Defining a Site In Dreamweaver

by ww667

Why to define a page.
You should always define a page so that dream weaver knows where all files should be and what file types are you working on. This prevent problems with paths to your hard drive files later on when the site is online. While defining a page you will have a lot of options you can chose from.

What are the options?
You will have a two ways how to define a web page. One is a wizard and other is an advanced mode.

1. Click the Define site from the main menu.

2. On the first screen Dreamweaver will ask you the name of the web site. Name your site something related to the site so you can remember what this web is. For example I will cal this page “My first defined page”. After renaming a page click next.

3. On the next page Dreamweaver will ask you would you like to use any server technology as ASP Net PHP or any other, if you don’t wish to use any of these technologies just click next (no should be on by default), but if you do wish to use them click yes and you will be presented with choice of available technologies. The available technologies screen is shown on the right where you would chose the one you are planning to use if you do and click next. Here we will not use advanced technologies.

4. Dreamweaver now wants to know how are you planning to work with your files. First option will allow you to create a page on your computer and after that upload it to your web server, but the second one will place files directly on your local web server. In this example chose the option to edit files on this computer and upload them to internet after.

5. Next, Select where on your computer would you like to store files while you are working on them. I recommend that you create a folder on your computer in any location where you will have a fast access to it, I will do that under my documents and call folder “mdfp” and that stands for my first defined page. I recommend you to not use any spaces and case sensitive letters or any symbols in the title or folder names as it my cause you some problems later on. We will centralize our website work area on the computer. Click an folder icon and browse to the folder just created. Click next button.

6. Dreamweaver will ask for the way you are uploading your files to the web server. My preferred is none as I usually use some other software to upload and manage all the files on the server. But while we are here I will explain first two

FTP (Fife Transfer Protocol) is one of the moist popular ways to upload a page to the internet. If you do chose this option you will be presented with the following options.

• The hostname is the name of your FTP server, you will get this address from the company witch is handling your server.
• The same thing is about the option 2.
• FTP login is a name by witch server knows you (the same as email name)
• Password well I think you know what is that.
• Save option will memorize the login name and a password, do you need to use a SFPT is depending on the hosting company you use.

Local/Network you don’t get so many options. Chose of path where your local server located.

 

I will chose none and click next.

7. You will get a confirmation box that your web is now set up! You are done! You are now ready to add pages, create library items and templates.