Edit Directly On Remote Testing Server Using Local Network - Page 5

This option should be selected if none of the files you are working on will be stored on the local machine. This option normally applies if you have a secondary machine acting as a web server on your Local Area Network (LAN) and you want all of the development files to be stored on that machine.

This is a very common scenario if you are part of a Workgroup or if you are collaborating with other developers, but there are many developers who are able to run a dedicated web server themselves. This server might be for development purposes only, but it could also provide some remote access so that clients can view a project's development and evolution. If you access your web server via a LAN and do not wish to store your work files on your local computer then this is the ideal option.

When selected you can use the folder icon to browse your network file system to find the folder where all of the web site's files will be stored.

Communication with Your Testing Server

You need to enter the web address used to view your web pages in your browser. Once you have entered a value here, you should test the setting using the button provided, to ensure that everything is working. If you receive an error message flip forward to the section later in this chapter entitled Connection Errors, but you should receive a message stating, "The URL Prefix test was successful". You can now proceed to the summary (see later).

Edit Directly On a Remote Testing Server Using FTP or RDS

As stated earlier, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and the Remote Development Service (RDS) are two te chnologies that allow you to connect to your web server in a relatively secure environment. RDS is a ColdFusion MX technology, and as such doesn't apply here, but FTP is a common method for transferring files to a remote file system, such as that on a web server on the Internet. When transferring web sites from your development server to your production server, you will undoubtedly make use of FTP.

Because FTP is a secure method of connection, it is susceptible to something called a 'Time Out'. Quite literally, the FTP Server will only allow you to remain connected for a certain period of time. Once that time has elapsed, you are immediately disconnected.

As I'm sure you will realize, with a development environment such as Dreamweaver MX this can cause difficulties, as frequent time-outs can slow the whole process of development, and in this instance it is necessary to dedicate a folder on your local machine for storing your development work.

Once you have completed your development, you can immediately transfer the files from your local directory to your web server, without leaving the Dreamweaver interface at all.

a) Testing Server Information

The next stage in defining a site consists of giving Dreamweaver the location of your testing server. To do this Dreamweaver needs to know how it should be connecting to the server.

b) Communication with Your Testing Server

In this stage, you need to enter the web address used to view your web pages in your browser. Once you have entered a value here, you should test it using the button provided, to ensure that everything is working fine. If you receive an error message flip forward to the section entitled Connection Errors later in the chapter. You should receive a message stating, "The URL Prefix test was successful" and proceed to the next stage.

c) Checking in and Checking Out

Dreamweaver utilizes a check in – check out system for users who work in a collaborative environment, or for users who work from multiple machines. The setup is exactly the same as described in the "Edit locally, then upload to remote server" section.

Summary

This stage of the Wizard allows you to review all of the values that you have entered. Should you need to amend any of the values, you can use the Back button to return to the appropriate step.

Once you have completed the Site Definition Wizard, and clicked Finish, Dreamweaver will automatically create a cache of all the files in your work directory and will automatically refresh the Files panel, to show the contents of your working directory.

Connection Errors

If you do encounter an error similar to this, then you are given a clue as to the cause of the problem by the message (HTTP Error: 404). This is a standard HTTP error, similar to the kind that you might encounter when browsing the web. In this case 404 means file not found, so it is likely that the address entered is incorrect.

Edit Locally, Then Upload To Remote Testing Server - Page 4
Dreamweaver MX: PHP Web Development
Advanced Site Definition – An Overview - Page 6