Defining regions

A template determines the basic structure for a document and contains elements such as text, images, page layout, styles, and editable regions.

Dreamweaver automatically locks most regions of a document when you save the document as a template. As a template author you define which regions of a template-based document will be editable by inserting editable regions or editable parameters in the template. As you create the template, you can make changes to both editable and locked regions. In a document based on the template, however, a template user can make changes only in the editable regions; the locked regions can’t be modified.

There are four types of template regions: editable regions, repeating regions, optional regions, and editable tag attributes.

You can create a template through the New Document dialog box (File >New) provides several options for creating new templates, and creating template-based pages.
Dreamweaver saves templates with the file extension .dwt. Templates are saved in a special Templates folder in the local root folder of the site. If the Templates folder does not already exist in the site, Dreamweaver automatically creates it when you save a new template.

Note: Do not move your templates out of the Templates folder, or put any non-template files in the Templates folder. Also, do not move the Templates folder out of your local root folder. Doing so causes errors in paths in the templates.