Bill Lewis wrote:
How to work on your website on two different computers

I do most of my work on my home desktop, but like to use my laptop if I can when time allows in other locations, but VSD makes synchronizing the site data difficult.

When you upgrade from one version of VSD to another is an excellent time to try this.

1) You NEED to have all your website files in one primary directory and its subdirectories. VSD likes to put your .vnu files and img*.jpgs in its own subfolder, but allows your other stuff like jpegs and documents to be scattered all over your computer. That will not work, you have to bring them into one accessible location.

2) Move all of your data files and .vnu files and the img**.jpgs that VSD created onto a flashdrive
3) INstall the new version of VSD, which uninstalls the old version
4) Once you have the new version installed, use the OpenExisting Website function and point VSD to your flashdrive. It will now build the site from that drive and save to that drive.

If you start fresh on a site that has not been previously created, VSD wants to put all the files in its own directory, but if you open an existing site on another drive it will continue to save to the file that it opened.

5) You can now insert the USB drive on a different computer and with a fresh install of VSD on that computer, the same thing will work.

On my laptop and home computer, the USB flashdrive uses the SAME drive letter. I cannot guarantee that this will work if the drive has a different letter on different computers, but changing a drive letter is not difficult.

6) Be sure to back up your work, Your mileage may vary, all disclaimers apply!

7) A nice thing about this, all your site files are in one location so periodically copy the stuff on the flashdrive to a folder like "VSD Backup" on both computers you are working on. If you lose or destroy the USB drive, you will have recent copies that will work immediately.

If you already have the current version of VSD, you can still move your data files to a USB drive, uninstall VSD then reinstall it and this will work.


The other option (a little more tedious); Keeping all your data files and .vnu files in one directory, copy that directory to the flashdrive and then from the flashdrive copy to and overwrite the older files on the hard drive every time you make updates to your site.

The important thing in all this is that all files, photos, documents are contained in basically the same location so they are easy to move and copy.

Backup your stuff before you try this!