Dreamweaver CC 2020 Real Time Preview opens, but doesn't show real time changes.

[alpham56488556]

Running Windows 10 and Dreamweaver CC 2020. The Real Time Preview WILL launch a browser with the page in it, however it does NOT update as I make changes in code. This is a fresh install of DW 2020. In troubleshooting, I also downloaded the last version (2019) and in that version the Real Time Update DOES work.

I went so far as to completely reinstall my whole PC with fresh Windows 10, fresh Dreamweaver. When I first ran DW the Windows Defender Firewall popped up saying it was blocking access to something, so I ALLOWED the firewall to pass that through. (I even tried turning it off with no change)

Interestingly, the QR code part of Real Time Preview DOES work. I can see text change in real time on a browser on my phone as I change text in code, I just can't do that on browsers on my PC (Edge, Firefox or Chrome).

To recap:

DW 2019 will do the Real Time Preview on my PC

DW 2020 will do the RTP on my phone via the QR code

DW 2020 will not do the RTP on my PC. (it launches the browser with the page displayed, but wont update)

Any Ideas???

[Nancy OShea]

Ctrl+S to save your edits.

F5 or Ctrl+R to refresh your browser.

Check your Preference settings.  I have intentionally disabled Real-Time Preview in my Preferences because it doesn't get along with my local testing server.   See screenshot.

[alpham56488556]

Your solution is to switch to static preview? I already have static preview. That's the problem. 

[Nancy OShea]

Static Preview is what I use by choice.   If you don't want static preview, try disabling it in your preferences. Or Restore Preferences to the default settings. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/kb/restore-preferences-dreamweaver.html

[alpham56488556]

I don't have static preview enabled.  "Restore to default settings"... did you read my original post? I reinstalled my whole computer including Dreamweaver. It doesn't get any more re-set than that!

[alpham56488556]

I would also add, refreshing the browser does NOT show the changes.

[Nancy OShea]

Submit a bug report from the Help menu so the product engineers will see it and meanwhile, revert to the 2019 version.  

[alpham56488556]

SOLVED...

So, after several hours of Adobe tech folks remotely trying to mess around I discovered a couple things..

1. Adobe support staff don't understand what Real Time Preview is supposed to look like. One thought the problem was solved just because a browser launched. The other, thought my CSS file was somehow causing the issue. They changed permissions on folders, were going through the inspect element features of the browser wondering what all the redirects were that Dreamweaver inserts to make RTP function. It was crazy.

2. In the end, I uninstalled my Norton Antivirus software and boom, it started working. Obviously there's some feature of NortonAV that's blocking something. 

So, that's good, I can use the feature, but I have no antivirus protection. Sigh. Does anyone who ACTUALLY KNOWS how Real Time Preview works provide me with some insights so I might perhaps find a setting in the Norton software to temporarily "turn off" while I'm working in Dreamweaver so I don't have to uninstall and reinstall it each time?

[Nancy OShea]

You just have to create an exception that tells Norton AV that DW has your permission to access the Internet.

[alpham56488556 · Accepted solution]

SOLVED (config issue)

I think you may have confused Antivirus software with Firewall software. There are no settings in antivirus software to do the kind of blocking or excepting that you suggest (accessing the Internet), that's done in firewalls which isn't the issue here.

That being said, there is some blocking going on in the software, but it's not blocking Dreamweaver, rather it's trying to protect the Browsers. This is why the QR code worked with Real Time Preview as that is happening on a browser outside of the computer "protected" by the antivirus software.

There are about a hundred or so settings inside of Norton Antivirus and I spent considerable time switching them off and on, one at a time, rebooting, etc.. before I found the cluprit.  The setting causing Dreamweaver Real Time Preview to stop is called "Browser Protection" inside of the "Network" category. See the image below: 

Turn off the Browser Protection and then reboot to allow Dreamweaver Real Time Preview to work.

Fortunately, Norton offers a feature to turn off a feature for a set period of time, 15 minutes, 1hr, Until Restart, or Permenantly. This is helpful as I think they know it causes issues for legitimate things sometimes.  **restarting DW or even rebooting may be required I found when troubleshooting these changes if they don't take effect right away.**

Anyway, hopefully this helps the next person.

[Nancy OShea]

My AV & Firewall are the same, not separate like Norton.

Glad you got your browser security settings all sorted.