How do I get lines of text to wrap within borders of a layer?

Question

I am using Windows XP, SP2, and Dreamweaver 8. I am
struggling with the transition from building layout tables to
building layers, and have spent a great deal of time reading books
and following tutorials. I keep running into a problem which would
seem to have a simple solution, but I can't find the answer in any
of my texts or web searches. I may not be using the correct
terminology to describe it . . . but here goes.
Let's say I build the layout first, and it consists of two
columns, a left sidebar, and a larger layer for content. When I add
text to the content layer, it does not wrap into several lines, ,
respecting the right border, as it would do in a table. Instead, it
continues in one long line, pushing the edge of the layer out to
the right, destroying the layout.
What is the solution? Do I need to create a container for the
page, before I build the rest? Or, is there an attribute that I can
apply to the specific layer to prevent this problem? Or is it an
attribute of the text??
Can anyone recommend a good entry-level tutorial for me,
which would address such "beginners" problems? I have found the
Dreamweaver tutorial "Creating a CSS-based Page Layout" to be very
unhelpful. They show you how to make the layers, but there is NO
information or guidelines on how to fill the layers with content so
they work properly and maintain their layout. I've also spent time
studying the Dreamweaver 8 "Missing Manual" from Pogue Press. That
book has been very helpful, but not with this issue.

Answer 1

>I am using Windows XP, SP2, and Dreamweaver 8. I am
struggling with the
> transition from building layout tables to building
layers
There's no need to struggle with this. Just don't do it.
Forget layers
exist. They are not the way to move ahead, and will get you
into serious
trouble if you imagine that they are the next step in your
advancement.
Continue to work with tables as you learn about CSS. When you
understand
that you rarely need to use any kind of positioning, then you
are ready for
the next step: moving from tables to table-less pages.
> I've also spent
> time studying the Dreamweaver 8 "Missing Manual" from
Pogue Press. That
> book
> has been very helpful, but not with this issue.
No kidding. In fact, the book is COMPLETELY wrong on this
issue. Your best
bet is to take Elmer's Glue and glue all the pages of Chapter
8 together. I
say that as the Tech Editor of that illustrious tome.... 8)
Go here -
http://www.projectseven.com/tutorials/css/qdmacfly/index.htm
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/dreamweaver/css.html
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/dreamweaver/articles/tableless_layout_dw8.html
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/dreamweaver/articles/css_concepts.html
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
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"wirebird" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
news:[email protected]...
>I am using Windows XP, SP2, and Dreamweaver 8. I am
struggling with the
> transition from building layout tables to building
layers, and have spent
> a
> great deal of time reading books and following
tutorials. I keep running
> into
> a problem which would seem to have a simple solution,
but I can't find the
> answer in any of my texts or web searches. I may not be
using the correct
> terminology to describe it . . . but here goes.
>
> Let's say I build the layout first, and it consists of
two columns, a left
> sidebar, and a larger layer for content. When I add text
to the content
> layer,
> it does not wrap into several lines, , respecting the
right border, as it
> would
> do in a table. Instead, it continues in one long line,
pushing the edge
> of the
> layer out to the right, destroying the layout.
>
> What is the solution? Do I need to create a container
for the page,
> before I
> build the rest? Or, is there an attribute that I can
apply to the specific
> layer to prevent this problem? Or is it an attribute of
the text??
>
> Can anyone recommend a good entry-level tutorial for me,
which would
> address
> such "beginners" problems? I have found the Dreamweaver
tutorial "Creating
> a
> CSS-based Page Layout" to be very unhelpful. They show
you how to make the
> layers, but there is NO information or guidelines on how
to fill the
> layers
> with content so they work properly and maintain their
layout. I've also
> spent
> time studying the Dreamweaver 8 "Missing Manual" from
Pogue Press. That
> book
> has been very helpful, but not with this issue.
>