Jump to Main Content

Define a Site Dreamweaver 8

What is defining a site?

This seems to be the most confusing aspect in getting started with Dreamweaver. When you define a site in Dreamweaver, you associate a folder and the related files inside Dreamweaver. For example, most people have recipes which inform them how to make a specialty dish. People collect and store these recipes in a cookbook, which has a name of Mom’s Specialties. Using this example, Mom’s Specialties is our folder and the recipes are the related files. You simply instruct Dreamweaver where to find this folder in your site definition. Your site definition can be named anything you want. In our example, it could be Mom’s Specialties.

In this tutorial, let’s define a site for Midwest Web Design. Do note the screen shots may differ slightly from version to version.

Printable Version
Word PDF

Create your folder

First, we’ll create a new folder on our hard drive. Follow these steps:

  • From the Desktop, double-click My Computer
  • In this window, double-click Local Disk (C :)
  • In this window, from the main menu select File>New>Folder
  • Type Midwest, and press enter
  • Keep this window open but minimize it by clicking the left outer button at the top of the window:

Minimize window button

 

Open Dreamweaver

Follow these steps to open Dreamweaver:

  • From the Desktop, locate the Start button
  • Select Start>Programs>Macromedia>Macromedia Dreamweaver 8

Create the site

In Dreamweaver, on the right side you will see a files panel:

Define a Site Files Panel

If we had a site defined it would appear. Follow these steps to define a site which associates our folder, Midwest, in Dreamweaver:

  • Left click the blue link Manage Sites, the following window shows:

Empty Manage Sites Window

The manage sites window is new in Dreamweaver 8 and provides a list of existing sites. Follow these steps to create our site:

  • Left click New and then Site

Select New From Manage Sites Window

This window will show:

Name your site

  • We need to give our site a name, type Midwest
  • Left click Next and the following window shows:

Select server side technology

We need to select whether we are using a server technology. Server technologies include ASP, ASP.NET, aspx, Coldfusion, etc. Since we are not using a server technology, leave the settings in this window as is.

  • Left click Next and the following window shows:

Select folder location where midwest is located

In Dreamweaver you have three options when working with your files:

  • Edit Local Copies on my machine, and then upload when ready
  • Edit directly on server using local network
  • Edit directly on server using FTP or RDS

Leave the default option selected. We also need to instruct Dreamweaver where to find our Midwest folder.

  • Left click the yellow folder icon:

Dreamweaver yellow folder icon

  • The following window shows:

Dreamweaver default folder view

  • Select the drop down list and Local Disk (C:):

Select Local Disk C:

  • Select Midwest:

Select midwest folder

  • Left click Open, which shows this window:

Empty Midwest folder view

The Midwest folder has no content because we have not created any files.

  • Left click Select, the window will close
  • Site definition wizard in Dreamweaver shows with a modified path in the text box:

Midwest folder path showing

Notice that Dreamweaver is showing the correct hard drive partition and location.

  • Left click Next, this window will show:

Choose how you connect to web server

We need to inform Dreamweaver how to connect to our remote server.

  • Select FTP and this expanded window shows:

Select FTP, fill in information

The fields are explained below:

  • What is the hostname or FTP address of your Web Server?
    • This comes from your hosting provider. It can take two values:
  • FTP address:
  • IP address:
    • 122.34.56.9
  • What folder on the server do you want to store your files in?
    • Servers are just like your computer. They have folders to store your files. This will also come from your host.
  • What is your FTP login:
    • This comes from your host. Though it’s not clear, you enter your username
  • What is your FTP password:
    • This comes from your host.

Once this information is entered, left click Test Connection. If it succeeds, you get this window:

Dreamweaver FTP test connection

  • Left click OK
  • Left click Next and this window shows:

Selecting Enable checking in and out

We need to inform Dreamweaver whether to enable check-in/check-out. This concept ensures that two people cannot edit and publish the same file at the same time. If you work in a team, this is typically used. If you work by yourself, it would be rather pointless. Leave the default option selected.

  • Left click Next and this window shows:

Summation of Site Defintion

Dreamweaver summarizes our information.

  • Left click Finish, the manage sites window shows:

Midwest visible in Manage Sites window

  • Left click Done, and the files panel shows:

Midwest visible in Files panel

Note that when you click Done from the manage sites window, sometimes Dreamweaver will show the remote view in the Files panel instead of local. To change the drop down list to local view, left click the second drop down menu and select Local View:

Dreamweaver select local view

Our site definition, Midwest has been created. You can have as many site definitions as you want. You should notice Dreamweaver isn’t showing any files, because none exist. You should also notice Dreamweaver shows the path to your folder on our hard drive. It should be clear now that creating a site definition in Dreamweaver maps the location to the hard drive so that Dreamweaver can reflect changes and subsequently upload files to your server, all stored in one convenient location.

Creating an HTML file

We can create an HTML file in Dreamweaver by using the Files panel. Follow these steps:

  • Right click the root site definition
  • Select New File

Select new file in Dreamweaver

  • Untitled.htm will show below your site definition:

Default document name in Dreamweaver files panel

We can also see untitled.htm inside our Midwest folder from my computer. Follow these steps:

  • Left click the Midwest folder on your taskbar to restore the window
  • Double-click the Midwest folder
  • There should be a file named untitled.htm:

My computer - Midwest folder view

Each file or folder you place inside the Midwest folder or that’s created inside the Files panel of Dreamweaver will be seen in both places. You are now ready to start creating the site of your dreams!

If you have questions, contact me.

top of page