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G
Goloh
Participating Frequently
May 15, 2018
Answered

My website won't let me edit

  • May 15, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 1328 views

This might be the most naive question this month, but here goes.  Some 12 years ago, a webmaster built my website using Dreamweaver.  It sells things.  For inventory, descriptions, and so on, I can log in and do all that by myself.  But the structure of the site is "fixed" and I do not know how to edit the mistakes:  that webmaster has disappeared, and I can't find anyone else.  After I log in, and right click to "inspect source" or "View Element,"  I can see what looks like coding, but no amount of highlighting or clicking delete--or anything else I can see--lets me edit some of the mistakes.  

Even I use FileZilla to back up the site from time to time, but can't figure out how to get into the codes while logged into that, either.

Can anyone please suggest a way I can actually get into the heart of the coding and make some simple changes?   Many thanks ...

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer John Waller

I don't know what to say:  the website doesn't have anything called a "Style" folder, or anything like "main.css," or if it does, I would not know where to find it.  Using Internet Explorer 11, there's a toolbar at the top and one item is "View".  Under that, there's "Style" but clicking that only leads to two options:  "No Style," or "Default Style," and I'm certain that's not what you mean. 

This was my fault, for not insisting the original webmaster show me how to enter the coding so I could do it myself.  But he's gone.

Please direct me, then, to what I need to do to find the "main.css" because it must be very close.  Meanwhile, I will also tery logging in through the host server, and see if what you mention is visible there.

Thanks.


Seems like you're trying to edit your website using a web browser. That won't work.

You need a web editor. Or at least access to the server where the web files reside so you can download them, edit them and save them. That's what a web editor like DW does for you from your desktop via FTP.

In IE, View Source shows this on line 62

<link href="style/main.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />

so you've definitely got a styles folder, and many more.

You just can't edit it without FTP access (username/password).

1 reply

John Waller
Community Expert
John WallerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 15, 2018

What is the website address?

Which version of Dreamweaver are you using?

G
GolohAuthor
Participating Frequently
May 15, 2018

1.  globalpostcardsales.com

2.  I don't know because the webmaster did it.  Can you tell me how to find out?

Thanks.

G
GolohAuthor
Participating Frequently
May 15, 2018

This seems like a major step in the right direction.  I back up the website using FileZilla often but (until now) have only needed FTP for that one reason.  So that's all I know what to do.  For time reasons (because it looks like it may be getting very late for you where you are), I will use the information above, go to the main FileZilla page, see if I can find all that, and report the results after.

Thank you both.


All right, I downloaded and saved the website using FileZilla.  I also went again to FileZilla as if this was a new download, logged in, and looked for anything that would get me to main.css or anything resembling style/main.css.   All I could find, up at the top, was an icon of binoculars telling me to search recursively.  (?)  I entered style/main.css and variations of that, and nothing came up.  I looked at every item on every scroll-down list.

This is clearly very easy for someone who knows what they are doing.  Wish I did!  Though I have full passwords and permissions to manage my own site, it is not intuitive to me and I am getting nowhere.  Also, I don't want to waste people's time creating a step-by-step version of programmed learning for this.  I will keep looking locally here.  Fingers crossed.  Thanks again.

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