Forum Moderators: mack
Can someone help me. I have got a new job. My boss has asked me if I can make some changes to existing website. Website is solely HTML. I can borrow a HTML book and familiarize myself with HTML or goto H3school.com. But I want to know how to start. Do I open the pages in front page. Are they stored on Web server only. How can I sit at my computer and edit these pages and then put 'em back to the server. This may sound silly,but I think I can handle the HTML coding but not this basic stuff. If anyone out there can provide some details I'd appriciate that.
-Thanks
Get a ftp program, download the files, edit them in a text editor like notepad or Editplus, save them, then upload them back to the webserver.
to connect to the web server and get the files onto your computer you will need an ftp program which you then configure to connect to the server.
You then can download the files onto your computer to edit them.
You will also need an html editor like frontpage, dreamweaver or various text editors.
Free versions of these programs can be found on your search engine of choice. They should have some tutorials or faqs for how to connect to a server etc.
In addition to what Jatar already has said (was a bit slow at typing ;))
Okay, your boss got a site. I'm assuming somebody made that site for him? The pages of the site, as well as the graphics, and everything else is stored on a server somewhere. Your boss should also have a locally stored copy of all those files somewhere. Ask him!
If he doesn't have a copy, then ask him who has done the site and who has put it online. That person can tell you the password and everything else needed to go to the server.
You need a FTP programm. Most html editors and tools like frontpage have built in ftp clients. I would recommend getting a free or lowcost FTP programm nevertheless. Use odp to search for a good one.
If you don't get the info on how to go to the server, open the pages in your browser. Surf to the site, then save all pages including the graphics. Try to use the same file structure as on the server: create on your computer a directory, and in that directory create the same folders as on the server.
Now you have the site stored locally.
Next get familiar with an editor of your choice.
Generally there are two classes of editors: wysiwyg editors, where you mostly point, drag and click, and editors where you work in the source code.
I would not recommend starting with a wysiwyg tool. It prevents you from understanding what you do.
if you have applied the changes test the pages on your computer in your browser. Ideally test in more than one browser.
If you are satified you can publish the new pages.
At this point you need access to the server. To publish the files you need a FTP programm again.
Voila: a new webmaster is born!
I'm not hired as web designer, but as a assistant system analyst. Its a small company. So I will end up doing many things, which I don't mind at all. I do software selections,installations, create small access databases, little bit of accounting, enter sale data and create reports and so many other things. New job+ New graduate is such a bad time.
Anyways, Thank you very very much.
Re: searches - use AllTheWeb.com to search the site. The WebmasterWorld Search engine is a wee bit tired. Start your search with webmasterworld and then whatever terms you're looking for. You'll get better results.
If you have FP installed, then there should be a FP icon on your IE toolbar. Go to your website and click on it (ie, "edit this page with frontpage").
FP will boot up and you will be asked for a username and password.
Go to file, then Publish Web.
Select a local folder to publish to.
Close the Web.
Open the local web you just saved.
Make your changes.
Publish Web again, but this time publish to your domain.
You will need to enter username and password again.
After this all you need to do is open FP, then open your local web. Each time you publish it, it will go straight to your domain (need user and pass everytime you open FP).
MG
