Before you start any new project, always create a site.

Always.

It is easy to open up Dreamweaver, start using the toolbars and putting stuff into the WYSIWYG window. Problem is, the page will likely not work when you publish it. The image paths, hyperlinks and additional files (or the paths to them) will probably be incorrect.

To get the full benefit of the program (and to make certain everything works properly), create a site.

A folder.

A directory.

A strategy for allowing DW to keep all your associated files together and the paths to them correct.

As you may know, you are building pages to be displayed in a browser, and you are using DW to help you write code that a browser can understand.

As you may not know, the images you see on the page aren't really "on" the page. You are writing code (through the WYSIWYG window) that will tell the browser where the image is, to go get it, and display it appropriately.

For DW to gather all the associated files (images and links to other pages) and to write the paths to them in such a way that everything works when you publish it, you must work in a site.

So. Create a Site first.

Always.

To create a site:

• Go to Panels (right side of workspace)
• Make certain the Files panel is open
• Make certain the Site tab is selected
• Click on Site --> New Site

Note: You can also go to the main toolbar at the top of your workspace and click on Site--> New Site.

You should get the Site Definite Box (Figure 1B-A), which has two tabs: Basic and Advanced.

NOTE: if you select the Basic tab, it provides a Wizard for doing a complete setup of your site, both local and remote (Web). At this point, however, we do not have our remote or FTP information, so we will select the Advanced tab and fill out selected pieces of it. In Step Four, we will come back to this dialog box and put in our publishing information.

• Type name of site in the Site Name box (e.g. "My Site" )
• Click on the yellow folder to the right of the Local Root Folder
• Use the dialog box arrows to Navigate where you want to create a new folder (e.g. My Documents on C:)
• Click on Create New Folder Icon (see Figure 1B-B)
• Type in a folder name (e.g. my_site)
• Highlight the new folder name and click on Select

Add a Default Images Folder

• Click on the Yellow Folder to the right of the Default Images Folder box. The Choose Local Image Folder dialog panel should automatically open to the new site you have just created
• Click on Create New Folder icon
• Type "images"
• Select the images folder
• Click on Open

The result should look similar to Figure 1B-C

• Select OK
• Select Yes to "Enable Cache" (it makes DW work faster)

Your site window on the right panel should look similar to Figure 1B-D

You will notice that we are operating in "Local View." In Step Four, we will add remote information, so that Dreamweaver can publish your pages to the WWW.

VERY IMPORTANT

Use the Site window to add folders, move files, rename files, etc. If you do this, DW will keep track of the changes for you.

If you rename or move files outside of the Site Window (by going through My Computer, for instance), your pages will not work.

• To add a folder, right click on the top folder and select New File
• To rename a file, right click on the file and select Rename
• To move files around, drag and drop with the mouse

VERY VERY IMPORTANT!

• Never use spaces when you name a file; use underscores or dashes instead
• If at all possible, keep all file names in lower case

For Example: not "My Site.htm" but "my_site.htm"

If you include a space in the name a file or folder, it will work in your computer, but will not work when you publish it on the WWW.

Since UNIX (the OS of the WWW where we will eventually publish our files) is case sensitive, it is simply easier to remember your URLs if all characters are in lower case

THE BOTTOM LINE

Always create a site before you begin any new project.

Always name, rename, and move files from within the site window.

To create a site:

• click on toolbar Site --> New Site
• navigate to where you want to create the folder and enter appropriate information.