How to Force Syntax Highlighting in Dreamweaver

Syntax highlighting is within the code view of Dreamweaver.

Syntax highlighting, the color-coding of specific HTML sections, has gotten more versatile and flexible with each version of Dreamweaver. The program lets you add classes and tags and other items to be highlighted in the code section of a Web page layout by adding the items in a text editor. Do not use Dreamweaver itself to modify the Dreamweaver configuration files to force syntax highlighting.

Things You'll Need

• Notepad, Microsoft Word or other text editor

Instructions

1. Close Dreamweaver if it's presently open.

2. Go to your "Documents and Settings" folder. Open the folder with your user name. Then open in succession: "Application Data," "Macromedia," "DreamweaverX (X being your version of Dreamweaver)," "Configuration" and "Color Coding."

   Here's the complete path:

   C:\Documents and Settings\<YOUR USERNAME>\ApplicationData\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 8\Configuration\CodeColoring

3. 

   Copy the file into a text editing program to add to it.

   Copy the "Extensions.txt" file and open it in Notepad, Microsoft Word or any other text editing program.

4. Locate the <keyword></keyword> tags. Following the one for "Mod," add in a new keyword called for this example "New" like this;

   <keyword>, New</keyword>

   Follow the capitalization or lack thereof, and separate any new extensions by commas.

5. Save your document and paste it back into the Color Coding folder location.

Tips & Warnings

• Open any Dreamweaver preferences file in an external text editor such as Notepad. Do not modify configuration files in Dreamweaver itself.

References

• Von Lind: Dreamweaver Syntax Highligh Tip
• Adobe: Dreamweaver: Use Code Hints
• The Glenbot: Django Template Syntax Highlighting for Dreamweaver; Glen Zangirolami

Resources

• Adobe: Changing and Adding File Extensions Recognized by Dreamweaver