Multiple sites, different computers

Question

Level 1

37 points

Multiple sites, different computers

I have set up multiple websites on my original iMac using iWeb08. I just purchased a MacBook Pro with iWeb09 and would like to do one of two things: 1) Manage all my sites on each computer or 2) Manage "site1" on the MBP and "sites2-4" on the iMac. I am publishing all the sites to my MobileMe account.

It looks like I can copy my original Domain onto a USB Drive and then transfer it to the MBP and edit there. But then I need to make sure I always bring the USB drive back and forth and replace the Domain file each time before I make any changes. Sure that will work, but seems a little annoying and time consuming.

So my question is would it be best to separate the sites into separate Domain files and load them individually from each computer? or just maintain each site on each computer? Can I even publish to MobileMe from two different places like I am thinking?

Thanks for any input!

iMac 20in (Intel), Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Nov 9, 2009 10:32 PM

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Answer 1

Ethmoid

Level 6

11,482 points

Nov 10, 2009 12:42 AM in response to TosaDeac

Yes, you can publish from MobileMe from different Macs. All you are doing is logging in and out of the account under System Preferences, so it does not really matter - there is only one account.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 10, 2009 11:58 AM in response to TosaDeac

Do these sites have domain names associated with them?

If you publish multiple sites from separate domain files to the same MMe account the last published site will be the default for any domain name using the CNAME method and will be the default URL for that MMe account: http://web.me.com/YourMMe_AccountName/.

The full URL to each site will work: http://web.me.com/YourMMe_Account_Name/SiteName.

Are those computers linked together on a local network? If so you can just log into the primary computer which houses the domain file from the other computer and work on the domain file. Or, if you have an external HD connected to any of the computers, put the domain file on it and set up access so both computers can reach it.

There is another possible method using DropBox: Old Toad's Tutorial #21 - Managing an iWeb site from multiple Macs with Dropbox.. It's worked for me on a simple site. But one user reported photo pages not getting updated on one computer. It does take a while for the other computer to be updated as it has to be on and connected to the internet. Just proceed with caution till you're sure there's no lagging in the updating.

OT

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Answer 3

TosaDeac Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 10, 2009 12:24 PM in response to Old Toad

My "site1" is being hosted on MobileMe. The other sites (Sites2,3,4) are all just being forwarded through GoDaddy.

The two computers are not on the same network (most times). The iMac is stationed at home and previously was where I managed all the sites, but now with the MBP I was hoping to be able to manage the one business related site at work (and home if I was there).

I think I see I can move the Domain file to a USB and port it back and forth all the time and make sure it always has the latest version before making any changes, but guess I was wondering if I took the Domain file from home and transferred it to the MBP and then from that computer only managed Site1 (deleting sites2-4) and then at home managed sites2-4 and deleted site 1, if I could publish from each computer to the same MobileMe account or if they would just end up replacing each other? Am I confusing myself or will that happen?

I guess the other option would be to use one of the Sub-accounts of my Family MobileMe account to publish site1 at work and then the Main-account to manage sites2-4 at home. If I do that can I still have MobileMe host the Domain name(s) or can you only do that with the main account?

I read about DropBox but I also read about a work around to just use my iDisk which could be an option as well, just sounds like it will take a lot of time to upload/download each time since I have 4 sites with tons of pictures (of my kids) so they are close to 1.4GB in total already.

Thanks for the help

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 10, 2009 12:39 PM in response to TosaDeac

Site No. 1 on MMe does not have a domain name, right? The other 3 do and they are thru GoDaddy.

You can do what you want but +*all domain names must use standard forwarding+* and none use CNAME. That's because, as I pointed out in my previous post, the last published site will be the default for the MMe account and for any CNAME site on the account.

If Site #1 is just a plain, vanilla site, i.e. no domain name, then you will need to use the full URL to reach that site.

I have two domain names on my MMe account and over 90 individual sites. I use the standard domain forwarding (and masking) from GoDaddy. Here's how I set them up in GoDaddy:

Click to view full size

This screenshot may be out of date as I think GoDaddy has changed the account windows. I just haven't gone back there to take another screenshot. But it gives you the idea.

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Answer 5

Ethmoid

Level 6

11,482 points

Nov 11, 2009 1:58 AM in response to TosaDeac

MobileMe does not host your domain names at all - all MobileMe does is host your website.

Your domain names are registered and hosted through GoDaddy, not MobileMe. All you do with your domain names when they are attached to your website is that your domain name(s) are forwarded from GoDaddy to web.me.com in whatever way you choose - so either CNAME forwarding or ordinary web forwarding.

