How do I find and create link to my URL?

I've just created my website on my local computer at home. All the files are on my C: hardrive. So, if my website is called MyBandSite, what would that make my url title? As its on my computer do I also need to enter the directory info, eg. C:/Documents and Settings/My Compaq/MyBandSite.com/index.htm.

Every time I press the F12 button for preview I get the following error and apache doesn't seem to operating properly:

Not Found
The requested URL /MyBandSite/index.html/TMP9vouty6wus.htm was not found on this server.
-----------------------------------------------------------Apache/2.0.50 (FreeBSD) Server at web.ukonline.co.uk Port 80

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you need a lot more help than you'll find here.

Try searching for a webmasters forum.

Well, thanks. But, that doesn't sound too optimistic

Your document needs to reside in the root of your website. Let's say, for argument's sake, you make a directory on your machine. We'll say C:\website\ for simplicity.

Since you're hosting it on your personal machine I am assuming you have dynamic DNS and your domain is pointed and resolves correctly. I am assuming you also have Apache set up and configured properly under Windows (it's a bit touchy under XP and I can't imagine under Vista).

So you set Apache to use C:\website\ as your web root. So C:\website\index.htm should pull up when you try to access your domain. Given your error message it looks like this is not the case. Check the document root in your Apache control panel and see if everything looks correct.

Hi

Thanks. I'm still having some major probs and getting the same error messages, and Apache doesn't seem to be configurable, as the only options offered that I can control or configure is when installing Apache and I had to uninstall then reinstall just to change that, but I'm sure I've got it wrong again, as I've created my site in Dreamweaver MX and using FTP, so I use my ISP for testing server info. Therefore, on installing Apache I was prompted for and entered the following info: Network Domain: ukonline.co.uk, Server Name: web.ukonline.co.uk (although, I think that should have began with the www, then the ukonline.co.uk or ftp, double forward slash, web.ukonline.co.uk). Then I completed it by entering my email address as administrators email address?

Sorry, I know this probably makes me sound stupid.

Oh ye of little faith (SEO's can be webmasters too)

Hi Vanillaman

Just to clear up what you're trying to do... are you:
1. Intending to use your pc as a webserver and host your site on it?
2. Just trying to test a website you made on dreamweaver and saved to your PC prior to putting it online?

If "2" do you:
3. Have a domain name registered?
4. Intend to upload the site to your isp free webhosting service?

I could give you more info' here but it all really depends on your answers to these Q's so best get that cleared up first.


If you saw the look on my face when I was trying to get my first website to work you'd feel a little less stupid

Hi there

Thanks. I'm trying to to test my site first prior to putting it online. Before getting the info I needed from my ISP, ie. ftp etc, I tested it in browser preview (F12) and it was ok. As I don't know enough about this side of web designing yet, I was planning to explore registering a domain name free, and if my ISP provides web hosting free, then I would host it there, but I need to look into that more. I realise this may not be much help to you in helping me

If you're testing from your local machine then you should simply be able to go to http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1 and see the root of your website.

My experience with web hosting from your ISP is that it's more or less an afterthought to them. Typically it's isp.tld/yourusername/ and you get a pathetic amount of space, no scripting languages and no ability to link it to a domain name.

Your options here for hosting are as follows

1. Host it yourself with dynamic DNS. Not a good option for beginners since that means you expose yourself to all sorts of traffic. It's worse on most ISP connections because you're severely rate limited on upstream traffic.
2. Get some basic hosting. I'd suggest you do this. It's typically dirt cheap and you can sometimes get a domain thrown in. If you need a place to start, try here or a domain registrar (domains are dirt cheap btw).

I was more referring to the fact that the dudes thread had like 50-60 views and no replies.

I couldn't help cause I was confused. I think I still am.

If you created the site using Dreamweaver what's stopping you from viewing the site using the view in browser function? Then when you are happy, doing what someone else suggested and getting some cheap shared hosting and domain?

Getting your site online should be the easy part.

Hey Highland

I tried your suggestion, localhost and also the other one, and a blank screen appears with just the words, "It Works!" So, if my website is named, eg. `MyBandsite', is this what I should enter after localhost ??

Does your file have "It Works!" in it? If not, find out where that file is located and place your website files there.

Hi Highland

Its just a blank page with "It works!" that opens in IE whenever I type in http//localhost. My website files are currently located in C:\Documents and Settings\Computer_User\My Documents\MySite\index.htm

What is the root of Apache set to?
What version of Windows?

I'm not all confident about Apache and was thinking of uninstalling it altogether, as it doesn't seem to be configurable. It just has the options of `start and stop'. I'm on Windows XP Home Edition, SP2.

Hope this helps?