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Using the Practice Web

If you want to follow-along with this tutorial and build the sample page, you'll need to download and unzip the Practice Web Site Files [zip] (requires unzip software). Unzip the file to a location on your C: drive that you will remember and identify that folder in your site definition (as described below).

Defining a Site

Dreamweaver is designed to be a web site manager, not just a web page creator. Thus, it works best when you have defined the parameters of your site. Once you do, Dreamweaver will keep track of your links and files to insure that you don't create broken links or links to files that are outside your site folder.

NOTE: Before you begin this step, you need to create a web site folder and an images folder where you will store your site files. For this tutorial, we will create these folders in the MY DOCUMENTS folder on the C: drive.

Create a New Site.

1. From the SITE menu, choose Manage Sites . . .
2. From the buttons on the right of the site management dialog, choose NEW.
3. In the drop-down choices, select SITE (e.g. create new site).

Unless you have changed the default, Dreamweaver opens a wizard to help you create your site. For this lesson, however, we are going to use the ADVANCED method of site definition.

4. Click on the ADVANCED tag at the top of the SITE DEFINITION dialog box.
5. From the CATEGORY list on the left, select LOCAL INFO.
6. In the SITE NAME box, identify your site (for your use only can be any name).
7. Next to the LOCAL ROOT FOLDER box, click on the image of the yellow folder and navigate to the location on your hard drive or local server where you are going to store your local copy of your web site (folder you already created in MY DOCUMENTS).
8. Next to the DEFAULT IMAGES FOLDER box, click on the image of the yellow folder and navigate to the location of your images folder on your hard drive or local server. This folder should be within (beneath) the web site folder you specified above.
9. In the HTTP ADDRESS box, type the URL for the home page of your site.
10. Make sure the box next to ENABLE CACHE is selected.
11. Click OK to save your site and return to design mode.

Familiarize Yourself with Dreamweaver.

Pictured Above: calloouts identify the main design view, view toggle buttons, properites box, CSS styles box, and site files management windows.

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