Cannot Edit CSS files

Report · Aug 19, 2020

I am running DW 2020 (latest version) on Mac (v. 10.15.5).

Suddenly, I cannot edit any of my CSS files within DW whether I try to edit the code or by using the CSS Designer panel. When I bring up the info panel on any of my CSS files it does not show as being locked.

Looking for help please!

David

Report · Aug 20, 2020

Hi David,

Thanks for reporting the issue. We are unable to recreate the issue internally on Mac 10.15 with Dw 20.2. Could you please confirm if the CSS files have write permission on your Mac, else can you try setting read and write permission to the files you are accessing and confirm if you are able to edit the file in Dw. Also could you please confirm if you are able to edit the css file in native OS app like TextEdit.

You can try resetting Dreamweaver prefs and confirm if this resolves the issue. Else we can debug this further.

Steps: https://helpx.adobe.com/in/dreamweaver/kb/restore-preferences-dreamweaver-cs6-cc.html

Thanks,

Nayan

Dreamweaver Team

Report · Aug 20, 2020

Thanks Nayan,

I can edit the files in an outside app such as TextEdit or BBEdit. And the files do have Read and write permissions.

I just tried resetting the preferences per the link you gave me but it's still the same.

I've attached a few screenshots that might give you an idea.

1_CSS_panel.jpg shows the + and - signs as wll as everything in the properties panel are grayed out.

2_Cursor_clicked.jpg shows what happens when I click the cursor just after } in line 124 of code view. The opening and closing squared brackets become gray.

3_Gray_selection.jpg shows when I hightlght text in code view it shows as gray rather than blue like it normally does.

Report · Aug 20, 2020

DG_Webs,

Check your code for errors.

https://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/

You should NOT be editing any Project Seven scripts. Too risky. Use a separate custom CSS file.

1. Go to File > New. Select CSS and hit the Create button.

2. Add this code:

body {
font-family: Calibri, Candara, Segoe, Segoe UI, Optima, Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: calc(16px + 1vw);
line-height: calc(1.1em + 0.5vw);
}

3. File > SaveAs custom.css. Close.

4. Open your parent document (index.html). Scroll down to your <head> tag and below all other CSS links. Go to Tools > CSS > Attach Stylesheet. Save (Cmd + S).

Your new custom.css file should be editable from Code view as well as CSS Designer panel.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator

Report · Aug 20, 2020

Hi Nancy,

This P7 CSS file is meant to be editable. I've been using their extensions for years and if something isn't editable, they always say so. But the p7LBM-Custom.css file is the file where you can put your own custom CSS classes. And I'm having this non-eidtable problem on all my sites regardless of whether they have P7 extensions or not.

Report · Aug 20, 2020

OK. That's likely a permissions problem. See this Apple Help article

https://support.apple.com/en-hk/guide/mac-help/mchlp1770/mac

Are you working in a defined local site folder that resides on your primary hard drive, not cloud or networked drives?

Does your computer user profile have admin level permissions to read & write files?

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator

Report · Aug 21, 2020

Already checked that. I can edit the files outside of DW. I have no problem editing them in a text editor like Text Edit or BBEdit. But I can't edit them from within DW either in code view or using the CSS Design panel.

Report · Aug 21, 2020

Since it doesn't appear to be Read-Only at the OS level, have you ever used DW's check-in/check-out feature with these sites?

That feature could essentially lock you out of files as far as DW cares, but the OS and other programs wouldn't see the file as Read Only.

If you have used it before, there are files DW creates to lock you out of "checked-out" files...

1. Turn on your operating system's hidden files
2. Browse to your local site folder (from the OS, not DW)
3. If the files are only locked to DW, you should be able to see .LCK files pertaining to your stylesheets
4. Delete the .LCK files
5. Restart DW

Report · Aug 22, 2020

Jon, I tried your solution but didn't have an .lck files.

However, after following Nancy's suggestion about creating a new CSS file, I linked it to one of the pages in my site, closed DW, restarted and everything was working again! I don't know what happened but all seems to be okay now!

Thanks to all of you for your help!

David

Report · Aug 21, 2020

Were you able to edit a newly created custom.css file -- as described in my first reply?

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator