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denno
denno
Known Participant
November 16, 2020
Answered

Old DW MX will no longer register. Any way to go on?

  • November 16, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 707 views

Hello

For quite a few years I have used DW discs purchased from resellers.
If I had to change computers I had to reinstall.
At this stage, Macromedia won't allow re-registrastion (or any registration?) of any old versions; only the new subscription stuff.
I use the program to maintain 3 small sites, and it isn't worth the current annual cost.

Is there any affordable way to continue with DW?
Got to say I have browsed over some other WYSIWYGs, and searched for "programs that will read DW sites" or "best substitute for DW" and come up with nothing particularly attractive.

Any advice for me?

 

Thanks,

denno

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Nancy OShea

    @denno,

    Macromedia DW MX activation & registration servers were taken offline many years ago. At the time, Adobe issued a replacement serial number that does NOT require activation.  Assuming you have still have your installation disks and a compatible OS that can support legacy software, scroll down to part 3 below to obtain the MX 2004 serial number for Win or Mac. 

    https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/macromedia-legacy-activation-error.html

     

    ==============

     

    That said, an outdated code editor may be hurting more than helping you. Validate the code in your sites and fix all reported errors to minimize potential problems on modern devices.

     

    Test your sites' performance on these metrics to ensure you're doing all you should be doing.

     

    ==============

     

    Last time I looked, Blue Griffon and others have no file management/FTP features.  At a minimum, you'll need a S/FTP or FTPS client like FileZilla, CuteFTP, CyberDuck, Transmit, WinSCP or etc...

    https://www.pcwdld.com/ftp-and-sftp-clients-for-windows

     

    Dynamic sites will require more robust tools to handle modern PHP, JavaScript, Python, etc... 
    -- Adobe Brackets (open source) - http://brackets.io/
    -- Adobe Dreamweaver CC - https://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver.html

    -- Wappler - https://wappler.io/
    -- Visual Studio Code (open source) - https://code.visualstudio.com/

     

    Good luck!

     

     

    3 replies

    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Nancy OSheaCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    November 17, 2020

    @denno,

    Macromedia DW MX activation & registration servers were taken offline many years ago. At the time, Adobe issued a replacement serial number that does NOT require activation.  Assuming you have still have your installation disks and a compatible OS that can support legacy software, scroll down to part 3 below to obtain the MX 2004 serial number for Win or Mac. 

    https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/macromedia-legacy-activation-error.html

     

    ==============

     

    That said, an outdated code editor may be hurting more than helping you. Validate the code in your sites and fix all reported errors to minimize potential problems on modern devices.

     

    Test your sites' performance on these metrics to ensure you're doing all you should be doing.

     

    ==============

     

    Last time I looked, Blue Griffon and others have no file management/FTP features.  At a minimum, you'll need a S/FTP or FTPS client like FileZilla, CuteFTP, CyberDuck, Transmit, WinSCP or etc...

    https://www.pcwdld.com/ftp-and-sftp-clients-for-windows

     

    Dynamic sites will require more robust tools to handle modern PHP, JavaScript, Python, etc... 
    -- Adobe Brackets (open source) - http://brackets.io/
    -- Adobe Dreamweaver CC - https://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver.html

    -- Wappler - https://wappler.io/
    -- Visual Studio Code (open source) - https://code.visualstudio.com/

     

    Good luck!

     

     

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    denno
    dennoAuthor
    Known Participant
    November 17, 2020

    GLORIOSKY ZERO, SANDY!!*

    I will be trying that out this evening.  If this is the goods you have NO IDEA the agonies it would have saved me for the past year.  I can see why it would not be out there as freely-acknowledged widely-promulgated information.  I phoned them once and was told the subscriptions were the only thing available.

    I'll report in awhile.......

     

    BTW, I do use Filezilla--was never sure about engaging the upload capacities of DW and had AWFUL internet for quite some years; and dynamic sites are so far over my head....
    (I just tell people I'm a latent technofile, always scrambling to catch up to the XXth Century....)

     

    *Little Orphan Annie in the Sunday Comics, 50's, 60's.

      denno
      dennoAuthor
      Known Participant
      November 18, 2020

      It worked.
      Oh, the garbage not knowing this has put me through---and my 2 "clients" whose websites I keep updated. 
      THANK YOU!!  (Cannot enough)

       

      denno

      BenPleysier
      Community Expert
      BenPleysierCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 16, 2020

      Also an old product, not dissimilar to what you have now. Sales and support were dropped in 2012. Difference is that Microsoft now offer it free of charge.

      https://www.majorgeeks.com/mg/getmirror/microsoft_expression_web,1.html

      Wappler is the DMXzone-made Dreamweaver replacement and includes the best of their powerful extensions, as well as much more!
      denno
      dennoAuthor
      Known Participant
      November 17, 2020

      Hi

      Thanks for quick replies.

      I actually did my first site in HTML; kinda fun; wouldn't want to again!   (20+ years ago)
      Discovered DW and never looked back---although a little knowledge of code helps here and there.

      Ben, my wife did a site in Expression.  IAppreciate the suggestion, but was TOO PROPRIETARY.  Like learning from scratch.  Seems they were sort of real busy not getting into learning code so they invented something else about as comprehensive.  Drove me nuts.

      Looks like Blue Griffon may be close enough to what I'm used to.  This may be a lifeline.

      Thanks to the two of you.

       

      denno

        O
        osgood_
        Legend
        November 16, 2020

        Have you tried Blue Griffon:

        http://www.bluegriffon.org/ 

        There's a free trial and then a one time purchase of 75 Euros if its suitable.

         

        There's also Pinegrow:

        https://pinegrow.com/ 

        There's a free trial then an option of a one time purchase if suitable - £115.00

         

        They are probably the nearest WYSIWYG editors.

         

        Any web editor will be able to open a Dreamweaver website, its only html but if you have used some specific DW workflows like .dwt templates or old server behaviours which you need to update then they arent going to work.

         

        Plenty of FREE web editors but you would need to know how to code.

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