How do I import a website built with CS3 into the latest version of Dw?

[Roy37575343h7gb]

I recently bought a new computer, which eliminated my ability to use Dw CS3 (the activation code no longer works). I have access to the new Dw, but can't figure out how to import my website files into Dw either via the webhost or from my computer (the files don't have .ste extensions). Advice welcome, thanks. 

[Nancy OShea]

Go to Site > New Site and enter the local site folder and log-in details for your remote server.  See screenshots.

Servers Tab:

If unsure, ask your hosting provider for details.

When done, press the TEST button to confirm connection to remote server.

Post back if you need more help.

[Roy37575343h7gb]

Thank you. With your advice and some help from my webhost's tech support, I was able to get into the remote site and it looks like all the files synced and then downloaded into DW, but the list of files doesn't look like it did under CS3 and I haven't figured out how to, e.g., open and edit any of the pages on the site. It seems like a very different DW. 

[Nancy OShea]

Yes, a lot has changed in 17 years. Dreamweaver's Workspace and menus are not the same. They have been updated to conform with modern code and design standards.

Take time to get acquainted with the Workspace and Toolbars:

https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/using/dreamweaver-workflow-workspace.html

Go to Window > select Files Panel (F8 shortcut). 

Click a file in your Files Panel to edit in CODE | LIVE or DESIGN view.

You can also customize your Workspace for your prefered mode -- Developer or Standard.

https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/using/optimizing-workspace-visual-development.html

Online Help / User Guide can be reached from your Help menu (F1).

[Roy37575343h7gb]

Thank you. One more question, if I may. I have three DW websites and all the pages and images, etc., used to be under a main folder for each site. Now, many of the files seem scrambled, and the folders for two of the sites are part of a broader www folder and an html subfolder.  (I'm not quite sure where the third site is.) I don't recall it being set up that way, but I could be wrong. Do you think syncing the remote files to the new DW caused the scrambling or could it have happened when my webhost company migrated all its sites a while back? Thanks.

[Ben M]

Thank you. One more question, if I may. I have three DW websites and all the pages and images, etc., used to be under a main folder for each site. Now, many of the files seem scrambled, and the folders for two of the sites are part of a broader www folder and an html subfolder.  (I'm not quite sure where the third site is.) I don't recall it being set up that way, but I could be wrong. Do you think syncing the remote files to the new DW caused the scrambling or could it have happened when my webhost company migrated all its sites a while back? Thanks.

By @Roy37575343h7gb

Yes. Each site likely on your host should live within its own www folder. But if you only have 1 site definition, then it's possible the sites may not be getting saved where they should be.

The first part of this you need to confirm with your web hosting provider. Because depending on your setup, each may have a www folder or they could just be a subfolder of your primary domain. Regardless of that, each should have it's own defined site in DW and should live in their own folder on your HDD and not as a subfolder as they may be on the remote server as that could cause DW to have nested sites which if you are syncing could cause the issue you describe.

[Nancy OShea]

Expand your files panel to compare Remote & Local Files side-by-side. 

Their structure should be similar.  See screenshot.

[Roy37575343h7gb]

Remote and Local both start with folders called etc, logs, migration and then two of my websites (but neither side's website folders have any files from those websites). Remote then has folders called perl5 and public_ftp. Then both sides have a public_html folder (on Remote, there's a subfolder for one of my sites that contains many or maybe all of the files from that site). Next, Remote has a folder for my third website (but without any site files) that doesn't appear on Local. Both sides then have folders labeled ssl and www (Remote's www folder includes subfolders with lots of content from my first two websites). Neither side has date or time stamps. The remote side also has a folder tmp. I hope that wasn't too hard to follow.

[Nancy OShea]

Evidently you pulled all files from your server instead of just the relevant website files.

Contact your hosting provider and ask them where your website's root directory resides.

See screenshot.  Mine is public_html.  But yours could be www, webdocs, html, htdocs or something else entirely.  It varies by hosting plan.

[Nancy OShea]

A lot has changed on the web since CS3 came out in 2007.

Your site will likely need updating to current HTML5 & CSS web standards.

Read chapters & do code exercises.
- https://www.w3schools.com/html/
- https://www.w3schools.com/css/
- https://www.w3schools.com/js/
- https://www.w3schools.com/bootstrap/

Code validation services:

HTML - https://validator.w3.org/

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

Good luck.

[Ben M]

If you don't have ste files then your sites were not imported. Do you have access to the old computer with the installation of DW. If so, you can export sites. Or if you moved files from an old computer to a new one it's possible you may still have the old site definitions and not realize it.

Mac: In your user library --> Application Support:Adobe:Common:{version}:Sites:Site Prefs

Win: Registry --> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Common\{version}\Sites

[Roy37575343h7gb]

Hi, when I transferred everything from the old computer to the new, DW came over, but because Adobe discontinued the registration codes for CS3, so it wouldn't open. It also no longer opened on the old computer.

