Specifying where dynamic pages can be processed (PHP)

After defining the Dreamweaver remote folder, specify a folder to process dynamic pages. Dreamweaver uses this folder to display dynamic pages and connect to databases while you’re developing your application.

To specify the folder to process dynamic pages:

1. In the advanced Site Definition dialog box, click Testing Server in the Category list.

   The Testing Server screen appears. Dreamweaver needs the services of a testing server to generate and display dynamic content while you work. The testing server can be your local computer, a development server, a staging server, or a production server, as long as it can process PHP pages. In many situations, including setting up for the Cafe Townsend site, you can use the same settings as the Remote Info category (see Defining a remote folder) because they point to a server capable of processing PHP pages.

2. Select PHP MySQL from the Server Model pop-up menu.
3. In the Access pop-up menu, select the same method (Local/Network or FTP) you specified for accessing your remote folder.

   Dreamweaver enters the settings you specified in the Remote Info category. Leave the settings unchanged.

4. In the URL Prefix text box, enter the root URL you would enter in a web browser to request a page in your web application.

   To display live data in your pages while you work, Dreamweaver creates a temporary file, copies it to the website’s root folder, and attempts to request it using the URL prefix.

   Dreamweaver makes a best guess at the URL prefix based on the information you provided in the Site Definition dialog box. However, the suggested URL prefix may be incorrect. Correct or enter a new URL prefix if the suggestion in Dreamweaver is incorrect. For more information, see Setting the URL prefix in Using Dreamweaver (Help > Using Dreamweaver).

   For the PHP sample content in Windows, the prefix should be as follows:

   URL Prefix: http://localhost/MySampleApps/

   On the Macintosh, the prefix should be as follows:

   URL Prefix: http://localhost/~your_user_name/MySampleApps/

   TIP

   The URL prefix should always specify a directory, rather than a particular page on the site. Also, be sure to use the same capitalization you used when you created the folder.

5. Click OK to define the site and dismiss the Site Definition dialog box, and then click Done to dismiss the Manage Sites dialog box.

After specifying a folder to process dynamic pages, upload the sample files to the web server. (See Uploading the sample files.)