Working from two computers

My colleage and I have FrontPage 2003 and Webstyle 4.

I understand the need to have the website in the C root directory so that it will appear identical on both machines. I also understand the need to copy the project folder in the WSTemplates folder and copy it to the other computer.

Two problems.

First, I have two websites and it is not clear which folders in the WSTemplates folder relate to which website.

Second, I appreciate my colleague will be able to edit the webstyle components once I have transfered the contents of the WSTemplates folder to his machine. However, if he adds a new banner or adjusts the menu, do I then have to go and get a new copy of his WSTemplates folder to put on my machine? If I do, how is this convenient?

Can someone clarify these two points for me?

Ken Gaskell

xara clearly don't respond to talk graphics as it is a users group. However, I e-mailed them via the knowledge base and they replied within 24 hours. Thanks Xara. Problem solved.

If anyone is trying to work from two computers, I would be happy to reply to an e-mail and let them know how we have done it using FrontPage and Webstyle 4. It is quite straightforward.

I have always liked Xara. Especially the movies. A good product at a good price.

Ken

I really need to know the answer to this question, can you post it here, or email me? guimondcloutier@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Hi, Could you please post the answer on how to run webstyle on 2 computers.

Thanks,

First, you don’t create your website in My Webs. You have to create it in the C drive (root directory). Both of you need to have the folder in the same place on your machines. If you have it inside the My Documents folder it won’t work as your names are linked in with the My Documents folder which means the route to the website folder would be different. The routes on both machines have to be identical. I created a folded called website in the C drive and kept my web folder inside that one.

If you have created the folder on one machine, it is a good idea to copy it onto a disc so that the other person can put it in the same place on his computer.

Don’t edit the website until you have e-mailed the other person to say you are working on it. You have to keep it syncronised.

Once you have sent your e-mail, download any files that are different onto your copy of the web site on your computer. You can now edit it.

When you have finished you upload (publish it).


You may think you have finished, but you have just one more thing to do. Webstyle4 keeps a project folder and you need to make sure that this is now made available to your colleague. Where is it?

Go to the C drive, then Programs, then Xara and then Webstyle4. Inside Webstyle 4 you will find a folder called WSTemplates. I suggest you create a shortcut to this folder and place it on your desktop. To do this, right click on the folder, select Send To and then select Desktop. The shortcut will now be on your desktop and you will be able to access the WSTemplates folder from there in future.

Once in WSTemplates, ignore all the files you see, they are just your templates. You are looking for a folder which is your project folder. If your project was called football, your project folder will be called football(project).

Copy this folder. You can do one of two things. You can place it in your website folder with all the htm and jpg and gif files. You will then upload it onto the server when you publish your end product. This means that whichever of you wants to work on the site next, can download it and paste over the top of the earlier version of the project folder in the WSTemplates folder. You will then have the current folder and can proceed with editing the website.

This didn’t always run smoothly for us so I came up with another solution.

This second way of dealing with it is the one I now use.

Go into the WSTemplates folder and right click on your project folder. Select Send To and then select Compressed (zip) Folder. Then e-mail your colleague to tell him you have finished working on the site and attach the compressed project folder. It will have a picture of a zip on it.

When you colleague gets the e-mail, he unzips the attachment, copies the unzipped folder and simply pastes it into the WSTemplates folder, overwriting the earlier version. He is now ready to start editing. But he must do the same when he has finished editing.


I am sure this is all as clear as mud; it is much easier to show someone than to try and explain it. Sadly, unless you are disciplined and make sure you only edit the site with the lastest project folder in the WSTemplates folder, you will have problems. It would be nice if Xara came up with a simpler solution, but I guess they built Webstyle4 for single users.

Just a tip. Once I have sent the file attachment to my colleague, I go into WSTemplates and delete the compressed (zip) folder so I don’t get confused.

A warning. When you first create a page, Webstyle4 will tell you it is saving whatever you have created in an image folder. It will, but it will create it in the My Webs folder. So when you first add something to a new page, click your way up out of the folder and go in search of your folder in the C drive. When you are in it, go into the image folder and save it there. From now on, when you add something else from Webstyle4 to that page it will know where it lives; but you will have to take this precaution with every new page when you add something to it for the first time.

I hope this helps.

Ken

Sorry, I haven't visited this forum for a long time. Apoligies to those who were waiting for this information.

Ken,

Sorry, but were you responding to a question? If so, I think you lost the thread.

this thread I think?
http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=20298

Ken thanks for explaining things so well.

Thanks Steve for finding the original thread. I have merged the two together. I hope it helps anyone that needs to work together on the same web project.

Yes, I was replying to a question. I had previously e-mailed the answer to people. Someone asked me to post it. Unfortunately, for personal reasons I haven't visited this site for a long time. I am now merely doing as I was asked and posting it. The information is now out there for whoever wants it.
Ken

I hope this is the same procedure when using WD 6.
Thanks for the help.=D>