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travism94278263
Participant
March 1, 2018
Answered

Editing a website that was previously built with Wordpress

  • March 1, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 697 views

Hello,

I got asked to edit a website that was previously built with Wordpress. When i enter Dreamweaver and set up the site and FTP, I get all the files and when i go to the index.html file it seems to bring up a different page that says "Website is currently under construction" but when i visit the site that is up and running its different than that? Am i missing something?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Jon Fritz

The index.html file isn't used in a WordPress installation. It's likely just the default one from the hosting company that was never deleted from the server.

WordPress constructs the pages of your site on the fly from numerous includes and a database.

Without expert level PHP coding skills, you really can't do much to WP sites from within DW. Usually, once a WP site goes live, you no longer use DW for anything and stick with the Admin interface of the WP installation.

3 replies

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
March 1, 2018

WordPress uses PHP files not HTML.

The only code you can SAFELY touch in WP is inside your Theme's folder.  Themes deliver appearance as well as site functionality.

wp-content

    themes

         twentysomething [your-theme's-name]

               see screenshot.

File names may vary depending on which WP Theme you use.  See link below.

Anatomy of a Theme – Make WordPress Training

Nancy

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
B i r n o u
B i r n o u
Legend
March 1, 2018

to edit your website, you'll have to go online at

http://www.domain-of-your-site.com and add /wp-admin at the end of the URL

there you'll got a form to login... except if the previous developer block this access by an IP adress... in that case you'll have to unprotect if rom the .htaccess present in the wp-admin folder (from FTP)

    B i r n o u
    B i r n o u
    Legend
    March 1, 2018

    the you'll get all the back end, where you can edit all the entire content and layout...

    • menus,
    • pages,
    • articles
    • custom post... etc ... etc...
      Jon Fritz
      Community Expert
      Jon FritzCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      March 1, 2018

      The index.html file isn't used in a WordPress installation. It's likely just the default one from the hosting company that was never deleted from the server.

      WordPress constructs the pages of your site on the fly from numerous includes and a database.

      Without expert level PHP coding skills, you really can't do much to WP sites from within DW. Usually, once a WP site goes live, you no longer use DW for anything and stick with the Admin interface of the WP installation.

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