Define a local site

Begin your site development by defining a local site for the files in your website. A site is a storage location for all the documents and files belonging to a particular Web site. Defining a local site delineates the structure of the site you are creating and tells Dreamweaver where you plan to store all of the site's files. Define a local site for each Web site you create using Dreamweaver.

1 Launch Dreamweaver.
A blank document opens.
2 Choose Site > New Site.
3 In the Site Definition dialog box, make sure Local Info is selected in the Category list.
4 In the Site Name field, type your_sitename.
The site name lets you easily identify and select a site from a list of sites you've defined.
5 Click the folder icon to the right of the Local Root Folder field, and find the folder you are using to store your files, then click Open. Then click Choose.
The Local Root Folder field updates to display the path to the local site.
Note: The complete path to your site folder may vary, depending on where you have created that folder.
6 Click OK.
7 Click Create when asked if you'd like to create a cache file for the site.
Caching the files in the folder creates a record of existing files so Dreamweaver can quickly update links when you move, rename, or delete a file.
The Site window now displays a list of all the folders and files in the local site your_sitename. The list also acts as a file manager, allowing you to copy, paste, delete, move, and open files just as you would in the file finder or explorer on your own computer.
8 Leave the Site window open.
9 Click the Document window to make it active.

Creating a new html document

The first thing to do after you have opened Dreamweaver and defined your site is to create a new document, and start defining its page properties.

To set the page properties:

  1. Choose Modify > Page Properties.
  2. In the Page Properties dialog box, type in a title for the page.
  3. Select colors for the page background, text, links, visited links, and active links.

  4. Click OK.

What you've just done is set up your environment: you've prepared yourself�and the page�for the creative part of your work. You've also made the lives of visitors who would bookmark your page a little easier by not giving them yet another Untitled page.

basics