Creating and Using a Site File with Adobe GoLive CS 2
11/05

Any GoLive site can contain a Site File that is essentially a table of contents for every document in the site. Not only does this file streamline the process of adding links and graphics, but it is also extremely useful in site management. For instance, link references will be automatically updated if a page is moved or renamed, and many errors can be located with the click of a button.

To create a new Site File, place your "root" folder (the folder currently containing your site) in a new, otherwise empty folder.

  • Select New from the File Menu
  • Select Site, Create Site, and Site from Existing Content

Note: Use Blank Site to create a site from scratch (don't use version control, specify server later).

In the New dialogue box select (from left to right)
  • Site
  • Create Site
  • From a Local Folder of Existing Files
  • Click Next
  • Click Browse to select the "root" folder, or the folder containing the index and other files. GoLive will automatically select the index as the Home Page, unless you specify otherwise.
  • Click Next
  • Specify the enclosing folder (the new one you made) as the site location
About the Site File

GoLive will create a Site File representing your root folder on the left, and a data folder, on the right. If you look in the Finder, the site folder will look like the image on the right, below.

The left side of the Site File represents the root folder and contains a list of all the files you will need to upload to the web. Double click an icon to open a file or folder. The right side of the Site File represents a number of functions and folders. The Extras folder is a convenient place to keep all your non-web data including Photoshop and word processing documents. To access it, click the Extras tab on the right side of the Site window.

Using Your Site File
  • If your Site File is hidden by other windows, bring it to the front by clicking the Select Window button on the toolbar. Dragging the Point and Shoot or Fetch URL (swirl on the Inspector Palette) button to any part of the Site File will bring it to the front. This is very convenient when making links.

  • Double click any folder to open it, click on the folder/arrow underneath the files tab to move to the enclosing folder.

  • Open any page by double clicking its name in the Site File.
  • To create a new page or folder, open the folder in which you wish to create it and select Folder or Page from the Site/New menu. Alternatively, go to the Site section of the Objects Toolbar and drag a new folder or page to the desired location of the site file.
  • If you don't see all the files in the Site File, then it needs to be refreshed. Do this by clicking the Refresh View button. If the update button is not visible, click on the Site File and it will become available.

  • Add a graphic by dragging it from the Site File to the desired location on the page.
  • Change names of folders and files from within the Site File by clicking once on the file name and typing the new name. GoLive will prompt you to update any links to the file.
  • Create a link by highlighting the link text or graphic and dragging the fetch URL button from the Inspector to the correct file in the Site File. The Site File will move to the top of the desktop when the fetch URL button reaches it.

  • Red bug icons in the Site File indicate errors in the corresponding documents. Open the file in question and click the bug to see what is wrong. In some cases, such as a web page created with Word, bug icons may be present, but the page still functions properly.

More tips
Files can either be added by dragging them into the site window via the finder, or by control-clicking the files window and selecting New/Add Files. Files can also by added by dragging the Generic Page or Folder icon (in the Site tab of the Objects Toolbar) to the Site File. Of course, you can also add files simply by saving new files to the correct folder via the save dialog box, but then you must remember to refresh the Site File by clicking the refresh button .

External Links
The External tab of the Site File contains external URLs in your site. Choosing Site/Get Referenced URLs from the Site Menu will import any new URLs. To update a URL everywhere it occurs in the site, select the URL in the Site File. Click Edit in the Inspector and the window below will appear. Type the desired URL in the Path Field, and click OK.

Colors
Colors can be stored in the Colors Tab of the site file. Dragging colors from the Inspector to the Colors Tab of the Site window will add them to the site.

About Fonts
"If a web page doesn’t specify fonts, web browsers normally display text in the page with a default font that’s specified by the browser. You can control the font that the browser uses by applying a font set to your text. When displaying text formatted with a font set, the web browser attempts to display the text using the first font listed in the font set, then the second font in the set, and so on. If none of the fonts in the set are installed on the viewer’s computer, the browser displays the text using its default font." Adobe CS2 Help Menu

Creating a Font Set

  • Choose Type>Edit Fonts
  • Click the New Font Family button
  • Click the triangle to the left of the new untitled set
  • Add fonts by clicking the Add Font button (to the left of the trash can) and dragging to the desired font
  • Name the set, if desired
  • The new font set will be added to the Type menu

Tip: Once a font set has been saved and used, the Font set can be added to the site file. Just click the Font tab and drag to Get Font Sets Used from the Refresh button menu. Font sets can also be added directly to the site file using the Font Sets objects on the Site Section of the Objects Toolbar.