Making the Most of Dreamweaver s Site-Management Features in Java

Generating QR Code in Java Making the Most of Dreamweaver s Site-Management Features

In 2, I introduce you to Dreamweaver s Manage Sites dialog box and some of the options in the Site Definition dialog box, such as the Local Info dialog box where you do the initial site setup for any Web site In the following

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sections, I explain the rest of the options available from the Site Definition dialog box If you re the only person working on a Web site, you don t need the features described in the next three sections

The Testing Server option enables you to specify a development server, a necessary step if you are creating a Web site using the Dreamweaver features with a database You find more information about how to do this in s 13, 14, and 15 If you re not creating a site using a database or a programming language (for example PHP or ASP), you don t need to make any changes to this dialog box

The Check In/Out feature is designed to keep people from overwriting each other s work when more than one person contributes to the same Web site (a valuable feature if you want to keep peace on your Web design team) When a person working on the Web site checks out a file, other developers working on the site are unable to make changes to that page When you check out a file, you see a green check mark next to the filename in the Files panel If someone else checks out a file, you see a red check mark next to the file name To use the Check In/Out feature, check the Enable File Check In and Check Out option at the bottom of the Remote Info dialog box The dialog box expands to expose other options If you want files checked out whenever they are opened, check the Check Out Files When Opening option (see Figure 4-16)

Version control systems enable you to better manage changes and prevent different team members from overwriting each other s work If you already use these programs, you ll be glad to know that you can integrate both Visual SourceSafe and systems that use the Web DAV protocol with Dreamweaver This way, you can take advantage of the Dreamweaver sitemanagement features and still protect your code-development process If you don t know about these programs, visit the Microsoft site (http://msdnmicrosoftcom/ssafe/) to find out more about Visual SourceSafe

Figure 4-16: The Check In/Out feature helps you keep track of who is working on a page when more than one person is contributing to a site

Using this feature, you can track which files a particular person is working on But if you want to use this tracking mechanism, check the Check Out Files When Opening option and then fill in the name you want associated with the files (presumably your name or nickname if you prefer) in the Check Out Name field and then include your e-mail address in the Email Address field (The Email Address field is needed for Dreamweaver s integration with e-mail, which facilitates communication among developers on a site See the next section for more information about integrated e-mail)

Dreamweaver features integrated e-mail as another handy tool for collaborative Web design when you use the Dreamweaver Check In/Out tool (described in the previous section) In conjunction with the e-mail program you already use, integrated e-mail gives you easy access to the e-mail addresses of other members of your team when you need them When you work on a site with a team of people, finding that someone else has already checked out the page you want to work on is common Until that

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person checks the file back in, doing the work you need to do to the page is impossible In the Dreamweaver Site Definition dialog box, each developer types his or her e-mail address with the Check In/Check Out feature Then, when you find that someone else has the page you need, you can easily fire off an e-mail telling that person to check it back in so you can work on it, just by clicking that person s name in the Files window (Bribes can be more effective than threats, especially when you offer chocolate) Developers on your team can use the following steps to associate their e-mail addresses with their version of Dreamweaver as part of the Check In/Check Out setup: 1 Choose Site Manage Sites The Manage Sites dialog box opens 2 Select the site you want to work on and then click the Edit button The Site Definition dialog box opens 3 Click the Advanced tab 4 In the Category list at the left, choose Remote Info The Remote Info page appears (refer to Figure 4-16) 5 Select the Enable File Check In and Check Out check box 6 Select the Check Out Files When Opening check box 7 Enter your name in the Check Out Name text box Nicknames are okay as long as everyone on the team knows your silly name 8 Enter your e-mail address in the Email Address text box 9 Click OK to save your changes Click the Done button in the Manage Sites dialog box The Manage Sites dialog box closes