Uploading Files to a Server

Servers are fairly exspensive so individuals rent server space from a commercial hosting company rather than make a substantial financial investment. All of the Learn2Design content is being hosted by a commercial hosting company.

There are several ways to put your completed files on a web server. You can upload files by:

1. Configuring Dreamweaver (reccommnmed method)
2. You can purchase a commercial software program such as WS-FTP or Cute FTP
3. You can upload your files via your browser with the FTP address provided by your hosting company.

But before you can access the server you will need to log in with a password and login name. How do you get this information?

1. Buy commercial server space. They will supply you with the login info.
2. Learn2Design will provide registered users with server space and login info.
3. Get server space from a friend.

Uploading files using Dreamweaver

1. Make sure the FILES menu is open in Dreamweaver.
   It should, by default, be docked on the right hand side of your Dreamweaver window. If it isn't open you can open it by selecting WINDOW / FILES from the top text menu or select the F8 key on your keyboard.

2. Opening the New Site Dialog Box
   Select the menu button from the FILES MENU docked on the right.

3. Select NEW SITE from the pop-up menu.
   
   
4. Setting the Site Definition Files Options
   The purpose of this dialog box is to select an access method for Dreamweaver to access your server. Dreamweaver works with a server to generate and display dynamic content while you work. The server can be your local computer, a development server, a staging server, or a production server. As long as the server can process the kind of dynamic pages you plan to develop, the choice doesn't matter. Select the ADVANCED tab.
   
5. Now fill in each of the text fields in the LOCAL INFO area.
   Site Name: The name you want to use to identify the site.
   Local Root Folder: Where your files are stored on your local machine.
   Default images folder: The folder where your images will be kept. Always store your images in a different folder than your HTML files.
   HTTP address: The URL for your website.
   
   The information in the box below is dummy information. You will need to provide your personal information for each of the options.

6. To select an access method for your testing server choose REMOTE INFO from the pop-up menu:
   Then select FTP from the ACCESS dropdown box.

7. Adding the FTP Info:
   Fill in the each of the fields below with your FTP information from your hosting provider.
   To see if you are able to connect to the remote server select the TEST button.

8. Your Sever has now been successfully configured and you're ready to upload files!
   
9. To put files on a remote or testing server using the Files panel:
   1. In the Files panel select the files to upload.

      Usually you select these in the Local view, but you may select the corresponding files in the Remote view if you prefer.

   2. Do one of the following to put the file:
      • Click the Put button in the Files panel toolbar.
      • Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the file in the Files panel, then select Put from the context menu.
        

      If the file hasn't been saved, a dialog box may appear (depending on your preference setting in the Site category of the Preferences dialog box) allowing you to save the file before putting it on the remote server.

   3. If a dialog box appears, click Yes to save the file or No to put the previously saved version on the remote server.

      If you do not save the file, any changes you've made since the last time you saved will not be put onto the remote server. However, the file remains open, so you can still save the changes after putting the file on the server if you want.

      The Dependent Files dialog box appears.

   4. To upload dependent files, click Yes; to skip them, click No.

      If the remote site already contains copies of the dependent files, click No.