Move Dreamweaver Template Folder

[VShaneCurtis]

Hello All,

I have a question about the Dreamweaver Template and it's folder.  I have purchased a web template from a third party provider. I'm not very fond of the directory structure that was used in crating the template and the associated web pages used in this template.  I have been able to move all the other folders used by the template to a location that suits my taste.  I have not been able to move the template folder.  I am aware that the template folder is required to reside in the root folder of the site.  The folder that I would like to move the template into will be the root folder of the new layout.  When I try to move the template it updates the pages with the new path but the link between the template and the pages is broken and changes made to the template are no longer applied to the pages.  Is there a way to move the template and reestablish the link between the template and the pages?  Any help you can provide is much appreciated.

[L e n a]

I may make a mistake while reading you, but it seems to me that you make an amalgam, or a confusion, between the Templates folder specific to Dreamweaver, and the use of an external Template.

So in order to clarify and avoid any misunderstanding, there are three concepts that have the same name, but which are totally distinct.

1 - On the one hand, the DW Template folder which corresponds to an internal tool for generating child pages from a template in DWT format: https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/using/dreamweaver-templates.html

2 - On the other hand the DW startup templates which were introduced a few versions ago and which allow to start pages from a pre-existing template and which can be modelled and adapted according to our needs https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/how-to/build-from-website-templates.html

3 - And finally, the use of external and third-party templates that work completely independently of Dreamweaver (such as those provided by https://themeforest.net/), where it is absolutely not necessary to use Dreamweaver's own Templates folder. Unless you want to create a DW Template based on the external Template.

in view of these various cases of figure in which would be situated your question? and in what that causes you concern?

[VShaneCurtis]

Hello

Thank you for your reply.  I am sorry that I was not more clear.  I am referring to the DWT file and it's associated folder.  I can see how my post might have been cofusing now.  The web site template that I am using is a 3rd party template that was created using Dreamweaver and uses Dreamweaver's DWT file to mange the child pages of the web site.  The diectory structure employed by this template and it's pages does not sit well with me and I would like to move the dwt and it's associated folder to a different location.  The root of current directory structure is a folder called website.  Website has two sub folders Site and Templates.  I would like to move Templates into the Site folder and still maintain the link between the dwt file and the child pages.  The Site directory would become the bew root directory and the website directory would be deleted entirely.  When I attempt to move the Templates folder into the Site folder Dreamweaver updates the path information stored in the child pages but after doing this Dreamweaver no longer updates the child pages when I make a change in the template.  Moving the folder breaks the link.  Is there a way to resolve this?  I hope this clarifies what I am trying to accomplish.  Thanks in advance for your assistance. 

[L e n a]

Without a visual diagram of the tree structure you want to put in place, I admit that your explanation lost me a bit.

Anyway, and whatever you want to do, it is not possible to rename, move, modify the Templates folder set up and managed internally by DW.
The same goes for the Library folder.

Could you please, schematize the current tree structure and the one you would like to use?

For information, if the site is already in place and uses a lot of child pages, modifying in depth the DWT file involves that the child file(s) might require a re-application of the template to each page.

At the moment, it seems to me that this operation is manual and must be applied, file by file. But that's not the point yet.

[VShaneCurtis]

Thank you for the reply.  Here's a simple diagram of the current and the desired directory structure.  The names in the diagram represent directories.   I'm at a lose as to why you want this diagran since you stated that what I want to do is not possible but I'm happy to provide it.  

[Nancy OShea]

See screenshot below from DW Files Panel (F8). 

Use this basic structure to organize site assets as required. 

The Templates folder is dedicated to .dwt files.  It must NOT contain any other file types or folders.

Hope that helps.

[VShaneCurtis]

Nancy,

Thank you for the suggested layout.   I like it and it's something that suits me.  It does not however solve my immediate problem of relocating the Templates folder into my Site folder without breaking the link between the DWT and the child pages.

[BenPleysier]

Will this help you: https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/kb/paths-dreamweaver-templates.html

[VShaneCurtis]

Ben,

I have read through this looking for the answer and found nothing.  The main thing I don't understand is this:  When I drag and drop the templates folder into the site folder DW knows what I've done and asks if I want to update the child pages.  I say yes, DW does it's thing and it updates all the path info in the child pages.  Yet when I go into the template and make a change that should cause an update and I save the template DW doesn't apply the changes to the child pages anymore dispite the fact that it updated the path info in the child pages.  The link is broken.  This makes NO sense.  What gives?

[L e n a]

 I'm at a lose as to why you want this diagran since you stated that what I want to do is not possible but I'm happy to provide it.  

By @VShaneCurtis

In fact, I just wanted to make sure I understood your architectural wishes.

So, from what you are indicating? two points:

• in the current structure... you have a website folder... which contains on one hand the template and on the other hand your site... why not put the content of the site on the same level as the template, for this additional lower level...
• in the second division everything seems coherent, but what is the use of this first site level?

a question, don't you confuse the structure of the local folder and the remote one ?

whatever your choice, the Templates folder needs to be a the local root folder, and doesn't need to be placed on the distant folder

[VShaneCurtis · Accepted solution]

Lena,

Thank you for that insight.  I did mot think of it that way.  Instead of trying to force the Templates Folder to bend to my will, bring everything else up from the site folder into the web site folder and I still end up with the same basic layout.  A very nice suggestion.  Thank you for your clarity of thought.  I will try that instead.

[L e n a]

@VShaneCurtisI'm glad that it helped you.

[VShaneCurtis]

Lena,

Corrections to my directory structure have been made and the desired outcome has been reached without breaking anything.  Thank you again.