Creating a site definition makes it easier to create links between your Web pages, move or rename files within your site as well as transfer files from your computer to the Web hosting server . Defining a site in Adobe Dreamweaver creates a folder on your computer called a Local Root Folder, which mirrors the folder where your site is hosted on OIT's Web hosting server.

1. Open Dreamweaver and go to Site > Manage Sites. The Manage Sites window will open.
2. In the Manage Sites window, click New... and select Site from the drop-down menu. The Site Definition... window will open.
3. The Site Definition... window will open in Basic mode by default. Click the Advanced tab (at top). You will see a menu of site definition options.
4. On the Advanced tab, from the options at left, select Local Info (this may be displayed by default). The Local Info window will open.
5. In the Local Info window:
   • In the Site name: field, enter a name for your definition. This name will only appear in Dreamweaver menus to identify your site. We recommend using a name that's easily recognizable and that identifies your site clearly. This is especially important if you manage more than one Web site with Dreamweaver.
   • Next to the Local root folder: field, click Browse (Windows) or the Browse icon (Macintosh) and select the folder on your computer where you would like to store the files from your Web site. Please note that you should store copies of all the files you use to build your Web site in this folder, including images, documents, and other media files.
   • Next to Links relative to:, make sure the radio button next to Document is selected.
   • (Optional) Next to Case-sensitive links:, check the box next to Use case-sensitive link checking. We recommend that you use this option to help you build the links on your site correctly.
6. While on the Advanced tab, from the options at left, click Remote Info. The Remote Info window will open.
7. In the Remote Info window, from the Access: drop-down menu, select FTP.
   • In the FTP host: field, enter webadmin.oit.umass.edu.
   • In the Host directory: field:
     • If the URL for the site you wish to manage begins with www-unix.oit.umass.edu, people.umass.edu, or courses.umass.edu, enter public_html/
     • If the URL of your site begins with www.umass.edu, enter /usr/cwis/http/htdocs/dept
       Note: You must enter these directory names exactly as they appear here or your site definition will not work.
       
   • In the Login: field, enter your NetID (OIT Account user name).
   • In the Password: field, enter your OIT password, then select the check box next to Use Secure FTP (SFTP).
     Note: Click the Test button to check if you have set up your site definition correctly. OIT does not recommend that you save your password in Dreamweaver. Once you have tested your connection, de-select the check box next to Save so that Dreamweaver will not store your password.
     
8. In the Site Definition... window, click OK (at bottom). The Site Definition... window will close and you will return to the Manage Sites window, where your site definition will now be listed. Click Done. You are ready to connect to the OIT Web hosting server.

To transfer files from your computer to a server using Dreamweaver, you must use the Files window, which will show you the contents of your Web site folders on your computer and on the server.

1. In Dreamweaver, if the Files window ( 1 ) is not visible (at right), go to Window (at top) and select Files.

   

2. In Dreamweaver, in the Files window (at right, 1), click the Connect button ( 2 ). If you have set up your site definition correctly, you will be prompted for the password associated with the NetID (OIT Account user name) you entered during the site definition setup process. Enter your password and click OK. Dreamweaver will connect to your Web space and the Connect button will change to reflect the connection ().
3. Once connected, the Files window will show you either the files on your computer (Local view) or the files on the server (Remote view). To toggle between these views, select Local view or Remote view in the view drop down menu ( 3 ).
4. To transfer files between your computer and the server (and vice-versa), in the Files tools window :
   • Click the Get button ( 4 ) to download files from the server to your computer.
   • Click the Put button ( 5 ) to upload files from your computer to the server.

If you encounter problems, submit an online Help Request.
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Contact the OIT Help Desk at 545-9400.