Always use testing server for document source?

[Bryan Rieger]

Is there anyway to set Dreamweaver to ALWAYS use the testing server for document source? Even though my site is static, for some reason Dreamweaver insists on mangling the layout (in Live view, don't even mention 'design' view) unless I set it to always using the testing server for document source. As it stands every time I open a document I have to remember to set 'View > Live View Options > Use Testing Server for Document Source', and as you can imagine it's getting old really fast.

[Nancy OShea]

For best results, define your site. Go to Site > New site...  Your local site folder should reside on your primary hard drive.

[Nancy OShea]

If you have a local testing server installed, make that your local site folder.

C:\testing_server\default_web_folder\your_site\

[Bryan Rieger]

Thanks Nancy, but setting up Sites > New Site was the first thing I did when I began working on this project (or any project in Dreamweaver) days ago. The local site folder is indeed on my primary hard drive, and the local testing server (macOS Apache) is configured to use that same folder to serve via a localhost alias.

The problem is the View > Live View Options > Use Testing Server For Document Source settings are not persistent between sites nor documents within a site. It would be ideal if Dreamweaver made this an option within the Manage Sites > {Site} > Server configuration dialogs so that it would be used by default on all documents within a specific site.

If I set 'Use Testing Server For Document Source' Dreamweaver's own testing server mangles the layout in parts (specifically masonry grid layouts that use JS to determine container sizes), but as this setting is not persistent it has now become a mandatory extra step everytime I open a new file (I'm working in split code | live view).

FWIW I also tried Dreamweaver Preferences > Real-time Preview > Default to Static Browser Preview setting but that doesn't seem to solve the problem either.

[Ben M]

If the preferences are not sticking for you, have you tried to restore them: https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/kb/restore-preferences-dreamweaver.html ? If not, can you try loading DW in another user profile (even a guest) on your computer and see if you can replicate the issue.  This to me sounds like an OS permissions issue where the preferences are not saving.  At a best case scenario re-creating preferences will do the trick. At a worst case you may need to migrate to a new user account.  As a Mac user myself I've had to go through this in the past when upgrade over upgrade eventually impacts my user account.

Also - as a word of advice, unless you are well-versed in the nuances of the Mac OS built-in Apache server, I would highly recommend a third party app like mamp for a testing server as opposed to the built in one.  The built is in very limited out of the box, and can be difficult to manage or customize compared to other options like a MAMP server.

[Bryan Rieger]

Thanks Ben. I'll try re-creating the preferences and creating a new user profile, but this is a fresh install (done <1 week ago) of macOS Monterey 12.1 where the drive was fully erased (both partition/drives in the drive group) and the OS was reinstalled via USB.

Yeah, I'm aware of the limitations of the macOS supplied version of Apache, but I'm literally only using it to serve static pages and resources from various localhost aliases—so I'm not too concerned about any advanced config or integrating other applications and services. If I need anything more complicated there's always $ brew install httpd and VS Code. 🙂

Dreamweaver templates and libraries are a really nice and easy solution for static sites, and don't require any elaborate $ npm install …, configuration, build pipeline, or maintenance. I'm currently migrating a site using 11ty (and various plug-ins) to Dreamweaver (using templates and libraries) in an effort to simplify my life.

[Bryan Rieger]

Sadly, deleting the app preferences and switching to a new user account hasn't resolved the problem. Everytime I open a new document I still have to set both View > Live View Options > Use Testing Server For Document Source, and View > Live View Options > Hide Live View Displays.

[Ben M]

Is this happening with all sites or just a particular site that you are working in?  Typically that will resolve the issue, but again if preferences are not sticking, next thing I would recommend considering a re-install because this appears to be a deeper rooted issue.

[B i r n o u]

which Apache do you rely on, the one provided by default on MacOs, or on a personal stack you installed yourself (MAMP, XAMPP...)