Common problems (and how to fix?)

[Mister X]

Originally posted by Evil Chris
I think Dreamweaver has this already built in doesn't it?

Dreamweaver does have it built in. But I really don't like it. The system means you are basically working with the "live" files on the server, so when you save the file it gets saved to the server. Making a little mistake is not bad but if you make a BIG mistake you don't have the luxury of being able to download the original again from the server.
By far the best thing to do is to use the test server setup in dreamweaver if you need it (for asp, php, ssi, etc.) so that you can test on the server with a temporary filename. Then you ALWAYS rename the file on the server before uploading the new files. NEVER overwrite. That way when you screwup ( and you will! lol) you always have that backup to save your ass.

I actually go even further and regularly use Cuteftp pro to synch my local files with what's on the server and when I do a new version of a file I rename the original on my local setup before saving too.

Here's a tip for you guys that use managed or dedicated servers too. Make sure to back up your .htaccess and .htpasswd files regularly also. One of the sites I work for had a server crash and the newest backup from the host was 3 weeks old. It was a GIANT pain in the ass to fix everything up after that. It pays to check into things like backup frequency when you select a host. Don't just assume that they do daily backups.