"Dreamweaver 8 not only delivers tools and workflow improvements that help make users more efficient, it also supports the web's best practices and is more closely integrated with the Studio 8 family and the latest technologies," said said David Mendels, general manager, Macromedia, as Macromedia unveiled today Macromedia Dreamweaver 8, the latest release of its professional web design and development tool.

"Dreamweaver 8 not only delivers tools and workflow improvements that help make users more efficient, it also supports the web's best practices and is more closely integrated with the Studio 8 family and the latest technologies," Mendels continued.

Dreamweaver 8 makes the best practices of web development available to everyone, from users working on their first website to those developing advanced web applications with Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). New visual tools in Dreamweaver 8 simplify the integration of XML-based content like RSS feeds into websites and applications using a drag-and-drop workflow. Other advancements include improved code hinting for XML and Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT).

Dreamweaver 8 also greatly simplifies working with CSS. The new unified CSS panel provides an easier way to understand a CSS file and how the cascade of styles applies to content. This panel provides a powerful, visual way to manage and edit CSS, reducing the need to resort to code-based trial and error. CSS layout visualization allows users to see complex CSS-based layouts more clearly on Dreamweaver's design surface. These tools make CSS more approachable to new users while offering greater precision and control for advanced users.

See Macromedia's Jim Guerard Launching Studio 8 in an Exclusive Interview With MXDJ Editor-in-Chief Charles Brown (Live on SYS-CON.TV)

Dreamweaver 8 offers optimized workflows that reduce the time required by users to complete common tasks. The new zoom and guides tools in Dreamweaver 8 allow users to inspect images and get control over complex designs at the pixel level and to easily measure distances between objects in design compositions. Dreamweaver 8 speeds the development process even further with a new code collapse tool to focus on specific code, and a new coding toolbar to easily access common coding functions. Dreamweaver 8 users will enjoy increased freedom and productivity to continue working as they perform background transfer and upload functions using the new background file transfer feature.

"BASF IT Services uses Dreamweaver 8 to create dynamic websites for its customers," said Dr. Hans-Peter Knipp, head of enterprise information and collaborative solutions unit, BASF IT Services. "The new features and workflow improvements in Dreamweaver 8 enable our developers to work more efficiently on a broad range of tasks."

See Macromedia's Jim Guerard Launching Studio 8 in an Exclusive Interview With MXDJ Editor-in-Chief Charles Brown (Live on SYS-CON.TV)

With Dreamweaver 8, users can easily integrate Flash Video into a website with a simple five-click process. In addition, Dreamweaver 8 offers new support for the latest technologies, such as Macromedia ColdFusion MX 7 and PHP 5, as well as deeper integration with the Macromedia Web Publishing System.

"Dreamweaver 8 incorporates a wealth of best practices and examples into a rich set of web design tools. By adding the knowledge base to the workflow, CSS, and video tools, Macromedia helps guide developers toward good design," said Susan Feldman, vice president, Content Technologies, IDC. "New XML integration tools, easy-to-use CSS features, and the fast ability to incorporate video into any website make this an effective solution for building dynamic and engaging web experiences."

Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 is expected to ship in September. Localized versions in German, French, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese will be available shortly thereafter. Pricing is $399 for a full license (NA commercial) and $199 for an upgrade (NA commercial). Education, government, and volume pricing is available. To learn more about pricing options, please visit http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/.