Choose Edit > My Connections and click New. If the Create Connection button is available in the main toolbar, you can click that instead.
Last updated on
Apr 27, 2021 06:34:23 AM GMT
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Also Applies to Contribute CS4, Contribute CS5
To edit pages in a site using Adobe Contribute, it's necessary to set up a connection to the site. After this connection is established, Contribute can access the existing pages and create pages.
Note: Contribute 3 and later can now edit stand-alone web pages from the local hard drive, but Contribute is best suited for editing remote websites.
Basic connection information
- The URL (web address) of the site you want to edit. This URL is a standard web address like http://www.example.com.
- The connection method and address used to move files back and forth between Contribute and the web server. The supported connection methods in Contribute are as follows:
- FTP: The most common way of transferring files between computers.
- Local/Network: This method transfers the files over the network via the file system.
- SFTP: A secure version of FTP. This connection method encrypts the data as it passes through the network. It requires an SFTP server and a user account to connect. This setting is available in Contribute 2 and later.
- WebDAV: Stands for Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning. This setting is a way of transferring files via HTTP. It is also used for version control. .Mac (dot Mac) accounts use WebDAV for transferring files. This connection method was introduced in Contribute 3.
- Blog web hosted services: This setting includes editing Blogs hosted on services such as Wordpress, Typepad, and Blogger.
- A user name and password (often required for FTP, SFTP, Blogs, and WebDAV access).
- There can be times when it's necessary to know the location of the web root on the server. This folder is the actual folder on the server that contains the web pages. Contribute can usually find the location. However, sometimes it's necessary to point to it if the server is using virtual path or the login information does not point directly to it. If you are unsure of the location of the webroot, ask the server administrator for this information.
Note: FTP and SFTP are not interchangeable. To use SFTP, it's necessary to create an account on the secure server for each user. Simply choosing SFTP for a regular FTP account doesn't make it secure.
Establish a connection
Depending on the version of Contribute being used, the steps listed below can be in a different order. For example, in Contribute 1 and 2, the user name and email is first (step 3). In Contribute 3, the URL is first (step 4).
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The first screen of the Connection wizard reminds you to use a Connection Key if you have one. Click Next.
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Enter your name and email address. These settings identify you to other Contribute and Dreamweaver users that are attempting to edit a file on which you are working. Click Next.
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Enter the full URL of the site you want to edit. Clicking Browse opens a mini browser used to navigate to a website or a specific web page that is the start page for the Contribute site. Click OK to close the mini browser. Click Next.
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If you are using a Blog web hosted site, drop down to this selection and drop down to the Blog name for "Who hosts your Blog." Also add your user name and password.
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Choose the connection method from the pop-up menu.
- FTP/SFTP: If you have an FTP connection, enter your FTP information. Example: ftp.example.com. The Advanced button gives options for Passive FTP and Firewall settings (FTP only, option not available for SFTP).
- Local/Network: If you have a Local/Network connection, enter the path or click the Choose button to navigate to and select the web folder. Example: For Windows, \\servername\webserver\wwwroot\, for Macintosh, afp://servername -or- cifs://servername.
- WebDAV: Enter the WebDAV information in to the fields. Ask the admin if unsure of what to enter.
Note: If WebDAV is the connection method, then it's necessary that all Contribute use WebDAV. (For example, you can't have one person use WebDAV and another person use FTP.
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Click Next. Contribute now attempts to locate the web folder that houses your site.
- If Contribute has found the correct web folder, you are prompted to select a user group to join. Administrators and Users are listed by default, and Administrators can add other groups. Choose your group and click Next.
- If Contribute has not found the web folder, you are asked to browse the server for it. Select the folder that contains your web pages and click Next. This action takes you to the user group chooser. Select a group and click Next.
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Next is a summary page of the settings. Verify the correct settings and click Done to finish the connection. Contribute opens to the page specified in the connection and you are ready to browse, edit, and publish.
Note: This information is also available in the Help system (choose Help > Macromedia Contribute Help) and the How Do I panel.
Use a connection key
Connection keys are files created by site Administrators that sets up the site connection automatically. Connection keys have the extension STC. For example, connection1.stc. A connection key includes connection information for a site, as well as the group which a user is assigned for that connection.
Open the key and entering the password
If you are using a connection key, double-click the key. You are prompted for the key password. The Contribute admin provides this key. The site is then set up automatically.
Server login information
To connect to a site, a user name and password are necessary to access the server. A connection key can, but doesn't always, include server login information. This login information is separate from the key password mentioned in the paragraph above. If they key includes the server login information, then it's unnecessary to enter it. However, if the Contribute administrator did not include their login information in the key, you need your own login information. In this case, after entering the connection key password, you are prompted for the server login information.
For example, an administrator can create a connection key and insert their own FTP login information. You can't see that information, and your connection uses the administrator's FTP account. Or else, an administrator can create a connection key that requires you to enter your own login information. In this case, you would need to have an account for that server with correct permissions.
Note: If you are prompted for server login information but do not have this information, contact your administrator. Let them know that you require this information a connection key with the information already included.
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