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Go
Virtual
By: Amy Cowen
Freelance Writer
For many Web developers, the idea of being focused 100
percent on a single site is an alien concept. Even those
who work with one company site may find themselves juggling
so many disparate pieces of the site that it seems more
like a sprawling, multiheaded beast than a cohesive, simple,
"site."
Depending on how complicated your site architecture is,
it can be tedious just to open the files with which you
need to work as you knock out edits, updates, and additions.
If each file belongs to a separate site and needs to be
tracked down, the process can become even more laborious.
Having files clustered together for easy access, regardless
of where they physically sit, can streamline both daily
and task-specific processes. HomeSite 4.5 offers you that
option with virtual folders.
HomeSite Projects
In HomeSite 4.5, the familiar "Projects" feature was expanded
to include two types of folders: physical and virtual. The
difference: physical folders map to specified directories
on your system or network; virtual folders can include files
from multiple directories, regardless of where they are stored
on your hard drive or even on an external server. Because
they allow you to take a cafeteria-style approach to your
assorted projects, virtual folders may quickly become a favored
organizational and project-management aid.
Physical
Folders
Physical folders come in two styles: Auto-Inclusive
and Manual-Inclusive.
For more information, check out the article
"Project
Management in HomeSite". |
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Virtual Folders
Even the most detailed developer can get bogged down by constant
unrelated updates. Small changes may slip to the bottom of
a lengthy "to do" list or fall through the cracks entirely
as more important projects heat up. Taking time to organize
common tasks into folders that make sense for your projects
can streamline operations and free up time for other projects.
There are countless ways you can arrange your files using
virtual folders, but two easy-to-use approaches involve
grouping "by day" and "by task."
Group by Day
Tasks vary from site to site, but let's assume that you work
on multiple sites, and there are routine updates you generally
perform on specific days of the week. For example, you might
update a "what's hot" or "top picks" section every Monday
on a number of sites, add new press URLs on Tuesday for one
site, and swap in new front page content on Wednesday. As
you flip through the various updates you do each day, it's
easy for everything to start blurring together. Tracking down
each file only adds to the hassle.
Figure 1: Sample Virtual Folders organized by day of
the week.
A Virtual Folder can ease routine maintenance. When you
open the Monday folder, all the files you normally update
are visible. Not only are they a click away, but by having
them grouped, you can work through each change in sequence,
ensuring you don't overlook one update or another. When
you make your changes to the files in the project folder,
the "real" files are updated in their respective directories,
ready for deployment.
Group by Task
For tasks that require numerous pages to be updated or tweaked
when new content is added, try grouping related files in a
logical project folder so that you can work your way through
each change one by one. For example, the addition of a new
press release might involve coding the new file, adding it
to a list of all press releases, adding it to one or more
"news" areas on the site, altering navigational includes,
and so on. Having all relevant files clustered together not
only ensures you don't overlook a step but keeps your system
for handling such updates clear, paving the way for other
team members, or even backup coders, to step in when needed.
Tip:
Leave a Trail
If you're using virtual folders as a way to
delegate routine tasks to other team members,
create a simple readme.txt file that describes
which files are included in the folder, how
they get updated, and so on. Store the readme
file in the virtual folder for easy reference.
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Think Outside the Directory
Do you do routine updates on the 1st, 15th, and 30th? It may
be that a calendar model fits your sites better. There are
no limits to how you organize the files; every site has different
update needs and requirements. Take a hard look at the maintenance
you spending your time doing each day and then get creative
about your folders. You'll save time in the long run!
Getting Started
To set up your own virtual folder, follow these easy steps:
Create a Project
- Select the Projects tab in the resources window, as
shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Projects tab.
- Click the "New Project" icon, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: New Project icon.
- In the window that appears, choose a name for your project.
- Specify the location where you want the project information
(.apf file) stored.
- If you are using this project as a virtual project only
and don't want to automatically include files, uncheck
the "Add all subfolders…" box, and click OK.
Figure 4: The New Project screen allows you to name
the project and specify its location.
The project will show up in your resources window. You
can now add files or other directories. To create a Virtual
Folder follow the steps below:
Create a Virtual Folder
- Open the Project.
- Right-click on the project name.
- Choose "Add Folder."
- Name the folder.
- Click the "Virtual Folder" radio button.
- Click OK.
You're now set to add files to the folder from anywhere
on your hard drive by right-clicking and selecting "Add
Files to Folder."
Tip:
Have Existing Projects?
If you already have HomeSite projects in use,
you can add new Virtual Folders directly to
them by following steps 1 – 6 above. |
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Minimal Commitment
You can use virtual folders when they're convenient, but you're
not tied to them. Often, you'll need to make ancillary updates
the old-fashioned way-by browsing your directory structure
to find the file and making your changes. Don't worry; this
doesn't impact your virtual folder. The next time you open
a file from the folder, the most recent version of the file
is opened from its physical location.
About the Author
Amy Cowen is a freelance Web developer and information
architect in San Francisco.
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