10 Most Used Freeway Actions (Part 2)

If you remember in the last post, I went through my bottom five out of ten Freeway Actions that I use regularly within my design workflow. During that time, between part's one and two, I did make some corrections to the Action descriptions and fixed a program specific situation by replacing it with an Action that does pretty much the same thing. Continuing forward from "Part One" here is a list of the top 5 Actions I use regularly.

5. Google Analytics

Google Analytics now makes the features that experts demand easy to use for everyone. Gain rich insights into your website traffic with Advanced Segmentation, Custom Reporting, Motion Charts, and more.

Included in the Freeway 5 software series is the Google Analytics Action that allows you easy access to entering your tracking code from the free Google website tracking service. I use this service for every site I design and have had great success in knowing what people are looking at and if they're able to get around the site as intended.

4. Expression Engine ($40)

ExpressionEngine (EE) is a highly flexible content management system (CMS) that allows those without extensive PHP experience to create database driven websites that rival sites with tens of thousands of dollars of custom scripting and database development.

If you're building a website using a CMS, I'd recommend using Expression Engine. Combined with this Action set you will be able to create a manageable website that easily contains both static and dynamic content.

3. Crowbar

CrowBar is an enhanced version of the Markup Item.

I've used this Action recently with the Expression Engine Suite. It allows you to insert code snippets before or after a specific HTML item and is available in three flavors of "Page, Inline, and Item."

2. Upload Extra Resources

Use this Action to upload extra files/resources to your server.

This Action enables you to select external files, to eventually be uploaded to your server, that are not included within your Freeway document. It is great for uploading those externally linked PDF's or an image XML file for a slideshow.

1. External Style Sheet / Convert To Style Sheet

Use any external CSS style sheet in your Freeway page. This can be a page within the site that you converted to a stylesheet using the ESS-Convert to Style Sheet Action or a stylesheet created with another application.

This is my most used Action because of the lack of full-CSS support in Freeway. These two Actions allow you to attach your own style sheet to your projects and enables you to use your favorite CSS editor to do the things that Freeway can't.

This completes my list of "Most Used Freeway Actions" and I hope that you use these for your web projects as they are the best of the best.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great Thanksgiving.

10 Most Used Freeway Actions (Part 1)

I was asked recently what were my most used actions that I use for Freeway 5 Pro. If you haven't used Freeway 5 Pro you've been under a rock and a quick Google search will get you up to date. Although I don't use Freeway for my main web-design software, I find it's ease of use unmatched if you're in need of building something quick and easy all the while staying cost effective. Within the software are included "actions" which work like "plug-ins" that can help accomplish complicated things rather easily. The support and the development of these actions has been greatly appreciated so I'd like to take a moment here and thank everyone who has submitted an action.

The difficult part about this post is narrowing it down to 10 standard use actions based of a long and distinguished list of "comes with the program" actions and 3rd party actions. Usually my action selection is based on a project-by-project basis, but in my daily workflow I find that I use these 10 often and, regardless if you would use any of these, I find these the best of the best for me. I'll start off this two-part post with Part One of my bottom 5 and post another of my top 5.

10. Comment

Add a set of comments around any layer on the page. This helps you locate a particular element when viewing or editing the source code.

Since there are times when you have to edit the source code you'll need to be able to locate a specific area and nothing is easier than using the Comment action. It creates a nice HTML comment around, say, a specific DIV that you have placed. HTML comments are also a great way to organize your site, code-wise.

9. Dynamic Page Titles

Freeway will normally encode any non-alphanumeric characters, such as < and >, in page titles. This means that you can’t use ASP tags to dynamically generate titles.

If you're building a site using a CMS (content management system) and you want to put dynamic page titles for, say, your articles to include the title of the article in the bar at the top of the browser you'd use this action. Most CMS softwares use a tag based system and they can include "<" or quotation marks and when Freeway goes to publish your document it'll convert those symbols to the HTML equivalent.

8. Form Element Styler

Apply this action to each form element and set the style options. Handy for element widths, heights and setting coloured borders or fills for text fields and text areas.

If you're doing any kind of form work you'll need to have this action. It allows you to style the form elements (fonts, font-size, color, weight, background color...) as well as force their specific width's and height's. This action will save you lots of time in terms of styling and formating.

7. Fading Slideshow

Fading Slideshow is a great alternative to using Flash for a slideshow or using a Flash component. It uses javascript libraries and is super simple to use and understand. So simple in fact I did a screen-cast on it.

6. Slimbox

Let's you assign a Slimbox (Lightbox) popup image.

If you've been to any modern website I'm sure you've run across what Lightbox is and Slimbox is pretty much the same thing. Lightbox/Slimbox happens when you click on an image link and the browsers inner-window goes usually grey and then a white box draws itself out and inside of that holds your chosen photo acting almost as a layer above the page below it. This action is part of the MooTools Action Suite.

Now that Part One is completed please take the time to comment on any actions that are "must's" for you and would make your list.

Also I'd like to say that I am currently seeking employment opportunities in the United States and I know the economy is tough these days, but if you are in need of someone who is knowledgeable, educated, experienced, loyal, and committed to the success of your agency or small business I'd encourage you to drop me a line and give me the opportunity to show you what I have to offer. I'd greatly appreciate it.

Stay tuned for Part Two.