iWeb - how do you backup an IWeb Project

[pbridges]

I am on OS 10.6.4, and successfully used IWeb to produce a website.
Now I want to completely re-design it, but still maintain the old website.
I made a copy of the "Domain" file in Library/Application Support/IWeb/  named "Domain copy", and a second copy
named "Domain" on an external hard drive, and then started re-writing the web site in IWeb.

When I do a Save, I find that all three "Domain" files have been changed, when I expected that only one would be.
What is going on here ?

In addition when I use Spotlight to search for "Domain", it only finds the copy on the external drive.
I can use Finder to see the other two copies.

[Dan Millar]

When you open iWeb, it uses the file/package called Domain.sites2 located where you described it - ~/Library/Applications Support/iWeb - by default. Any other Domain file will only open when double clicked directly from whatever location they are in. In other words, iWeb itself only knows about the default Domain file, and must be directed to open/modify any other Domain file.

I'm not sure why you're seeing the modification dates changing when the files are not "touched" by iWeb. That's weird. Let us know if the dates continue to change even when they are not active in iWeb.

I don't find my Domain file in Spotlight or the Finder Search either, nor any of the files inside the Domain package. Spotlight does have some blind spots - it can't find my iPhoto Library either, which is also a "package" file in my home folder. When I copy my domain file to an external drive - Spotlight can then find it, but not in my Home Folder - ??? I wish Apple would tell us just a bit more about Spotlight. I know it does not search outside of the user's file domain, but exclusions like this are puzzling - what else is it missing?

Not much help here, but I think your backup should be fine - you can open those other Domain files and check to see if indeed anything is changed. Run all updates, etc...

Happy Mac'ing!

Dan

[pbridges]

I ran some more tests, and when IWeb is started it opens the last file you worked on.
(my files are called  "Domain", "Domain copy", and "Domain-test").
There is no indication in IWeb as to the name of the file it is working on.
When you save/close it goes back to the same file.

If you double-click a file it starts up IWeb with that file.

If you double-click a file and close IWeb without making any changes then the "Date Modified"is updated.

One approach might be to only open IWeb by double-clicking a file, then you know what your working on.

Thanks for your help.

[Dan Millar]

Good work, and you're right! iWeb defaults to the last used Domain file - wherever it is. It doesn't appear to be controlled through the preferences file (~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iWeb.plist), so double-clicking the domain seems to be the only way to select which site file you want to work with.

I love Apple's minimalist documentation, until I need to know something specific. Despite the seeming wealth of information Apple publishes, I nearly always have to find the answers to these questions in user discussion groups. It's great that Apple has a user discussion group, but even they do not have this information. Some of the information they do have is flat-out wrong.

You would think that since Apple moderates those groups, they would straighten people out when they are wrong, and supply answers where their documentation falls short. It seems, and this may just be cynicism on my part, that the only times Apple does become involved is when users overwhelm the system with complaints, e.g. Antennagate, or the 27-in iMac display issues, et cetera, et cetera...

I guess that's why we have these great independent user groups like MUGOO.

When I make an iWeb site for someone, and I want to transfer it to them, I duplicate my main Domain file, close iWeb, double click the duplicate and delete everything but their site. When I send or give them the Domain file, they can replace their "home" iWeb Domain file, or double-click to edit it in place. Nothing seems to break this way, but your info will help those of us who are trying to manage multiple site files and not really understanding the control mechanism - Thanks and Kudos!

Happy Mac'ing!

Dan