How to Get and Put files to and from your server using Dreamweaver
Getting and putting files to and from your server, and managing file transfers using Dreamweaver.

If you’re working in a collaborative environment, use the Check In/Check Out system to transfer files between local and remote sites. If you’re the only person working on the remote site, however, you can use the Get and Put commands to transfer files without checking them in or out.

For more information on checking in and checking out files, see Check in and check out files.

When you transfer a document between a local and remote folder using the Files panel, you have the option of transferring the document’s dependent files. Dependent files are images, external style sheets, and other files referenced in your document that a browser loads when it loads the document.

Opomba:

It’s usually a good idea to download dependent files when checking out a new file, but if the latest versions of the dependent files are already on the local disk, there’s no need to download them again. This is also true for uploading and checking in files: no need if up-to-date copies are already at the remote site.

Library items are treated as dependent files.

Some servers report errors when putting library items. However, you can cloak these files to prevent them from being transferred.

About background file transfers

You can perform other, non-server-related, activities while you’re getting or putting files. Background file transfer works for all of the transfer protocols supported by Dreamweaver: FTP, SFTP, LAN, WebDAV, and RDS.

Non-server-related activities include common operations like typing, editing external style sheets, generating site-wide reports, and creating new sites.

Server-related activities that Dreamweaver cannot perform during file transfers include the following:

  • Put/Get/Check in/Check out files

  • Undo check-out

  • Create a database connection

  • Bind dynamic data

  • Preview data in Live view

  • Insert a web service

  • Delete remote files or folders

  • Preview in a browser on a testing server

  • Save a file to a remote server

  • Insert an image from a remote server

  • Open a file from a remote server

  • Auto put files upon saving

  • Drag files to the remote site

  • Cut, copy, or paste files on the remote site

  • Refresh Remote view

By default, the Background File Activity dialog box is open during file transfers. You can minimize the dialog box by clicking the Minimize button in the upper right corner. Closing the dialog box during file transfers results in a cancelation of the operation.

Get files from a remote server

You can copy files from the remote site to your local site in one of the following ways:

Dreamweaver creates a log of file activity during the transfer that you can view and save.

Opomba:

You cannot turn background file transfer off. If you have the detail log open in the Background File Activity dialog box, you can close that to improve performance.

Dreamweaver also records all FTP file transfer activity. If an error occurs when you are transferring a file using FTP, the Site FTP log can help you determine the problem.

Get files from a remote server using the Files panel

  1. In the Files panel (Window > Files), select the files you want to download.

    Usually you select these files in the Remote view, but you can select the corresponding files in the Local view if you prefer. If the Remote view is active, then Dreamweaver copies the selected files to the local site; if the Local view is active, then Dreamweaver copies the remote versions of the selected local files to the local site.

    Opomba:

    To get only those files for which the remote version is more recent than the local version, use the Synchronize option.

  2. Do one of the following to get the file:
    • Click the Get button in the Files panel toolbar.

    • Right-click (Windows) or Control‑click (Macintosh) the file in the Files panel, then select Get from the context menu.

  3. Click Yes in the Dependent Files dialog box to download dependent files; if you already have local copies of the dependent files, click No. The default is to not download dependent files. You can set this option at Edit > Preferences > Site.

    Dreamweaver downloads the selected files, as follows:

    • If you’re using the Check In/Check Out system, getting a file results in a read-only local copy of the file; the file remains available on the remote site or testing server for other team members to check out.

    • If you’re not using the Check In/Check Out system, getting a file results in a copy that has both read and write privileges.

    Opomba:

    If you’re working in a collaborative environment—that is, if others are working on the same files—you should not disable Enable File Check In and Check Out. If other people are using the Check In/Check Out system with the site, you should use that system as well.

    To stop the file transfer at any time, click the Cancel button in the Background File Activity dialog box.  

Get files from a remote server using the Document window

  1. Make sure the document is active in the Document window.
  2. Do one of the following to get the file:
    • Select Site > Get.

    • Click the File Management icon in the Document window toolbar, then select Get from the menu.

    Opomba:

    If the current file is not part of the current site in the Files panel, Dreamweaver attempts to determine which locally defined site the current file belongs to. If the current file belongs to only one local site, Dreamweaver opens that site, then performs the Get operation.

