Dreamweaver could not find the server "localhost"

[Bernbilder]

Win7,32bit, Dreamweaver 5, xampp 1.7.3  (worksfine, http://localhost/xampp/index.php)

I want to make a site and therfore i have a small timetest.php  script.

The script is inside the local folder.

c:\xampp\htdocs\php_test\timetest.php

I defined the site with the following parameters

Site Name :  php_test

Local Site Folder : c:\xampp\htdocs\php_test\

Servers:

Server Name : testing

connect using: local/Network

Server Folder:  c:\xampp\htdocs\php_test\

Web Url:  http: //localhost/php_test/

Advanced Settings:

Local Info:   Links relative to      Site Root

The problem is that DW5 always saying : server localhost  not found-

Internet browsing is ok, and the localhost server is working normal.

Please help.

Thank you very much.

Server Not Found

The page "http://localhost/php_test/timetest.php" was not loaded because Dreamweaver could not find the server "localhost". Please make sure you are connected to the internet and the server name is correct.

[Bernbilder]

If i open the testtime.php in firefox or ie

everything works fine, but in liveview there is

always an error e.g.

an unknown error occured while dynamically -resolved ..

Please help.

Thank you very much.

[Guest]

I'm probably the last person who should offer to help, since I'm having similar problems. However, in my research of tutorials, I see advice to "check Links Relative to Document" rather than "Links relative to Site Root".  Hope that helps. Meanwhile, I hope someone can help me.

[joaosilvapt]

I have just the same problem and your sugestion did not help. That is not the problem. Curiously my problem is too with a php test site. Dreamweaver doesn't recognise the testing site even, because it can't find localhost server.

I'm noticing a problem with CS5 that I didn't with CS4. At least the applications I am using more for the moment are frequently stopping, with that nice and always desired message from windows that the application stopped working and Windows is trying to find a solution for the problem. InDesign and Dreamweaver are frequently doing this.

So, one more with that same problem with Localhost and asking for a solution if somebody can help.

[BenPleysier]

Make sure the following has been set inSite Setup

I hope this helps

Ben

[joaosilvapt]

Hello Ben

No, unhappily it didn’t. I had already verified that situation for several times and it was correct.

But, in the meanwhile, I ran “phpMyAdmin” and noticed that it found localhost, cause it opens in IE in that location. And when I ran “localhost” the same thing happened.

After that, during another attempt with Dreamweaver, everything was fine. (???)

I run under Windows 7 64  and with Dreamweaver CS5. PHP, APPACHE and MySQL where insltalled with WAMP, from where I run phpMyAdm and localhost.

In my search for the solution I have seen one tutorial which is in Dreamweaver Club

Installing PHP/MySQL/Apache with WAMP Server for Dreamweaver

and followed the solution for the error that is referred and that happened with me too, which was successfully corrected. I recommend that tutorial.

So I thought that the miraculous change of attitude from Dreamweaver came from there.

But, next day, after shutting down the computer, when I launched Dreamweaver I obtained the same message “could not find server localhost”. I went to phpMyAdm, from Wamp, to see if it was correct. And it was. I launched Dreamweaver again, to continue my search for the solution and, surprise, it was working fine.

So, now, when I boot the computer, first I ran phpMyAdm and after that, Dreamweaver works fine. I really don’t know why. But it does.

[d1smember]

Instead of using http://localhost/foldername for the Web URL, I used http://127.0.0.1:8888/foldername, and everything works fine.

The http://127.0.0.1:8888 comes up when I viewed PhpMyAdmin (the address reads, http://127.0.0.1:8888/home/mysql/ instead of http://localhost like I think it does in WAMP)

Don't ask me how I came to this, I'm a total newb, but it seemed like common sense.

BTW, I've installed EasyPHP.

Also I've had success using WAMP by adding port :80, so the Dreamweaver Web URL would be fill out as such, http://localhost:80/foldername.

[David_Powers]

d1smember wrote:

Instead of using http://localhost/foldername for the Web URL, I used http://127.0.0.1:8888/foldername, and everything works fine.

127.0.0.1 is the loopback IP address that all computers use to refer back to themselves. Localhost is an alias for 127.0.0.1. In other words, they're the same thing.

The number after the colon indicates the port number that you want to access. The default port used by all web servers to listen for incoming requests is 80. So 127.0.0.1:80 or localhost:80 simply tells the browser to access the default port. The :80 is redundant, but does no harm.

If you are using 127.0.0.1:8888, it means that the web server has been set up to listen for requests on a non-standard port (8888). It works fine, but the :8888 is necessary for the browser to send the page request to the right destination.

Setting up a testing environment with XAMPP, WAMP, EasyPHP, or MAMP is very simple. Unfortunately, many beginners panic when their setup doesn't work the first time. They seek for an alternative, and try installing it without uninstalling the first attempt. Or they forget that they installed a different setup a year or so ago. Trying to install conflicting setups results in chaos.

