Defining a local site in Dreamweaver
“I’m a designer, not a file manager!” I hear this protest each time I teach Adobe® Dreamweaver®, and I sympathize. But you need a basic understanding of how websites manage and organize files, or your site will fall apart. Links won’t work; embedded images won’t appear in pages; media files won’t open; and style sheets, which control page format, won’t attach.
The good news is that Dreamweaver will manage all your file connection issues, as long as you play by a few simple rules. The first of these rules is always start by defining a Dreamweaver website. This website will manage your files for you.
If you change a filename, Dreamweaver will update links throughout your site. If you go on an organizing binge and decide to move all your images into appropriate file folders, Dreamweaver will update links throughout your website. Again, to emphasize: This works as long as you 1) set up a Dreamweaver website, and 2) do all your file management (renaming or moving files) in the Dreamweaver Site panel.
Requirements
To follow along with this article, you will need the following software:
Dreamweaver CS3
Prerequisite knowledge:
Basic knowledge of Dreamweaver CS3
About the authors
David Karlins is a veteran Web designer and digital graphics consultant. He is the author of more than 20 books on digital graphic and interactive design, including “Build Your Own Web Site”, “The Complete Idiot's Guides to Dreamweaver and Flash”, “Dreamweaver CS3 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques”, and “Illustrator CS3 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques”. David's clients have ranged from Hewlett Packard to the Himalayan Fair. His articles and reviews appear in online and print publications, including CreativePro and Macworld magazine. David has taught at the University of California Extension School of Graphic and Interactive Design and for the San Francisco State University Digital Video Intensive program. He currently teaches Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Dreamweaver for the San Francisco State University Multimedia Studies Program. Visit David at www.davidkarlins.com.
Excerpted from “Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques” by David Karlins. Copyright © 2007 David Karlins. Used with permission of Pearson Education, Inc. and Peachpit Press. All rights reserved. To buy this book, visit www.peachpit.com.
