Expression Web 2 Beta

Yesterday Microsoft launched Expression Web 2 Beta available for free download

To submit suggestions and bugs, go to:
 http://connect.microsoft.com/expression

It requires .Net Framework 3.5 to be installed before it will install

If you have the private preview Expression 2 previews installed you should uninstall these before installing the Expression Web 2 Beta. However it can be installed alongside Expression 1 with no problems.

What is new in Expression Web 2 Beta?

PHP

  • Preview PHP pages
  • target different versions of PHP
  • Insert PHP snippets
  • customizable color coding in Code View
  • PHP IntelliSense (auto complete)
  • PHP includes – rendered in Design view.

Byte order mark options

Enables control over Bom insertion

Silverlight 1.0

Expression Web 2 Beta allows you to insert or Edit a HTML file generated by Silverlight

Flash and Windows Media

Insert Flash SWF and Windows Media files, edit and preview flash files in Design View or run any other type of ActiveX control.

Photoshop Import

Expression Web 2 enables you to generate a .png, .gif, or .jpeg file from a Photoshop .psd file and select the Photoshop layers you want to include or exclude from the image.

ASP.NET AJAX

ASP.NET AJAX server controls that let you create web pages that include a familiar user interface (UI) elements.
ASP.NET AJAX server controls supported by Expression Web 2 include the UpdatePanel, Timer, UpdateProgress, ScriptManager, and ScriptManagerProxy controls.

Note:
To work with these controls in Expression Web 2, you must install ASP.NET AJAX or the .NET Framework 3.5. See Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 or ASP.NET AJAX 1.0 in the Microsoft Download Center online.

Custom ASP.NET controls

Custom ASP.NET controls that you have placed in the BIN folder of your website. Preview custom controls and access the Common Tasks smart tag menu in Design view, edit properties, and use IntelliSense and syntax checking in Code view.
Third party custom ASP.NET controls can be used

ASP.NET data

DataPager and ListView ASP.NET controls.

Note:
To work with these controls in Expression Web 2, you must install the .NET Framework 3.5. See Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 in the Microsoft Download Center online.

FTP publishing

Set Passive FTP or normal FTP, and save your FTP user name and password.

CSS

The Design view in Expression Web 2 now renders the CSS overflow property.
As well as internal CSS files the Compatibility Reports now check external CSS files, for compatibility with the CSS schema you specify.

HTML file extension

Expression Web 2 lets you set your preference for the default HTML file extension.

Alphabetized HTML attributes

A new setting in the Code Formatting options in the Page Editor Options dialog box enables you to control whether HTML attributes are alphabetized or not in the code of your web pages. By default, tag attributes are now written in alphabetical order when Expression Web 2 adds HTML tags to your page. Existing tags in a page are affected by the new setting only if you apply the Reformat HTML command to the page. For more information,

5 Responses to “Expression Web 2 Beta”

  1. Grant says:

    Is there a way to set the default folder in Expression Web so that when I want to open a file I will be at the correct directory?

    Thanks

  2. Free Compatibility Reports says:

    What is this Expression Web 2 thing anyway…Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m not quite seeing how it stands out and do anything that’s not already available.

  3. Free Compatibility Reports says:

    Oh I meant I just didn’t quite understand what Microsoft Expression Web is that’s all. A little confused and curious about it and wondering if it’s better or different from Front Page and Dreamweaver, etc.

  4. Tobi Nucklos says:

    Hi, I found this blog post while looking for help with Microsoft Silverlight. I have recently changed browsers from Chrome to Microsoft IE 6. After the change I seem to have a problem with loading websites that have Microsoft Silverlight. Every time I browse page that needs Microsoft Silverlight, the site does not load and I get a “npctrl.dll” error. I can’t seem to find out how to fix it. Any help getting Microsoft Silverlight to function is greatly appreciated! Thanks

    • Tina says:

      Your post seemed legit … so i went and looked for the answer, you re-register the dll and make sure there are no old sl versions .
      http://www.technologyquestions.com/technology/tablet-pc-bloggers/107190-if-silverlight-wont-run-ie-try.html

      and as always with legit posts I leave in the url, however your [url had the word date in it so i went to look and thankfully I have a great virus protection otherwise I’d be up the creek right now. … suggest if that’s your site you get it to seen to and if it isn’t you get your own machine seen to as its infected.. or if this is some kind of nasty on your party … well you know what karma you will be getting twice fold.

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