Setting Up a Dreamweaver CS5 Site Definition at SSU
Creating a Dreamweaver site definition allows you to manage all the files associated with your website and your
connection to the web server. The site definition works with the Dreamweaver Files tool to allow you to connect to the
web server to upload and download files. The site definition will also keep track of the way your files link together, and
update those links when you change filenames or move files from one folder to another.
The following directions are for setting up a new site for either www.sonoma.edu or www.students.sonoma.edu. If you are
setting up a site definition for some other web server, you will need to contact the system administrator for that server for
instructions specific to that server.
To create a new site:
1. Pull down the Site menu and select New Site.
The Site Definition dialog box appears.
2. Click on the Site Name field and type the name of your
site.
This is just a handy label for your site in Dreamweaver.
It does not show up on your website. It does not need
to match anything on the server. “My Website,” “Nursing
508” and “Bob’s web stuff” are all valid names.
3. Click on the Servers field, click the plus button on the
bottom left hand corner to add a new server.
4. Type in the server name.
5. Pull down the Connect Using menu and select
WebDAV.
6. In the URL field type your site’s WebDAV URL.
For Faculty/Staff directories
https://dav.sonoma.edu/users/u/
username/
For Student directories
https://dav.sonoma.edu/hosts/students/
users/u/username/
Where u is the first initial of your username,
and username is your Seawolf username.
For Department directories
https://dav.sonoma.edu/department/
Where department is the name or common abbreviate of your department or program.
For Student Club directories
https://dav.sonoma.edu/hosts/students/clubs/clubname/
Where clubname is the name or common abbreviate of your student club or organization.
7.
In the Username field type your web account username.
IT Web Office • Sonoma State University • [email protected] • www.sonoma.edu/it/websupport/ • 664-2339
8.
In the Password field type your web account password.
9. Click the Test button to test your WebDAV account settings. If the login fails, verify your account information and
correct the settings as necessary. If you need assistance, contact the IT Helpdesk or Web Office.
10. Check the Save box to store your password in the Dreamweaver site definition only if you are not working on a public
computer (e.g., in a lab or smart classroom).
11. In the Web URL field, type the address for your website’s top-level directory.
Examples:
http://www.sonoma.edu/biology
http://www.sonoma.edu/users/s/smithj
http://www.students.sonoma.edu/clubs/psichi
http://www.students.sonoma.edu/users/s/smithb
Do NOT enter the site’s WebDAV URL in this field.
12. Click on the Advance tab.
13. Make sure the Maintain synchronization box is checked.
14. Do NOT check the Automatically upload files to
server on save unless you always want to upload
changes immediately on save. Checking this option
could result in overwriting live content with content not
ready for publication.
15. Do NOT check the Enable file check in and check
out unless you work on the website with other people
and you want to use file locks to manage version
control. Checking this option will automatically lock
any file you edit until you give a Check In command.
Many SSU web editors find this option to be more
trouble than it’s worth, as they sometimes have
difficulty checking in files. If you do choose this option,
you will also need to enter your name and email
address.
16. Click Save.
Dreamweaver will now examine any files you might
already have in your local web folder and build a cache
file. Once that is completed, Dreamweaver returns to
the document editing view. You’re now ready to edit
files, or connect to the server to upload or download.
Transferring Files To and From the Web Server
After defining a new site, Dreamweaver displays the Files panel, usually in the collapsed files view. By default, the Local
View is selected, listing the files and subdirectories inside the folder you selected for your Local Root Folder. The buttons
in the Files panel let you connect to the web server, refresh the listing, upload and download files and expand the Files
window so both the Local View and Remote Site are displayed side by side.
To Download a File from the Web Server
1. In the Remote Site, click once on the file you want to download.
2. Click the Get button. (Or, if you have file locking enabled and want to lock the file, click Check Out.)
A dialog box will appear asking if you want to also download dependant files - images, external CSS and other files
that might be part of the page. (If you have file locking enabled and used the Check Out command, all dependent
files downloaded will be locked on the web server.)
3. If you want to download those dependant files, click Yes. If not, click No.
The file is downloaded and appears in the Local View. You can double-click on the file in the Local View to open and
edit it.
Connect to Server Refresh List
Get
Put
Remote Site files on the server
Check Out
Check
Expand/Collapse panel
Local View files on your computer
To Upload a File to the Web Server
1. In the Local View, click once on the file you want to upload.
2. Click the Put button. (Or, if you have file locking enabled and you want to unlock the file, click Check In.)
A dialog box will appear asking if you want to also upload dependant files - images, external CSS and other files that
might be part of the page. (If you have file locking enabled and used the Check In command, all dependent files
uploaded will be unlocked on the web server.)
3. If you want to upload those dependant files, click Yes. If not, click No.
The file is uploaded to the server and appears in the Remote Site.
Note: Although files can be dragged to and from the Remote Site and Local View, the Web Office recommends against
it. Using the Get/Check Out and Put/Check In buttons insures that the file and directory structures of the web server and
your local web files are identical. This helps you avoid broken links and accidentally overwriting files.