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Configuring and Using Dreamweaver for SacLink and Sacramento State Web Server

After you have edited and tested your web pages on your computer, you can use the built-in FTP process to upload your completed HTML files, documents and image files to a Web account – such as your faculty Web account, your SacLink Web account or your department’s Web account.

TIP: If you do not organize your site files on the Web account the same as they are organized on your local computer, hyperlinks will not work and images will not display properly.

Note:  You need a SacLink or CSUS Web Server account.  For information on activating your SacLink Web page see http://www.csus.edu/saclink/web/index.stm.  CSUS Web Server accounts can be obtained by faculty, staff, and student organizations.  For information on the CSUS Web Server account see http://www.csus.edu/web/webprocess1.html. To request a CSUS Web Server account fill out the Request for Web Server Account form online. This process does not work with WebCT.  You must use the upload utility within WebCT to copy files to an online course in WebCT.

Define your Dreamweaver Site

  1. Once your pages are ready to upload, select Site from the menu bar and click New Site from the menu options.

  2. site drop down menu for Dreamweaver

  3. A Site Definition wizard will open.  For the first question "What would you like to name your site?", enter the name you want to use for your web site.  Click Next.

  4. name site window of site definition wizard for Dreamweaver

  5. For the "Do you want to work with server technology?" question, answer according to your preference.  If yes, indicate what type of technology you intend to include in your site. Note: the server must support the technology you choose. If you are uncertain, choose the No, I do not want ... option.

  6. server techology window from site def window of Dreamweaver

  7. In order to test and upload the entire site structure to the web server, you need to indicate where you will keep the files on your computer.  For the "How do you want to work with your files during development?" question, select Edit locally, then upload to remote testing server.  Indicate the location of your local site.  You can browse for the location by clicking the file icon to ensure correct directory path.

  8. where to save site files box for Dreamweaver

  9. Dreamweaver will establish the method of connecting to the server for uploading your files.  In the "How do you connenct to your testing server?" question, click the drop down arrow and select FTP.

  10. connect to server window for dreamweaver

  11. After selecting FTP, the window will change allowing you to enter the FTP connection information. 

  12. ftp info window for dreamweaver

    • For "What is the hostname or FTP address of your testing server?", enter ftp.saclink.csus.edu for SacLink personal web pages or type www.csus.edu for CSUS Web Server accounts.

    • For "What folder on the testing server do you want to store your files in?", enter web for Saclink personal web pages or type the directory path for CSUS Web Server accounts.  To find the path for CSUS Web server accounts, refer to your account creation e-mail notification.  An example of a CSUS Web directory path is:  /indiv/s/smithja

    • For "What is your FTP Login?", enter your SacLink user name.

    • For "What is your FTP Password?", enter your SacLink password.  The Save box will automatically select when you begin typing into the password field.

      Note:  If you are using a shared work station, you should not save your password because anyone using your computer will have access to your CSUS Web Server account and gain full access to your Web files.  If you do not want to save your password, go back and deselect the Save box after you complete the following step of testing your connection.

    • Click the Test Connection button.  Dreamweaver will test your connection immediately and return if it was successful.  If the connection was successful, click Next.  If the connection was not successful, check the instructions above once again to be sure everything was entered properly.  If all the information was entered correctly, but you are still not successful with a connection, contact helpdesk@csus.edu.

  13. Dreamweaver tests the URL of your site.  Enter the web address of your web site and click the Test URL button.  An example of a SacLink personal web page URL is http://webpages.csus.edu/~sacID and an example of a URL for a CSUS web server account is http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/smithja/.

  14. url  connection testing in Dreamweaver

  15. If Dreamweaver is successful in testing the URL, a box will open on the screen.  Click OK.  Then, click Next.

  16. url test was successful for dreamweaver

  17. If more than one editor is responsible for your web site, you may want to select the option to enable check in and check out files so that only one person can edit the same file at a time.

  18. checking files options for dreamweaver

  19. The last screen gives a summary of all the configurations made during this Site Definition.  Check your settings and click the Done button.   You are now ready to upload your web page to the server.

  20. summary for site definition for dreamweaver

Transfer folders and files to Web Server

  1. After defining your site within Dreamweaver you are ready to transfer your files to the web server.  Select Site Files from the Site menu bar.

  2. site files menu for dreamweaver

  3. The Files panel will open on the right side of the screen.

  4. files panel on right side of Dreamweaver

  5. To connect to the web server, click the connect connect button for Dreamweaver button on the Site panel toolbar.

    If you have more than one site defined, make sure the site you are updating is the one to which you are connecting.  Click the drop down menu on the left window (which is your local window) to see all your defined sites.

  6. local drow down menu for site files in Dreamweaver

  7. If your password was not saved when defining the site, a box will open prompting you to enter your password.  Click OK.

  8. A status box will indicate that you have successfully connected to your remote site (the web server) and the connect button will automatically change to a disconnect button.  From the Files panel, click the Expand/Collapse expand collapse button for Dreamweaver button. 

  9. files panel for dreamweaver

  10. Both local files (your computer) and remote files (Web account) are visible in side by side panels.  All Dreamweaver windows will now close, except for the expanded Site panel window.  If you need to return to the editing screen, click the expand/collapse button again.

  11. There are three methods to move your files and folders:

    • Drag the files and folders to the other area.  Pay close attention to where you place your files.  You can select and drag files and folders from the Remote Site area to the Local Files area or from the Local Files area to the Remote Site area.

    • Put Files put button for Dreamweaver button is used to copy files from the Local Files area to the Remote View area (i.e. the Web account).
      Note: It will preserve the file/folder organization and may ask you to copy the dependent files (i.e. images from the HTML pages).

    • Get Files get button for dreamweaver button is used to copy files from the Remote View (i.e. the Web account) area to the Local Files area.
      Note: It will preserve the file/folder organization and may ask you to copy the dependent files (i.e. images from the HTML pages).

  12. Once your files have been transferred and you have checked your URL to ensure the site is displaying properly, you can click the Disconnect button disconnect button for Dreamweaver to end the session with the server.  To return to the main Dreamweaver window click the Expand/Collapse expand collapse button for Dreamweaver button on the Site panel toolbar.  This will collapse the Site panel into a single view, with the other Dreamweaver panels now appearing on your screen.

Additional Resources

Books on Dreamweaver MX

  • Dreamweaver MX Bible by Joseph Lowery

  • Dreamweaver MX for Dummies by Janine Warner, Ivonne Berkowitz

  • Macromedia Dreamweaver MX Hands-On Training by Garo Green, Abigail Rudner

  • Master VISUALLY Dreamweaver(r) MX and Flash MX by Sherry Kinkoph, Mike Wooldridge