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Backing Up Site Definitions in Dreamweaver

Jolantha Belik

Adobe Community Expert
www.webstep.at

Have you ever looked for missing remote server names, user names, and passwords? Have you ever tried to transfer a site definition to another system by copying the data stored in the Site Definition dialog box? If so, you probably discovered that it doesn't work because the password is encrypted.

Tip: If you are not in a hurry try my Get Dreamweaver FTP Password feature at my website.

Fear of losing user names and passwords is but one reason to back up your site definitions. You should also back up your site definitions each time you add a new site or edit an existing site because your computer could crash and you might lose your data, or something could go wrong when you install an upgrade or update that causes you to lose your site definitions. Backing up your site definitions also safeguards you against an occasionally-temperamental Dreamweaver installation that might "forget" your site definitions.

Requirements

To complete this tutorial you will need to install the following software and files:

Dreamweaver 8

MM-Exporter

Site Import Export extension (Dreamweaver 4/4.01)

Getting Started

As a Dreamweaver user, you have the following options to back up your site definitions. You can:

Considering the Number of Sites

Your backup strategy also depends upon the number of site definitions you want to back up. For a single site definition or a small number of site definitions, the best way is to use the export and import functions of the Dreamweaver site manager. If you have to back up many site definitions at the same time, you might be better off working with the Dreamweaver Sites registry key (Windows users) or back up the Site Prefs file (Mac user).

Transferring Site Definitions Between Platforms

The only way to transfer site definitions between Windows and Macintosh platforms is to use the export and import feature.

Note: Don't forget to edit your site definitions after importing the site definitions on the new operating system. You'll have to point the site folder to the correct local folder where all the site's files are stored!

Using the Dreamweaver Export/Import Feature

One easy and fast way to back up a site definition is to use the built-in export and import feature in Dreamweaver. This built-in function is available in Dreamweaver MX, Dreamweaver MX 2004, and Dreamweaver 8. Dreamweaver 4 users must download and install a special extension, Site Import Export.

Note: The export feature backs up only the site definition. It does not back up your site's files. You have to do that manually!

Exporting Site Definitions in Dreamweaver 4

Dreamweaver 4 doesn't have a native import and export feature. Instead, you have to use a special extension for exporting and importing site definitions.

  1. Download and install the Site Import Export extension for Dreamweaver 4/4.01.
  2. To export a site definition, choose File > Export > Export Site.
  3. To import a site definition into Dreamweaver 4, choose File > Import > Import Site. After importing a site definition you must shut down and restart Dreamweaver before the imported site appears in Dreamweaver.

Note: The Site Import Export extension is not compatible with Dreamweaver MX/MX2004/8. These versions have a built-in export and import feature. Dreamweaver 4 does not recognize STE files used in Dreamweaver MX and later. Therefore, you cannot import a site definition exported from Dreamweaver 4 into a newer Dreamweaver version. However, when you install Dreamweaver MX, Dreamweaver MX2004, or Dreamweaver 8, your existing Dreamweaver 4 and UltraDev site definitions will be imported automatically into the newer version of Dreamweaver. In short, do not uninstall Dreamweaver 4 before installing a newer version of Dreamweaver.

Exporting Site Definitions in Dreamweaver MX/MX 2004/8

To export site definitions in Dreamweaver MX/MX 2004/8, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Site > Edit Sites (Dreamweaver MX) or Site > Manage Sites (Dreamweaver MX 2004/8) to access the site manager.

    Alternatively, in Dreamweaver MX 2004/8, you can also select Manage Sites from the pop-up list in the Files panel to access the Site Manager (see Figure 1).

    Select Manage Sites from pop-up list.

    Figure 1. Select Manage Sites from pop-up list.

  2. Highlight the site name you want to export and click Export (see Figure 2).

    Highlight site name, then click Export...

    Figure 2. Highlight site name, then click Export...

  3. In the Export Site dialog box, Select the Back up my settings option and click OK (see Figure 3).

    Select the Back up my settings option

    Figure 3. Select the Back up my settings option.

  4. Save the SiteName.ste file.

    Tip: Use the name of the site for the SiteName so that you can recognize it easily later when you want to import it.

