Editing your website
Quick Links
1. FTP Instructions
FTP is a common web editing method - simple and reliable. The idea is to initially transfer (FTP) your website from www.communitywebs.org (remote) to your home (local) computer using FTP. Changes are then made to the local version of your website. Your website can then be transferred (FTP) back to www.communitywebs.org when you are finished.
A freely downloadable FTP software that many people use is FileZilla.
See http://filezilla-project.org/
You can use software such as Dreamweaver, Frontpage (now known as ExpressionWeb), or Notepad to edit your website once it is on your home computer. Note that Dreamweaver and Frontpage can be considered too expensive, however if you look in your Microsoft Office Program, Frontpage used to be included in this.
If you know of any free web editing software, please let us know, as we would like to gather this information and share it in a resource for nonprofit and volunteer based organisations.
You can FTP your site using free dedicated FTP software such as WS_FTP_LE: http://www.ftpplanet.com/download.htm(download here) or web folders if you use windows 2000 or XP, or some editors such as Dreamweaver have FTP software inbuilt.
For more experienced users here are the FTP details for connecting to your website on www.communitywebs.org
host: www.communitywebs.org
username: (contact soce@unisa.edu.au )
password: (contact soce@unisa.edu.au )
Your files live inside the www directory.
2. Content Management System Instructions
The content management system designed by Metadas Media is software that we have set up because it makes it free and easy for you to edit your website. You can connect to your site using your username and password when prompted. All of the tools you require are built into your browser so you don't need to go and buy expensive software to maintain your site or do anything fancy to connect to it. If your site was built after 2009 by one of our students it is in the content management system and you can use the guides available from our website. If you are not familiar with web pages and feel unsure how to go about maintaining your site you might like to take advantage of our training sessions (See below).
As soon as the site is passed into your hands, it would be advisable for you to check that the contact details are correct and all forms that are to be filled in by people browsing your site will be sent to the correct E-mail address.
Remember to keep the contact details on the site current.
It's also a good idea to make sure more than one person in the organisation knows how to edit and maintain the site.
3. Free Help Sessions
If you find the prospect of maintaining your own website a little daunting don't worry! We also provide help sessions on site maintenance. Bring along any materials and/or updated information and we will assist you in making changes to your website and becoming familiar with web editing programs.
Next Session: TBA
Please RSVP to soce@unisa.edu.au if you plan to attend.
4. Additional Support
If you have any trouble accessing your account you should get in touch with Alice Dodd. Please note that it is a good idea to change your password on a regular basis (at least once a year) to ensure your site remains secure. Please contact Alice Dodd if you would like to change your password.
To make changes to your website you will require author access to your website. Each website has a unique username and password. For example, the website for Magill Netball Assocation will have a username of MNA . Initially author access is disabled and you will need to contact us so that we can create a password for you.
Please see Editing your website *Instructions* below.
Please contact us if you have technical questions or problems concerning editing your web site.
Email: soce@unisa.edu.au