Placement of Index File

[jimleftwich]

I've uploaded my local files to the remote server.  However, I can't get the site to appear in search engines.  In Google Chrome it doesn't show at all; in Bing it shows a list of the files.  I think my index file is not in the right place in the remote files, but I don't know where it's supposed to go.  Does it need to go right below the public_html at the top, or where?  I know the site works as I had it up in the past, then took the remote files down.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Jim

[Jon Fritz]

Ask your hosting company what your root folder is.

Normally it's going to be "htdocs", "public_html" or "www" but could technically be anything.

You also need to make sure you use a valid page name for your home page. The most common are index.html and default.html (or .php, .shtml, etc). If you named your home page "homepage.html" there's a high likelihood it won't work because the server won't recognize it as a valid name.

Once you know your root folder, and have your home page saved with a valid name, all you should need to do is upload it to the folder and the server does the rest. If the browser is still showing the files list (it really never should do that because Directory Browsing should be turned off) you'll need to talk to your hosting company because something isn't set up correctly at the server level.

[B i r n o u]

Jon is right but as you talk about public_html... does this mean that you see this folder on your tree ?

[jimleftwich]

Yes, I know my root folder is public_html.  I know that in the past when

I uploaded local files to remote, the index file wound up in the right

place.  What about if I delete the index file in the remote files, then

upload from local files just the index file?  Think it would go to the

right place?

Jim

[Jon Fritz]

All of your website's files need to be within the root folder on the server. The index page needs to be within that root folder level, something like...

public_html

     index.html

     pages

          page2.html

          page3.html

     images

          image1.html

          image2.html

If the index page is not in the root directory, it won't work....

public_html

     website <- or any other folder

          index.html

          pages

          images

If you've accidentally duplicated public_html in your local files (which is what Birnou is hinting at) it also won't work. You should not see "public_html" in your local Files window.

If you could post a screenshot of your Expanded Files window in DW, showing Local and Remote folder structures, that could help rule that out.

[jimleftwich]

The index file is in the remote files, but in a sub-folder.  Can I just

drag it up to the root folder?

Jim

[Jon Fritz]

If it's not in a sub folder locally, yes, you should be able to do that.

If it is also in a subfolder locally, you'll need to get rid of that subfolder and relink all the files in your site to point to the corrected path. DW can handle that for you, if you drag the file within the Files Window, as long as you are working from a defined site.

[jimleftwich]

Thank you all for the help yesterday in getting my files in the right

order.  It's just about fixed, but I have one weird problem that I can't

understand.  It's not really an Adobe issue per se (I don't think) but

here it is:  my files appear to be in the right place.  I can see an

navigate the website on my iPhone.  However, the site won't come up on

Google Chrome or Bing.  Google keeps pulling up a template I was working

on in Dreamweaver, but since deleted.  Any clues?

[osgood_]

If you mean Google has bookmarked your previous page in its search listing and that page is no longer applicable you'll need to redirect to the appropriate page using your htaccess file or name your current file the same as the previous file.

Google redirect using htaccess file.

Google wont drop the listed page just like that, it takes time to send its search spider to your server and see what it can find. You can request Google delist the search result if all else fails.

[Nancy OShea]

I odn't mean to be pedantic but using the right terms helps us better understand your questions.

Google is a search engine  You type a keyword or words into the search bar and up comes a search engine results page (SERP).

Google Chrome is a web browser like Firefox, Safari, MS Edge or IE 11.

Bing is a search engine similar to Google..

What I don't fully understand is this remark.

jimleftwich  wrote

the site won't come up on Google Chrome or Bing.  Google keeps pulling up a template I was working on in Dreamweaver, but since deleted.  Any clues?

If by Google or Bing you really mean your browser, then you need to clear your browser's cache memory.

If you mean Google search engine, you must tell Google to re-index your site through your Google Console.  It could take a few weeks to see new search results.   Also check that  your index page contains proper titile and meta description as that's the 1st impression people have of your site.

[Nancy OShea]

jimleftwich  wrote

The index file is in the remote files, but in a sub-folder.  Can I just

drag it up to the root folder?

If you move index file on remote server, the links will break.  Do it locally in Files Panel first.  When prompted to update links, hit YES.  Save files and upload to server.

[jimleftwich]

Hello Nancy.  That sounds like good advice.  I think the links are

broken.  Where in the local files panel would I drag the Index file to? 

The is no public_html here, so I'm not sure where to go.  Any

suggestions?  Thanks, Jim

[Jon Fritz]

Drag it to the top line, where your site's name sits in the window (root folder).

Mine is "Site - Test Site Of Justice" in this image...

[Nancy OShea]

As Jon said, drag it up to your local site folder. 

Also double check that your site is properly defined in DW by going to Site > Manage Sites.  See screenshot.   You should never ever see the server's root directory in your local files panel. 

[B i r n o u]

jimleftwich  a écrit

What about if I delete the index file in the remote files, then

upload from local files just the index file?  Think it would go to the

right place?

yes, no need really to remove the remote index file, the local one should overwrite it... but it's a good idea to avoid corrupted file in case of...

caution, be sure that before sync and local that your setting on the server dialog box are correct... connexion and default root folder