I tried the Win: Registry you outlined above, but there was no "Sites" option -- just Site ONldle, Site Preferences, Site Selection, Site Status Dialog and SiteFrame, none of which contained any files. The old files ARE in my computer as Documents, but if there's a way to move them into DW, I couldn't figure it out.

[Ben M]

Hi, when I transferred everything from the old computer to the new, DW came over, but because Adobe discontinued the registration codes for CS3, so it wouldn't open. It also no longer opened on the old computer.

I tried the Win: Registry you outlined above, but there was no "Sites" option -- just Site ONldle, Site Preferences, Site Selection, Site Status Dialog and SiteFrame, none of which contained any files. The old files ARE in my computer as Documents, but if there's a way to move them into DW, I couldn't figure it out.

By @Roy37575343h7gb

There are 2 parts to every site in DW. The site preferences which holds your root folder/remote server connection/etc information and the files. If you know how to connect to the remote server or can update/reset credentials, then the site preferences are not needed. It is more important to have your site files as you can work with them in Dreamweaver or any web page editor as HTML/CSS/etc are just text files that can be read and opened in any text editor.

Unfortunately one issue you may run into is that CS3 may not be compatible with your new one and could crash. For instance, the Mac version will no longer work due to changes in the core operating system from Apple, and the Windows version may need to be run in compatibility mode. Also, it is worth considering that DW in its current state is no longer being actively developed so it may be worth considering to start reviewing alternative solutions based on your skillset and needs to build websites moving forward.

[Roy37575343h7gb]

Ben, I'd like to hear about alternatives to DW. I built two sites (only one of them extensive) more than a decade ago and have done only minor updates since, so I've largely forgotten the skills I used then. Thanks.

[Ben M]

If you don't want go get back into coding, I would recommend looking towards a CMS whether it is one you install and maintain (ie: Wordpress) or a hosted CMS (ie: Webflow, Wix, etc.). Either of those options, you can find visual editors to help you build modern, responsive websites without having to take on the complete coding learning curve. Otherwise, there are code editors like Nova (Mac only) or Visual Studio Code.

[Nancy OShea]

Ben, I'd like to hear about alternatives to DW.

By @Roy37575343h7gb

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

Not Ben, Nancy.

CODE EDITORS:
-- Adobe Dreamweaver CC - https://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver.html
-- Codespaces (free, browser-based) - https://github.com/features/codespaces
-- Nova (Mac only, formerly called Coda) - https://nova.app/
-- Pinegrow - https://pinegrow.com/
-- Sublime Text - http://www.sublimetext.com/
-- Visual Studio Code (free) - https://code.visualstudio.com/
-- Wappler ~ Visual Web App Builder - https://wappler.io/
============
ONLINE SITE BUILDERS:
-- Squarespace - https://www.squarespace.com/
-- Webflow - https://webflow.com
-- Wix - https://www.wix.com/
-- WordPress (open source) - https://wordpress.org/

Hope that helps.

[DreamWeaverBeliever]

On a related note...   On a related note, might anyone here know if perhaps Windows 11 (which I now use after migrating to a new refurbished Dell desktop computer) clashes with Dreamweaver CS6 so much that I'm rendered technically unable to have merely my website files appear in the "Local Files" section of the lower right-hand corner?   I seem to have ALL my Word files appearing there now on my new refurbished computer.   To compound matters, it seems like the excess files are getting uploaded to a server or something (which I prefer NOT to do as they're private files).    Hopefully this problem has a simple remedy.   Any thoughts please?  🙂

___
    And finally, might anyone here know how to make the symbolic icons reappear in the far-right lower corner panel of Dreamweaver CS6's interface which includes the assets button and which used to include the upward and downward arrows, etc?    One can see what I'm referring to at minute two, in the far lower right corner of this Dreamweaver tutorial video:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv2kFjueOfc .   There's an upward arrow symbol, and a lower one, etc.   I surfed through my notes from yesteryear and found this tidbit of guidance but it's not that on-point, apparently:
__ 

"*To make the Insert panel reappear on the right, go to Window à Insert."   

__

 I didn't achieve the desired goal of getting those icons to reappear on my Dreamweaver interface in my new (albeit refurbished) computer.   Any thoughts please?   

A good weekend to all,

DreamWeaverBeliever (in Texas)

[Nancy OShea]

@DreamWeaverBeliever,

Did you define your local site folder?  Site > New Site...

I haven't used CS6 in a dog's age so I don't have CS6 screenshots. But it should be similar to the current version.

Once your site is defined, the Files Panel (F8) has a drop-down list from which you can select your site folder.

[DreamWeaverBeliever]

Hi Nancy:    Thanks for the insight.   Although I've not yet figured out the local site folder situation (that I had mastered years ago during my last computer upgrade in 2017, but forgotten since then), this evening I have taken your (always terrific) advice and, as a result, made some advances.   Now the icons have reappeared, which is a sign of progress.   🙂