IDE for css.less files dreamweaver

Question

I'm using lesscss, the 'framework/compiler' for css. My IDE, dreamweaver, does not recognize .less as CSS. So no niceties such as error checking or code completion there. Is there anything I can do about that?

Answer 1

Dreamweaver can be configured to recognize "new" filetypes and treat them as editable under preferences. You can also edit some config files to help DreamWeaver figure out how to treat the files so it does code highlighting, etc., though in my experience, it does not always work as you would expect. On the other hand, can lesscss be configured to output .css files?

Here's an Adobe article on getting Dreamweaver to add new file types. http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/164/tn_16410.html

Answer 2

less syntax highlighter extention

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensionDetail&extid=2756522#

Answer 3

You can force DW to "recognize the files" although not parsing as far as I know. This might be of help : http://blog.assortedgarbage.com/2012/03/using-dreamweaver-with-sass-and-less/ that might be of help

Answer 4

Try giving the extension: less.css, to your css file. Example: styles.less.css.

This worked for me, but I still need a base stylesheet, such as: styles.css.

Answer 5

Also,

You can compile .less files to .css directly from within Dreamweaver using a free (Donation-ware) plugin:

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensionDetail&extid=2692522

Answer 6

Dreamweaver has a very hard time with LESS, in my experience. It doesn't properly handle nesting and will color those as though they are syntax errors. However, it is mostly workable since the auto-complete does at least still work, and the overall coloring is okay on everything except nested items. (at least for me)

Also the extensions that are referenced above do not work on mac.

If you are having trouble getting DW to be able to open and color code LESS at all, try this--

1) Change some DW config files:

For Mac users, there are TWO configuration folders (at least for DW5.5). Two sets of identical files, FOUR in total files, have to be changed:

~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Dreamweaver CS5.5/en_US/Configuration/DocumentTypes/MMDocumentTypes.xml ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Dreamweaver CS5.5/en_US/Configuration/Extensions.txt

• and -

Adobe Dreamweaver CS5.5/Configuration/DocumentTypes/MMDocumentTypes.xml Adobe Dreamweaver CS5.5/Configuration/Extensions.txt

And this technote tells you what exactly to change in those files: http://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/kb/change-add-recognized-file-extensions.html

Install a LESS Compiler

and for those on mac, this little app works GREAT. All it does is watch your less files and automatically save them to css on save. http://incident57.com/less/

I hope that is helpful to someone!

Answer 7

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensionDetail&extid=2756522# This actually does all that and more, as CSS and less have a little different syntax specially when it comes to nesting rules inside one another.