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Web development tutorial

Getting Started Guide with DataAssist

Tutorial created by Ray Borduin, WebAssist

Categories: Data Bridge, Dreamweaver, PHP

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The DataAssist wizard in Data Bridge creates pages that display, search, and manage your online database-driven content intended for administrative use or to be viewed by the public. In this self help guide, you will learn to build and design advanced dynamic websites with a few clicks of your mouse.

arrow downWhat do you need to start?

  1. Dreamweaver CS3 or newer
  2. Data Bridge (alternately, DataAssist 2.0 or higher) installed and activated in Dreamweaver
  1. Create and define a dynamic site in Dreamweaver. If you need assistance creating your site, view these tutorials: Define a dynamic site in CS4 or Define a dynamic site in CS5+.
  2. Import our sample Blue Sky Music database to use with this tutorial: blue_sky_music.sql. If you need assistance importing a SQL file, view this tutorial: Import a .sql file.
  3. Create a connection named connBlueSkyMusic in Dreamweaver to the Blue Sky Music database you imported. If you need assistance creating a database connection, view this tutorial: Create a PHP database connection.
  4. Optionally, a template with an editable region to hold the generated forms and other content.

Note: If you’re using a SiteAssist site, the SiteAssist-created template will work well. if you’re using a CSS Sculptor created page, be sure to save your page as a template first with an editable region in the main content area.

arrow downOverview to the Getting Started Guide

  1. Start the DataAssist wizard
  2. Specify sitewide details
  3. Choose the overall design
  4. Customize the Results page
  5. Customize the Search page
  6. Customize the Detail page
  7. Customize the Insert page
  8. Customize the Update page
  9. Test the pages

arrow downStart the DataAssist wizard

  1. From the Files panel, choose your Dreamweaver-defined site. Open a file previously saved in the site or if you're working in a new site, create a new dynamic page and save it.

  2. Choose WebAssist > Database > DataAssist Pages.

  3. The initial page of the DataAssist wizard will appear.

arrow downSpecify the sitewide details

  1. From the Connection list, select a data source connection. In this tutorial, it is connBlueSkyMusic.

  2. On the Page Settings Tab and select User Administration for the Application Type.

  3. Click the Create the database table for me checkbox.


  4. Choose the Manage Pages tab. Click the pencil icon labeled Set up field labels and form validations to edit the database fields, if necessary.


  5. When you are satisfied with labels, field types, and form validation, click OK.

arrow downChoose the overall design

  1. Return to the Page Settings tab.

  2. In the Page Design section, select Cool from the Design Preset list.


  3. Click the pencil icon to make changes to your design.


  4. In the Button Settings section, select Northern Lights and click the pencil icon again.


  5. Select Trebuchet MS, Helvetica, sans-serif to customize the font styling of the button.


  6. Click OK to apply the changes.


  7. Highlight the Results and Insert pages to view the overall design.

arrow downCustomize the Results page

  1. In the Manage Pages tab, highlight Results users_results.php, and click the pencil icon.


  2. In the Layout Type, you can choose the Public or Administrative display. For this tutorial, I've chosen Administrative which is intended to manage database content through a back-end interface.

  3. Select unwanted fields and delete by clicking the trashcan icon. Do not delete UserFirstName, UserLastName, or UserEmail.

  4. Note that you can re-order the search fields by clicking the up and down arrows.

  5. In Row Grouping, set the number of data rows to be displayed.


  6. The next step is to set the fields you want linked to the detail page by highlighting the desired field and checking Make this a link to your detail page. More than one field can be linked.


  7. Click OK to continue.

arrow downCustomize the Search page

  1. As you did previously, choose the Manage Pages tab and under Define Features, highlight Search users_search.php. Then click the pencil icon.


  2. In the Search page, you have an option to include a similar search form on the results page to allow continued searching.


  3. Click OK to continue.

arrow downCustomize the Detail page

  1. Choose the Manage Pages tab and under Define Features, highlight Detail users_detail.php. Then click the pencil icon.


  2. From Customize Your Details Page, choose Layout Type: Standard.

  3. Check Include delete button in detail list.


  4. Click OK to continue.

arrow downCustomize the Insert page

  1. Choose the Manage Pages tab and under Define Features, highlight Insert users_insert.php. Then click the pencil icon.


  2. You can choose to send the contents of the insert in an email by checking Send contents in email when submitted.
    Note: You will need to complete Email Settings in the Server Settings tab prior to page creation in order for emails to be sent on inserts and updates.

  3. Customize the subject of your email by filling in the field.


  4. Click OK to continue.

arrow downCustomize the Update page

  1. Choose the Manage Pages tab and under Define Features, highlight Update users_update.php. Then click the pencil icon.


  2. You can choose to send an email by checking Send an email when this page is submitted.

  3. Customize the subject of your email by filling in the field.


  4. When you’re done, click OK. Then click Finish.

arrow downTest the pages

  1. For testing purposes, enter first names, last names, and email addresses of four Users into the sample Blue Sky Music database that you imported earlier.

  2. Open the Search page.


  3. Go to File > Preview in Browser to preview the Search page in your selected browser.


  4. To display the four Users, leave all fields blank. Click the Search button.


  5. Or to display an individual User, enter a first name, last name, or email address that you previously entered in the Blue Sky Music database. Click the Search button.


  6. To insert a User, click Insert on the Results page and fill in the desired fields. Click the Insert button.


  7. Click Back to Results to view the added User.


  8. To update User data, click the pencil icon. Fill in the desired fields and click Update. Select Back to Results to view the changes.


  9. To delete User data, click the trashcan icon and Delete button.


  10. Searching for the deleted User will display this page.

arrow downReviews and comments

Comments will be sent to the author of this tutorial and may not be answered immediately. For general help from WebAssist, please visit technical support.

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movygirl244169: 10 Years, 5 Months, 4 Weeks, 1 Day, 8 Hours, 59 Minutes ago

how do you put it within a editable region of a page that is already created?

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