Re-establishing iWeb links on new laptop

You need the domain file iWeb uses to store the assets of your website :

(and no, you cannot import html files)

iWeb keeps its data in a file called 'Domain', which lives in (user)/Library/Application Support/iWeb: it can only work from that - it's no good downloading files from the server because it can't open them.

As you see the site in iWeb you have this Domain file: you need to provide him with a copy and he needs to place it in his Library in the same place. However you will be over-writing each other's sites if you aren't careful - and if you are both using the same server you are going to risk conflicts whatever you do: iWeb's sites are interlinked even though it's not apparent, because the site which is listed at the top of the sidebar is the one which will go to with the server name alone. Every site is in its own folder, so you need to make sure to keep it that way.

You can make a copy of the Domain file and send to him, and you can proceed as you want, but, you must never make any alterations to his site, and he must never make any alterations to yours. In particular he cannot move his site to the top of the list because doing so will overwrite the index.html file which belongs to the site at the top of your list (so he can't just delete all the other sites).

Where do I find the default (user/Library/Application/Support/IWeb) on my new macBook Pro for the I Web I just got with I Life? I also have a new computer and my daughter was running my website. She sent me the domain files from her older version of I Web but I cannot find a default place to adjust settings? I am so hoping to run my website (already registered with host) to keep my business up and running! thanks for help!

The "Domain file" is how iWeb stores all the information before it is published ( not to be confused with a "Domain Name" i.e. YourWebSite.com )

to Access "/Library/Application Support/iWeb" in Lion:

Click on the desktop, then use the GO menu then, hold the "option" key on the keyboard to reveal the Library.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D87w67lfOVU

Or alternatively,

How to choose an iWeb domain in os X Lion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qUmlLF9kmU

To find an iWeb domain file:

First you need to find the file where iWeb stores its information. iWeb stores its information in a file (or package) called Domain.sites2 (by default but can be changed). Note that the extension .sites (iWeb 1.0) or .sites2 (iWeb 2.0 and 3.0) may be hidden, hence it could also be called Domain only.

To find a Domain file it's best to use a freeware application called Find any File since Spotlight doesn't search everywhere. Once you downloaded and installed the application type ".sites" (without quotes) into the search field of Find File and it will list all the Domain files of all iWeb versions on your computer.

You can only separate the sites if you are publishing to different servers. As I understand it you are using the same account, with the same domain name, so you can't do it.

It would obviously be better if you were on separate servers, then you could simply delete the site you didn't want from your own copy of the Domain file.

Markcw98a wrote:

In theory, it looks like I could make a backup by copying the original file and then delete my site without republishing. I could copy that domain file and give it to my son. If I then remove that domain file and open the original backup file, I should have the original iWeb with both sites there.

The problem is that there is an index.html file at root level of the server, so that when you type in only the server name it bounces you on to whatever is the top site in the list in iWeb - presumably yours.

So, you delete your site from the copy and pass it to your son (or more to the point, you give him a straight copy and he deletes it - much easier). However, now his site is at the top of his iWeb list, and your site is at the top of your iWeb list.

Though it won't affect the actual sites, or the full URLs - domainname.com/sitename - just typing in domainname.com will take you to the site of whoever posted last, so it will keep changing.

If he works from the full Domain file, containing your site at the top, but is very careful never to even open your site (and the same with you and his site) then I think you should be OK. But iWeb isn't really designed for this sort of stunt.