What is the Difference
Between a "Local" and "Live" Website?
It is important to understand the difference between
a "local" site, located on your computer and a "live"
site, located on a web server. Once you understand the difference between the two, you
will understand the ramifications of using one above the other.
The most important
difference between the two is that changes made and saved on a "live" site are
instantaneous – they appear immediately on the Web.
Therefore, serious problems can occur and websites can be damaged if
the user does not have a good understanding of the Web and FrontPage
intricacies.
When a user works on the
"local" site, changes do not occur on the
Web until the user
saves and publishes the changes to the "live"
site (web
server). This is a much safer method for new users because it
allows the user to preview the pages, ensure the pages are working
correctly, and the publishing the pages.
Once you become familiar
with FrontPage and the Web, you can work on the "live"
site and have you changes appear instantaneously, but be
sure to always publish your pages
back to your "local" site.
A Note of Caution:
Always
publish your pages to a backup source whether you are
working on the "local" site or "live"
site - I recommend publishing
your pages as soon as changes are made. Make an additional
backup copies, periodically, to either a CD or another type of storage device -
this will prevent
serious problems caused by web server or computer disruptions
and/or failures and allow you to easily restore corrupted files and
pages.
"Local" and
"Live" Websites
 Setting
Up a "Local" Website
- The first thing
you need to do is to create a web folder on your "local" machine.
Start by opening Windows Explorer or My Computer, select the directory
where you want to store your folder, click New and
Folder and give you folder a short name.
An important thing to remember when naming a web folder or a web
page is to keep the title short and do not
use spaces. If you need to use more than one word in your title,
use a capital letter at the beginning of each word, a dash
between words, or just lower case letters. If you use a space, a
20% sign will appear where
the space would normally appear.
Examples: ForestryWildlife, birds_habitat , or
forestryandwildlife.
http://www.Forestry%Wildlife.edu/Learn%About%Birds.htm.
-
Once a folder has been created, open FrontPage, and click on
File and Open Site or Open Web.
- A dialog box will appear. In the Look
in box, select the directory where your web folder is
located, and in the Folder name box, select the web
folder.
-
A second
dialog box will appear and ask you the following question:
“FrontPage needs to add information to your folder in order
to help manage your Hyperlinks and other site content.” Do you
want to add FrontPage information to “C:\Phoebe”?
Click on Yes and FrontPage will add the needed
information to set up your "local" website.
- Once FrontPage has added the information
to your website, a dialog box will appear. Click Open
to open your "local" site. You will notice that a _private
and/or Image folder have been added to your website.
You can add other folders, when needed, to help organize
your site and keep it tidy.
You will also notice that a globe appears on your
web folder to distinguish it from a regular folder.
Setting Up a "Live"
Website
-
Before opening your "Live" site, you must
obtain the services of a web service provider to store you web
pages. They will provide you will a User Name and
Password necessary to access their web server.
-
Once you have a web service provider, opening FrontPage, click on File and
Open Site or Open Web.
-
In the Look in box, select the directory where your
"live"
site information is stored (My Network
Places), or create a new site link.
-
In the Web name box, type in the web address for your
site
http://www.umaine.edu/Tanglewood4H/
-
A dialog box will appear and ask for your User ID and
Password. Enter your User ID and Password.
You can have it saved automatically by checking the Remember
my password box.
-
A second dialog box will appear and ask you the following
question:
“FrontPage needs to add information to your folder in order
to help manage your Hyperlinks and other site content.” Do you
want to add FrontPage information to “http://www.umaine.edu/Tanglewood4H”?
Click on Yes and FrontPage will add the needed
information to your site.
-
When the third dialog box appears, you will see
the website address and a list of folders, click Open to open
your "live" site - do not click on individual
folders. When you first open your site, you will notice that a _private and/or
images folder have been added to your site.
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