Setting up your site in Dreamweaver

Before you can create a site in Dreamweaver, you'll need to follow a series of steps to set up the site. In this tutorial, I will walk you through the steps of setting up your site.

Open Dreamweaver and create a new html file. Then click Site > New Site at the top of your program. This will open the New Site box and this is where you will set up your site. The options in this box will vary depending on your own choices. However, I will take you through the steps and briefly explain what you need to do. So, let’s get started.

In the first step, you will need to enter the name of your website in the first field. This will help distinguish between sites if you decide to create other sites in Dreamweaver. For example, I have eight websites, so naming each site helps me find the site I am looking for quicker. The second field is where you will enter the URL of your website. This would be http://www.yourdomain.com or org or net. Whichever applies to you. Once you are ready to move on, click the Next button at the bottom of the box.

If you are planning on building a web application, you will want to use a server technology. Tick the Yes field and select the server technology that you plan to use. If you are not planning on building a web application, tick the No field. Click the Next button at the bottom of the Dreamweaver set up box to move on.

The step you are on now is asking how you want to work with your files. You can choose to work with your files in Dreamweaver and upload them to the server once you are finished. Or you can choose to work with them while on the server. This choice is up to you, but I would recommend working with them in Dreamweaver and then uploading them. Once you have made your choice, select the appropriate folder below that. If you chose to create the files and upload them to the server, you will need to select the folder you want to store your files in. If you do not have a folder created, you will need to create one. If you chose to work on the server, you will need to browse for the files on the network. Once you have finished that, click the Next button.

Step 4 is where you will set up your connection to the server. If you do not want to create a connection, click the None option. You may use another program to upload your files, so choosing the None option would work if you do. There are five options in this drop down box. You will need to drop the box down and make your selection. Then you will need to fill in the information that appears for that option. The options will be different depending on your selection. Click Next when you are ready to move on.

Step 5 shows you the choices you made while setting up your site in Dreamweaver. If you need to make any changes, click the back button to make your changes. If everything is correct, click the Done button. Now your new site is set up in Dreamweaver. You can now start creating your website.