XP Pro SP3
HTML Editor 2008/242

Even after browsing the online documentation and searching the forums, I do not have a good idea about how to logically or efficiently organize my files. My plan is to have several small websites and some templates for online auctions. I would like to structure things from the beginning so I don't create a mess to live with or to have to clean up later.

I have tentatively set my directories as follows:

C:\...My Documents\My Web Stuff\Working
C:\...My Documents\My Web Stuff\Working\Graphics
C:\...My Documents\My Web Stuff\Working\Graphics\Backgrounds
C:\...My Documents\My Web Stuff\Working\Sounds

Having done that, if I treat each website and each template as separate "projects," will that be sufficient? If so, will HTML Editor be stashing files anywhere else, that I should know about for backup purposes?

Any thoughts or suggestions anyone might offer would be appreciated!

Regards,
Ernie

You can use the "working" folder, or create folders of your own. If you have 2 websites, you can make folders "website1" and "webite2" as your primary working folders. "website1" would have your main pages, index and such, with folders in it for \graphics \backgrounds \sounds and anything else. The same for your "website2" folder. That way, each website has it's own place and structure. Be careful when naming the folders. CaPS arE ImPORtanT, and must be exactly as uploaded. I notice you put a Cap letter at the start of each folder name. I don't, but that's personal preference.

My tipical website will have it's working folder "work", containing an "img" folder for imgaes, "sound" folder and "swf" (flash) folder. This will have my home page and any supporting files. The links from the home page will go to other folders "north" "south" "east" and "west" for example. Each of those will have an "img", "sound", "swf", "js" folder and any others they need. This keeps things organized and allows me to work on "north" separately from other sections. It might mean that you need to have several duplicate images inside your "img" or "graphics" folders, but I find it easier to do it that way.

If your site is less complicated, you can have one "graphics" folder to hold all of your images and just link to that folder for each image....

Probably just confused the heck out of you...What you have is good, but if you have multiple websites, do the same thing for each site and it will be fine.

Cliff, thank you for a lot of useful information.

If I understand correctly, to get CC HTML Editor to put the files where I want them, for each website I should go into Tools→Preferences→Directories and change the paths to put each website's primary directory in the c:\...my_documents\my_webstuff directory and the other files in its subdirectories? I was thinking the "Projects" function might take care of that housekeeping.

You didn't confuse me; I had already confused myself by the time you found me stumbling around in this forum. It's been years since I have played with any HTML and CC HTML Editor is entirely new to me. My first impression of the software is very positive. I just have to fumble around with it and think about it some.

Regards,
Ernie

This will be fine for places to store everything before using them in websites, but as suggested, each website should be completely contained in its own folder with its own subfolders as necessary. So you would copy images or sounds from the folders you listed above to the appropriate folder/subfolder of the website that needs them.

Also, never use spaces in file or folder names intended for web use. Using "_" is fine.

Arrrgh, just when I thought the light had come on!

It seemed to me, based on Cliff's response and reading the documentation, that if I went into Tools→Preferences→Directories and set website1, website2, etc. as the "Default Working (Startup) Directory," and the other default directories under that, that CC HTML Editor would keep everything segregated by website and organized under separate directories. No?

Also, I am still not sure why creating every website or template as separate "Projects" won't accomplish the same thing with less futzing around?

BTW, forgive me for being so paranoid; I had a painful experience with another application and want to start on the right foot with CC HTML Editor.

Thank you for your help!

Regards,
Ernie

This is what I see when reading your posts.

You create a "Project" with the editor, I don't change the directories in the tools section.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p248/pug2775/website.jpg

Wonderful - a picture really is worth a thousand words! That explains things and confirms my understanding of "Projects." If I start there and go slowly, I think I can stay out of trouble.