When you export a site definition, Dreamweaver writes the settings into an XML file with an STE extension. Do not change, add, or remove anything in that file!

Importing a Site Definition File

To import a Site Definition file, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Manage Sites window.

  2. Click the Import button (see Figure 4).

    Click Import in the Manage Sites window

    Figure 4. Click Import in the Manage Sites window.

  3. Dreamweaver adds a new site name called Unnamed Site 1 to the list. This is a placeholder for the name of the site you want to import (see Figure 5).

    Dreamweaver adds a new site called Unnamed Site 1

    Figure 5. Dreamweaver adds a new site called Unnamed Site 1.

  4. Navigate to the STE file you want to import, select it, and click OK.

    It might take a few seconds until your imported site name appears in the list. The imported site's name will replace Unnamed Site 1.

  5. Click Done to save the new extended list and to close the Manage Sites window.

Note: Always use the Done button. Dreamweaver can behave strangely if you leave the Manage Sites window using the X in the upper right corner!

Backing Up the Registry Key (Windows Users)

If you are on Windows and you want to back up all of your site definitions in one single step, export the registry key that contains all of your site definitions and settings.

To export the registry key for your site definitions, follow these steps:

Caution: Do not to change, add, or delete anything in the Windows registry!

  1. Select > Start > Execute.
  2. Type regedit into the dialog box and click Execute to open the Registry editor.

  3. In the left-side window navigate to:

    • Dreamweaver 4 users:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 4\Sites

    • Dreamweaver MX users:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 6\Sites

    • Dreamweaver MX 2004 users:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Common\2004\Sites

    • Dreamweaver 8 users:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Common\8\Sites

  4. Highlight the Sites key (see Figure 6).

    Highlight the Sites key

    Figure 6. Highlight the Sites key

  5. Select File > Export in the menu bar.
  6. Select Selected branch in the Export Range section of the Export Registry File dialog box.

  7. Choose a name you can easily remember.

    Tip: I always add the month and year to a file's name. For example, sitesDW8_11_05.reg for the sites definition key in Dreamweaver 8, saved in November 2005. This way, I always know when I backed up of the Sites registry key.

  8. Click Save to save your site definitions as a Registration File (*.reg).

To import and restore the Sites key in the registry, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Registry editor.
  2. Select > File > Import.

  3. Go to the folder where you stored your REG file and click Import. The registry editor automatically imports the key to the correct place in the registry.

    Alternatively, double-click the REG file. It will be automatically imported to the correct place in the registry.

Note: The imported registry key overwrites the existing key. If you have added new site definitions since you backed up the registry key, you will lose the new definitions. Also, if you removed some site definitions, those definitions will be written to the registry again. To avoid any problems, always back up new site definitions using the export/import feature. To remove site names of sites that you have already deleted from the list, go to the Manage Sites window. Never change anything within the Sites key in the Registry!

Also, do not import old registry keys after installing a newer version of Dreamweaver. The newer version will automatically import the old site definitions.

Backing Up the Site Prefs File in the Sites Folder (Mac users)

On Mac OS X, the site definitions are stored in the preferences. On OS X (as a multi-user OS) there is one Prefs file for the installation, and one for each user using Dreamweaver. Back up the file, which you can find at the following locations:

To back up the file, make a back-up copy and store it on a safe place. Do not change, add, or remove anything in that file!

How To Restore Site Definitions

To restore your site definitions copy the Site prefs file back into the prefs folder.

Note: This will work only if you did not change anything like path to the sites, site names, etc.

Tip: Also on a Mac, the best and safest way to back up site definitions is to use Dreamweaver's export/import feature! In this way, Dreamweaver creates the STE, which you can import into Dreamweaver on other Macs and Windows too.

Where to Go from Here

In this article, you learned how to back up your site definitions in Dreamweaver. For more information, check out the following resources:

 

About the author

Jolantha Belik is the author of Dreamweaver 8 – CSS, Templates, Dynamische Seiten, written in German. She runs her own company, webstep.at, in Vienna, Austria. It offers website development and software training, especially coaching "woman to woman." Jolantha is an Adobe Community Expert and has published several tutorials for beginners at moreDW.