Display the FTP log

  1. Click the Options menu in the upper right corner of the Files panel.
  2. Select View > Site FTP Log.

Opomba:

In the Expanded Files Panel, you can click the FTP Log button to display the log.

Put files on a remote server

You can put files from the local site to the remote site, generally without changing the file’s checked out status.

There are two common situations where you use the Put command instead of Check In:

  • You’re not in a collaborative environment and you are not using the Check In/Check Out system.
  • You want to put the current version of the file on the server but you are going to keep editing it.

Opomba:

If you put a file that didn’t previously exist on the remote site and you’re using the Check In/Check Out system, the file is copied to the remote site and is then checked out to you so that you can continue editing.

You can use the Files panel or the Document window to put files. Dreamweaver creates a log of file activity during the transfer that you can view and save.

Opomba:

You cannot turn background file transfer off. If you have the detail log open in the Background File Activity dialog box, you can close that to improve performance.  

Dreamweaver also records all FTP file transfer activity. If an error occurs when you are transferring a file using FTP, the Site FTP log can help you determine the problem.

For a tutorial on putting files on a remote server, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0163.

For a tutorial on troubleshooting publishing problems, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0164.

Put files on a remote or testing server using the Files panel

  1. In the Files panel (Window > Files), select the files to upload.

    Usually you select these in the Local view, but you may select the corresponding files in the Remote view if you prefer.

    Opomba:

    You can put only those files for which the local version is more recent than the remote version.

  2. Do one of the following to put the file on the remote server:
    • Click the Put button in the Files panel toolbar.

    • Right-click (Windows) or Control‑click (Macintosh) the file in the Files panel, then select Put from the context menu.

  3. If the file hasn’t been saved, a dialog box appears (if you set this preference in the Site category of the Preferences dialog box) allowing you to save the file before putting it on the remote server. Click Yes to save the file or No to put the previously saved version on the remote server.

    Opomba:

    If you do not save the file, any changes you’ve made since the last time you saved will not be put onto the remote server. However, the file remains open, so you can still save the changes after putting the file on the server if you want.

  4. Click Yes to upload dependent files along with the selected files, or click No to refrain from uploading dependent files. The default is to not upload dependent files. You can set this option at Edit > Preferences > Site.

    Opomba:

    It’s usually a good idea to upload dependent files when checking in a new file, but if the latest versions of the dependent files are already on the remote server, there’s no need to upload them again.

    To stop the file transfer at any time, click the Cancel button in the Background File Activity dialog box.

Put files on a remote server using the Document window

  1. Make sure the document is active in the Document window.
  2. Do one of the following to put the file:
    • Select Site > Put.

    • Click the File Management icon in the Document window toolbar, then select Put from the menu.

    Opomba:

    If the current file is not part of the current site in the Files panel, Dreamweaver attempts to determine which locally defined site the current file belongs to. If the current file belongs to only one local site, Dreamweaver opens that site, then performs the Put operation.

Display the FTP log

  1. Click the Options menu in the upper right corner of the Files panel.
  2. Select View > Site FTP Log.

Opomba:

In the Expanded Files Panel, you can click the FTP Log button to display the log.

Manage file transfers

You can view the status of file transfer operations, as well as a list of transferred files and their outcomes (transfer successful, skipped, or failed). You can also save a log of the file activity.

Opomba:

Dreamweaver lets you perform other non-server-related activities while you’re transferring files to or from a server.

Cancel a file transfer

  1. Click the Cancel button in the Background File Activity dialog box. If the dialog box isn’t showing, click the File Activity button at the bottom of the Files panel.

Show the Background File Activity dialog box during transfers

Click the File Activity or Log button at the bottom of the Files panel.

View details of the last file transfer

  1. Click the Log button at the bottom of the Files panel to open the Background File Activity dialog box.
  2. Click the Details expander arrow.

Save a log of the last file transfer

  1. Click the Log button at the bottom of the Files panel to open the Background File Activity dialog box.
  2. Click the Save Log button and save the information as a text file.

    You can review the file activity by opening the log file in Dreamweaver or in any text editor.