Lesson 3: Web Site Management Using Dreamweaver

Overview:

Some of the functions from within Dreamweaver's Site view can make the Web developers life a little easier. You can create pages in Dreamweaver without defining (Dreamweaver jargon for "setting up") a Site; however, there are some pretty powerful functions that you can't take advantage of unless you define a site. In this lesson you will explore some of those site functions that can make maintaining a Web site much easier. Since you have been working in groups in the past two lessons, continue to do so in this lesson. Coach make sure that all group members become trained in using the Site window to perform Web site maintenance.

Challenge:

To make the task of Web site maintenance less time consuming.

Learner Outcomes:

At the completion of this exercise, you will be able to:

  1. demonstrate the benefits of creating a site folder and using the site functions to maintain a Web site.
  2. run a report and make changes which address the findings in the report
  3. do an extended find and replace of text or code throughout the local site
  4. check or change links sitewide
  5. rearrange the site structure from either the Site Map or site Files View
  6. use Dreamweaver to test page performance on different browsers.

Preparation Activities:

  1. To begin with save a copy of this file, problem_file.html, into the folder containing the rest of your files for the mock site.
  2. From the map view in the Site window,select the home page and establish a link to problem_file.html.

Find and Replace:

The Find and Replace function allows you to make wholesale changes to your entire Web site with one command. In the following example you will change the background color and text color for all the files in your personal web site by doing a find and replace command for the entire site. The Faind and Replace command will find the body tags of all your files in the site and simultaneously replace them with a new body tag that has different values for background and text color.

  1. While in the map view, select all the files except the home page.
  2. Go to one of your dependent files and copy (Ctrl + C) the entire <body> tag, attributes and all.
  3. In the Site window, go to Edit>Find and Replace. Enter the following information:

Running Reports:

Reports can help you locate unnecessary and omitted tags as well as assist with communication when a site is being developed by more than one person.

  1. In the Site window, go to Site>Reports. Check the following reports and click on "Run".
  2. Resolve any problems that are reported. Sometimes reports pop under windows, so you may have to uncover the reports by minimizing other windows.

Checking Links Sitewide:

This function can be very helpful for spotting broken links either the internal links (links form one page of your Web site to another within your site) or external links.

  1. In the Site window, go to Site>Check Links Sitewide. Specify in the drop down menu that you want to-- Show: "Broken Links". Click on the file to open the file and correct the problem.
  2. Follow the same procedure this time specify--Show: "External Links". Correct any problem links you encounter.

Checking Site Performance on Different Browser Version:

It can be a costly mistake not to preview your Web site on a variety of browsers before publication. Especially if you or your client is concerned about making your page look as good as possible to as many people as possible. There are people that surf the net using the older browsers, and it is important to see your page just as they would.

  1. In the Site Window, go to File>Check Target Browser. Select an old browser version such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. Click on the "Check" button. You will get a report that lists the files in the site. For each file there is a list of errors designated by the line number on which the error was encountered. Some of the code we use may not be supported by the older browsers for instance, you probably received a message associated with the problem_file.html that reads, "Unsupported value for the TYPE attribute of the STYLE tag. Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0" . The reason being, this file uses cascading styles which is something that wasn't yet on the scene when Internet Explorer 3.0 was released.

Resources/Online Documents:

Wrap up:

Be ready for your instructor to review your site to receive credit for completion. Have the Site Window open for your instructor to review. Preview the checklist your instructor will use to determine if you have successfully completed the tasks.