Step 5:  Set the Style Application Mode 

Manual Mode

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When you open Expression Web 3 or 4 for the first time, you may have noticed the Style Application Toolbar in the Common Toolbar area above the Main Editing Window.  By default, it may have been set to Auto.   See Figure 1 below.  

Well, we need to change the Mode from Auto to Manual because none of the tutorials on this site use Automatically Generated Styles.  As a matter of fact, none of the Tutorials on my DVDs and Online Class use Automatically Generated Styles.   

All CSS Styles are created manually, then saved on an External Style Sheet.  This way, the CSS Styles can be reused over and over again simply by linking the style sheet to any web page.  

Figure 1:  Style Application Toolbar

Another way to change the Style Application Mode is by checking the current Mode in the Status Bar of an open web site in Expression Web.    

Expression Web Status bar:  Look at the lower right corner of the interface to locate the Style Application Mode.  You will either see the letter A or the letter M.  If you see the letter A, change it to Manual Mode so that you have the letter M.

 

Figure 2:  The Status Bar & the Style Application Mode

NOTE:  You should check the status of the Style Application Mode when you re-open Expression Web.  I have noticed that the Mode changes back to auto by itself....somehow.

 

Step 6:  Design the Web Page