаblе prices.

What is PSD to HTML?

What is PSD to HTML?

In general, “PSD to HTML” is a workflow. First, a web page is designed in a Photoshop Document (PSD) and then converted to code (using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript). You could swap Photoshop with any other image editor (like Pixelmator, GIMP, and so on), but the principle is the same. Here’s a slightly more detailed step-by-step breakdown:

  1. Design a high fidelity pixel-perfect mockup in Photoshop of exactly what you want your site to look like.
  2. Use the slice tool to divide your website’s imagery and then export it for the web.
  3. Write HTML and CSS that utilizes the imagery you exported from Photoshop.

At first glance, this might seem like a good idea. It can be difficult to start coding if you don’t know what the final result is going to look like, so experimenting in Photoshop first and then “exporting” it to HTML sounds like a granular and sensible process.

In Photoshop, the slices feature in the save for web dialog used to be an essential tool for designers saving assets from a PSD. It made it easy to “slice” a design into images and then layout in a web page using HTML and CSS.

Taking this idea further, many web companies have used PSD to HTML as a template for team workflows. In other words, a designer creates the Photoshop mockup and then hands it over to a developer that writes all of the code. In modern times, the job role of a web designer tends to encompass aesthetics as well as HTML and CSS coding.

Was PSD to HTML ever a good idea?

Yes, PSD to HTML workflows used to be one of the best ways to make websites. There’s two big reasons why PSD to HTML used to make sense.

The first reason is for image assets. Before browsers supported all the wonderful features of modern CSS (drop shadows, rounded corners, gradients, and more) it was very difficult to create cross-browser effects without the use of images. Designers would create shadows and rounded corners as images, then clever coding tricks were used to place the imagery on the page. These assets would need to be realized no matter what, so creating them at the same time as the high fidelity mockup actually saved time.

Secondly (and perhaps more importantly) the web used to only be available on desktop browsers and wasn’t really present on phones and tablets in the way it is today. Designing for one fixed resolution of 1024×768 used to be totally viable.

For these two reasons, it’s understandable why a designer would look to Photoshop as their primary web design tool. Image assets were needed for a single screen resolution.

What’s wrong with PSD to HTML now?

When pitted against other areas of art and technology, the web is a relatively young medium and things change fast. I’ve made dozens of websites using some variation of the PSD to HTML mindset and I’m sure many people reading this have done the same, but it’s time to move on. Here are the primary reasons why I believe thinking in terms of PSD to HTML is dead.

Responsive Web Design

First, there are now a myriad of methods for browsing the web. Phones, tablets, desktops, notebooks, televisions, and more. There is no single screen resolution that a designer can target. Taking that idea a few steps further, there’s really no number of screen resolutions that you can safely “target” anymore.

I’m not going to delve into the finer details of responsive web design or scalable design, but the point is that Photoshop is pixel based. Web pages are fluid and change.

CSS Design

Second, new features in CSS have now become commonly available. There are still a few lingering issues here and there, but support has vastly improved in the last several years. Common effects like shadows, gradients, and rounded corners can be accomplished in CSS and usually don’t even need an image-based fallback anymore.

Maturity

Third, the web industry has grown up a lot. Collectively we’ve had more time to refine our present understanding of what works and what doesn’t. Most companies will expect a designer to take ownership of aesthetics as well as HTML and CSS code.

This also means there are much better tools to support modern workflows. CSS frameworks like Bootstrap and Foundation make it more viable to design in the browser. Apps like Balsamiq and Omnigraffle help to wireframe sites rapidly. Pencil and paper mockups have stood the test of time because they allow for extremely rapid iteration.

Does this mean Photoshop is dead?

No! Not even close. Photoshop is still very important to web design. The problem comes in when a powerful tool like Photoshop is used as a catch all solution without thinking of the higher level task (designing websites). Photoshop is awesome for editing and exporting photographs for web usage. There’s also plenty of situations where it still might make sense to generate full detail mockups (in Photoshop, Illustrator, or otherwise) as part of a more complete process. Here are a couple of examples:

  • High fidelity mockups can be a critical communication tool when working with web design clients. It might seem faster to skip a high detail mockup, but it could hurt later on, because many clients aren’t going to understand how a wireframe will translate to a web browser. A high fidelity mockup can serve as a discussion tool before writing lots of code (only to discover it’s not what the client wanted).
  • High fidelity mockups can be very important when working in medium to large sized teams. We often will create high res mockups at Treehouse when planning new courses or designing new features of our site, because it’s a powerful way to sync everyone’s mental model of what a feature will look like or how a project might look once it’s finished.

These two examples have a key difference from the PSD to HTML way of thinking. High detail mockups are still sometimes generated, but not so that they can be “tossed over the fence” to a team of developers or sliced up into code. Rather, Photoshop mockups can be used as a visual aid to discuss ideas. In a PSD to HTML workflow, the Photoshop document represents the final site and it’s expected to look exactly the same in the browser. This is a subtle but important difference.

Different Strokes

Everyone’s workflow is different and nobody knows how to make the perfect website. You should always do whatever is most effective for you and your colleagues. Pushing pixels around in Photoshop is a ton of fun, but I can admit to many occasions when I’ve pushed the pixels too far. The key is to know yourself and what makes you perform at your best. If you have any questions or opinions, I’d love to hear about them in the comments!