I've completed all changes and updates to RSL:PD so that it can be posted to our Web site. In truth, it requires a great deal more work in order to really bring it up-to-date in regards to both content and code. Unfotunately the lack of time allocated pretty much required that the updates be kept to the bare necessities.
Some notes:
1) I was able to use search/replace to set up the templates, significantly reducing the amount of time required to templatize (is that a word) the entirety of RSL:PD. I have found, however, that using page-level templates on a project of this size can be a bit burdensome for development. While it eases development of common interface elements, every minor change requires each file to which the template has been applied to be checked out. Since DW doesn't have very intelligent check-in/check-out management (doesn't ignore non-checked-out items when checking in whole directories) it either expends too much time checking in files or requires too much work on the part of the end user to ensure that only check-out files are checked in.
A better method when dealing with common interface elements may be to use server-side includes (similar to the main Web site template). If any changes have to be made to these elements in the future then only the one item needs to be checked out.
2) Applying a template to a page removed all body attributes. This isn't in and of itself a major problem; some of the background images could present a readability problem and a number of the attributes for link and vlink colors were redundant with the norm. However, I had to go back and redo the Flash-based help and re-do the screen shots based on the modified pages.
3) Though the navigation is the top-level element in the body of every document it shifts slightly between some of the pages. I'm not sure why this is the case, but believe it may be do to the fact that I floated the container div rather than absolutely position it. More time permitting I may fix it, but the result is not serious enough to warrant immediate attention.
4) There were a number of bad links and missing files. The code quality was on par with what a beginning HTML coder might acheive (lots of overlapping tags). Apparently some grammar and spelling problems as well. A lot of the information could probably be discarded and much of it should be updated. I cringe at some of the interface choices, but I must also admit that it was created at a different time when different design options and challenges presented themselves. All considered, though, I have a hard time believing that this product ever went out the door.