Only one web server can listen on a particular port. Often, what happens is that you have two different servers running. The first one to lock onto port 80 wins. If you try to access pages in the other server's document root (htdocs in Apache), you'll get "page not found".

Another problem is forgetting to start the web server and MySQL. Very occasionally, problems are also caused by a firewall blocking access between Dreamweaver and the web and database servers.

I've been using PHP/MySQL for about 10 years, but I remember my own confusion when I first started. Once you understand the role of the web and database servers, and where you need to store your PHP files, it becomes a lot easier.

[rogerajames]

Start the server!  Who'd a thunk it!! Thanks a million David this I just installed this last night and it worked fine then today, it didn't . I was going nuts trying to track down the problem.

[bluefrog2]

Hello David,

First, I'm just learning php, and have been reading your book PHP Solutions (about 1/3 through). Thank you. This is the first time I've asked a question here.

I have a similar problem and have tried everything.

I've had MAMP installed on my computer for over a year. Have put together several sites using it and all has been well....until today.

I've been customizing a Wordpress site, got it all finished and was going to get it uploaded to the client's url this morning. Then, in a rush, I tried to change some priviledges in phpMyAdmin and inadvertently lost all my priviledges and databases.

After looking around all over the internet, I saved my files with the databases and information, uninstalled MAMP, then downloaded and reinstalled it.

I put my files back in and they loaded right back up in MAMP.

But now Dreamweaver (and Wordpress) can't connect to it. I've got http://localhost/wordpress as the Web Url, which worked before....but not now.

It's been 8 hours now and I don't know what else to do. Can you help me?

Thank you so much for all you do here. I've learned so much.

Wendy

[joaosilvapt]

Have you your Apache server running?

You must launch phpMyAdmin and put Apache server ON

Or if you use Xampp you simply go to Xampp pannel and start Apache

If you don't start Apache, Dreamweaver doesn't work.

[bluefrog2]

Thanks for responding Joao,

Yes, I have Apache running too. I'm going to give it all another try this morning to figure it out.

All my databases are there, but just can't connect to Dreamweaver.

Wendy

Later: GOT IT! My settings were slightly off. Now to try and upload it on the web.....

[Guest]

I had this problem too, and it had nothing to do with DW. Check your firewall. You're likely blocking Dreamweaver from accessing 127.0.0.1. I use ZoneAlarm, and it was blocking DW from accessing localhost, preventing the loopback. It was also blocking DW from acting like a server, preventing downloads from updates, etc. The block was happening at the application level, so you may be missing it if you're looking at inbound/outbound traffic on your firewall.

[joaosilvapt]

My problem is already diagnosed.

The Apache Server is configured to manual start, and I like it so.

That way, when I launched Dreamweaver in a PHP page, it looked for the Localserver and obviously didn't find it.

The action of lauching PhpMyAdmin automatically started Apache.

And then, Dreamweaver worked fine.

PHP is a CGI script and application. It works in the server side. So, we must have one server started.

Thanks for your answers.

If you need some  help just ask.

PS: The PHP Site must be in the folder WWW from WAMP

        Or in the folder HTDOC from XAMPP

[Guest]

I had the same problem.  What is strange is I have been using Dreamweaver for 4 years now.  On my present windows 7 system I did not encounter this problem until last night.  I have read that it could be the firewall blocking the local preview. I "allowing" the Dreamweaver software in Norton but that did not help.  One other post I read said to go to manage sites, edit your site, then to test server, then change the test server folder location to go one level deeper into the directory path.  I did that by going to my images folder.  This worked for previewing the pages but then all the pages that can be view in the right panel in dreamweaver were gone.  What I actually could see in the panel to the right in dreamweaver was everything in my Images folder.  What I finally did was to change url prefix block from the original "http://localhost/" to hard code the entire directory path to the root directory level as follows:   file:\\\c:\Users\jimjl\website\myrootdirectory\

This worked for me.  What bugs me the most is why the problem after all this time.  I am using Dreamweaver CS3.

[Guest]

I had the same problem. Turns out i had to change my "Web URL:" to "http://localhost/" for some reason (i don't know why) it had changed mine to just "http://". And i think you have to change yours 1 folder up to just "http://localhost/" because now it's looking for a folder "php_test/" inside "http: //localhost/php_test/" what would make it "http: //localhost/php_test/php_test/" and that folder doesn't existe. Just keep it "http://localhost/" and it should be fine.

Also make sure as (as posted above) that testing server is active, connection set to local/network and address set to your web servers root folder (remote can be active but is not necessary for this problem).

Let me know if that solves it!?!

PS: If that doesn't work you can try to change the "Web URL:" to your active IP adres.

              http: //"your ip adres"/              Without the quotes