Defining Your Site - Page 2

While your server is running, open Dreamweaver MX. If you have not created a site, your Application Panel should display numbered bullets listing the process to set up a site. The first one says, "Create a site for this file." Click the hyperlink named site. If Dreamweaver MX loads a different site that you have already created, go to Site > New Site. You should be presented with a Site Definition dialog box. This dialog box has seven screens, but we will only be covering the first three here – this will be sufficient for setting up a basic site – we will now go through each of these in turn:

Local Info

The Local info screen looks like this:

Fill it in as follows:

·       Site Name: Name your site webprodmx.

·       Local Root Folder: Browse for the local root folder named webprodmx_files, which you created above.

·       Default Images Folder: Browse for the folder that will hold your images – it is best to call it images, and put it inside the root of your web site, webprodmx_files – this is good practice for effective site layout – we will know where all our images are.

·       HTTP Address: Type http://localhost/webprodmx.

Also, make sure the site cache is enabled (that is, the checkbox is checked)

Remote Info

·       Switch to the Remote Info screen:

·       Select the following options:

·       Access: Select Local/Network.

·       Remote Folder: Browse for the local root folder named webprodmx_files, which you created above.

We can leave the other settings at their defaults – Refresh Remote File List Automatically is selected, which means that when you view the remote file list in the site window, it will make sure you are seeing the latest version of the remote files. Also, as we are not working in a collaborative environment, we don't need to Enable File Check In And Check Out – which is useful for just such environments as it allows you to quickly see who is working on what file.

Testing Server

Switch to Testing Server:

Select the following options:

·       Server Model: Select ASP VBScript

·       Access: Select Local/Network

·       Testing Server Folder: Browse for the local root folder named webprodmx_files that you created

·       URL Prefix: Type http://localhost/webprodmx, and click OK

Let's recap briefly what you should have done so far. You should have created a physical directory on your PC where you will save all the file examples named webprodmx_files. You should also have created a virtual directory named webprodmx that will be accessed from the browser from http://localhost/webprodmx. This will lead to the root of your site. Finally you should have defined a site in Dreamweaver MX named webprodmx that will be tested on your local server. Chapter 8 has more about setting up a site, including a discussion of what the other four panels do.

Now let's move on to look at how we connect our site to, and use it with, a database.

Dynamic Dreamweaver MX
Dynamic Dreamweaver MX
Databases - Page 3