Gather Tools
Before starting the process, it is important to verify that your computer has the necessary tools. You need the following programs to build a web page at St. Olaf:
- Macromedia Dreamweaver
Gather Contents
Before building a web page it is important to first gather all necessary documents and pictures. Collect all the pictures (pictures must be in either JPG or GIF format) and content pieces into one folder, located on your harddrive or personal space. This folder will contain a local copy of your web site, which you will later upload to the web server.
Next, rename any picture or PDF files that have spaces or odd characters in their names(ie &, $, #, !, ', "). As a general rule, files used for webpages should have only letters, numbers, dashes (-), and underscores (_) in them.
Finding File Location
The next step in developing a website is finding the location in which to place your website. Some general rules for locations:
| Page type | Page location |
| Departmental | /home/www/depts/department_name |
| Online Course Materials | /home/www/courses/current/ department_name/course_number |
| Student Organizations | /home/www/orgs/organization_name |
| Personal * | /home/www/people/username |
* If you are creating a personal page, you will need to Activate your Personal Web Space by visiting the account services page.
It is key that you find the exact location where your pages should go. If you are unsure about where your pages should be, send an email to webmaster@stolaf.edu and then use the location that is emailed back to you.
Download templates
If you are building a personal or class webpage skip this section.
The St. Olaf templates are strongly recommended for anyone writing official St. Olaf web pages. Visit Web Development Tools for more information on the different templates and how to download them.