How To Define a Site Using Dreamweaver
Purpose
The purpose of this tutorial is to help the webmaster define a site, in preparation for maintaining a school or office web site using Dreamweaver. It also demonstrates how to use set up Dreaweaver as your FTP client.
IMPORTANT:
Defining the
site is the first step of using Dreamweaver. It should
be done prior to working on the first page. It needs
to be done one time on each machine you use to maintain
your web site.
Who is this tutorial intended for?
Users of this tutorial are webmasters with Dreamweaver installed on their workstation for maintaining their school or office web sites.
Defining a site using Dreamweaver : Step-by-step
A: Create local "root" folder
Begin by creating a local “root” folder for your web site files. This “root” folder will contain all the text, graphics, style sheets and other resources needed for your site.
Root folders should be named something like myschooles (no spacing, punctuation, or capitalization in any file or folder names.)
Where should you create this folder to keep your local files? In the MCPS school environment, you will only be able to make folders and save files in your assigned home directory, which could be on a shared drive or on your local computer's hard drive. In a less restricted environment, you will likely save files and folders into the My Documents folder.
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We recommend that your graphics be stored separately from the web pages in folder named images or gr within the “root” folder. Create one as needed. This folder will help you keep your files organized.
We also recommend that your documents (PDFs, Powerpoints, Word documents) be stored separately from the web pages in folder named docs within the “root” folder. Create one as needed
.
B: Define your site
We are now ready to define our site using Dreamweaver.
Start the Dreamweaver application.
Make sure the Files panel is open or open it from the Window menu.
From the Site menu select Manage sites. This will open a dialog box as seen below.
Choose New to create a New Site. This will open a set of dialog boxes for Site Definition. Make sure you are using the Basic tab as shown below.
The first frame asks you to give your site a name. Enter a name that is meaningful to you. Click the Next button.
Choose: NO when asked, “Do you want to work with a server technology?” This is the first option listed below. Click the Next button.
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Choose: Edit local copies, then upload… Again, this is the first option in the upper part of the frame.
In the middle of the same frame (above) click on the file icon. This will allow you to browse in your local files and select your newly created "root" folder. Now we see the path to your "root" folder in the form field for “Where on your computer do you want to store your files?” If correct, click the Next button.
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How do you connect to the remote server? Select: FTP.
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What is the hostname or FTP address of your Web Server?
Enter: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org What folder on the server to you want to store your files in?
Enter one of the following:- /schools/schoolname/
- /departments/departmentname/
- /curriculum/areaname/
What is your FTP login in?
Enter: internet/webmasteridWhat is your FTP password?
Enter: your webmaster password-
To test if you entered everything correctly, click on the "Test Connection" button. If everything is correct you should see the following dialogue box:
- Click Ok on the dialogue box, then click the Next button.
In Dreamweaver CS3 and above, you will be asked if you want to enable check in and check out. Select: No. Click the Next button.
- Dreamweaver will give you a summary of your
responses. Click Done.
You will be able to return to Manage Sites and change any of your settings using the Edit function when needed.
You are now ready to use Dreamweaver to FTP pages and files to and from the MCPS server. Find out how
Updated August 18, 2009 | Maintained by Web Services