If you have a MobileMe Family Pack - then you get one main account and 4 sub-accounts. Each account has the option of adding a personal domain name, so you can use CNAME forwarding for each of your 5 accounts.

So for your business site, yes, you can manage this easily from work by moving your domain file to your MacBookPro and then signing into your MobileMe account under System Preferences from work and then adding your personal domain name. Publish to this account from iWeb and then log into GoDaddy and set up CNAME forwarding of your domain name to web.me.com and you are up and running.

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Answer 6

TosaDeac Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 11, 2009 9:30 PM in response to Ethmoid

Thanks for the advice. It just seems in the long run to be easier to manage "site1" from my work MBP with a newly created sub-account of my MobileMe Family account and then manage my personal "sites2-4" from my home computer with the Main MobileMe account.

The only problem I am running into is that I need to log out of my iDisk from my main MobileMe account and sign in with the sub-account instead to publish to the sub-account.

I really wish they (Apple) would add the feature to iWeb to manage multiple sites more easily. Like to be able to have multiple Domain files and flip back and forth between them without all this manipulation work arounds. Why not just allow ability to open different Domain files instead of just the one?

I have read there are some third party programs to do that, but Apple should add it themselves.

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Answer 7

Ethmoid

Level 6

11,482 points

Nov 11, 2009 11:56 PM in response to TosaDeac

You can get around this by creating a new user on your MacBookPro and you just link your MME sub-account to that user, so every time you log in as that user you are automatically linked to your sub-account and can publish direct to that from iWeb.

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Answer 8

TosaDeac Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 12, 2009 4:47 AM in response to Ethmoid

So do you mean that on my MBP I say that I am "sub-account MME" all the time or just have TWO users on the MBP? The reason I use the "main account MME" primarily is so I can sync my MBP, iPhone, and home iMac with the same address book, iCal, and primary email...I don't really plan on using the email created on the "sub-account MME"

Wouldn't switching users be just as inconvenient? or maybe it is easuer than I think.

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Answer 9

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 12, 2009 1:32 PM in response to TosaDeac

Create a second account on your MBP and use it to manage the sub account. To facilitate quick change of account enable +fast user switching+ in the System/Accounts preference pane:

Click to view full size

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Answer 10

TosaDeac Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 12, 2009 3:28 PM in response to Old Toad

Ok, I set up a second account and enabled fast user switching....but how do you switch accounts? Seems like that should be easy, but all I see is Log Out "Main User" and then it says it is going to Quit all my applications. That doesn't sound like it would be any better than just changing MobileMe accounts. I must be missing where you can switch in a fast fashion!

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Answer 11

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 12, 2009 4:47 PM in response to TosaDeac

In your new account go to the System/MobileMe preference pane and log into the account you want to use for the web site you'll be managing from there.

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Answer 12

TosaDeac Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 12, 2009 9:35 PM in response to Old Toad

No I figured that part out...it was the switching between the two users but I have now figured that part out. (I didn't see the name up in the upper right corner of my screen to click on and change users!)

Now my only question is if there is a way to share my iPhoto and iTunes libraries without copying them over? Do I just need to move both to the "public" or to a "shared" folder?

This has all been more complicated than I had hoped....again I just wish Apple made iWeb a little more robust so that you could do this account/site switching without jumping through all these hoops!

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Answer 13

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 13, 2009 10:35 AM in response to TosaDeac

If by sharing you want both users to be able to access, edit, delete, etc. photos in the library then move it to the Users/Shared folder. From there both accounts will have FULL access to the library. As for the iTunes, I think the same is true but that's only a guess. Ask in the iTunes forum for a definitive answer.

The Fast User Switching menu should be right next to the Spotlight icon in the menu bar:

Click to view full size

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Answer 14

TosaDeac Author

Level 1

37 points

Nov 13, 2009 10:59 AM in response to Old Toad

I actually figured out that in iPhoto you can go under Preferences>Sharing and then click on Share entire Library. If you do this in iPhoto for each user then in the left side panel of iPhoto a "Shared Libraries" link pops up and you can easily see all the pictures. I'll have to see if that also transfers availability to iWeb which is really what I want. This way I can maintain everything on the Main User side of things and then just use Fast User Switching to just use iWeb to do my website. It's an easy enough work around for my needs but again, hopefully something they can address for iWeb10

Thanks again for all the help and the screenshots.

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