Completely Befuddled

Try installing WordPress in a sub-folder for now.

I think I did this completely by accident, good thing. Thanks for your help tho!

No now that I search more, I don’t think I put it in a sub-folder, I have a site up currently, not a wordpress site, and I want to test drive my WP site before I swap them out, is there a way I can build it, test it before I upload?

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory

just be careful if you start it in a directory such as
mysite.com/blog and later want to change it to something like just mysite.com

If you plan on doing this, please read up on the topic here:
https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Moving_WordPress

Most of this is greek to me. I see the files in my root folder as well as on my server, I assume that as long as I do not identify one as my index/home page on my computer and do not up load the files, I will keep it from being publicly revealed. True? Or should I name a folder within my files and stick all of them in that?

What exactly is a sub-directory?

I’m afraid you have entered a whole new world. WordPress should not be edited via DreamWeaver… it sounds to me as if you are using the ftp function of DreamWeaver to view the files on your server, is that correct?

Yes I did view them via Dreamweaver but did no editing, however I did upload the files from the server to my home computer. OK I am lost, admit I am lost and need to gain new tools if I am gonna discard the old ones!

Well, no harm done, really … but DreamWeaver will be of little use outside the ability to upload and download your site files. I mean, if you really want to get into editing the php files, but it sounds like you’re not quite there yet. ??

So, when you look at your local and remote files in DreamWeaver, the suggestion is that you move all the wp-specific folders and files into a subfolder called, blog (actually, I would suggest ‘wordpress’). By subfolder, we mean a folder “under” (sub) your domain. So, when you connect via DreamWeaver, you would add a new folder to your site.

Then, when you go to view your new WP site as you build it, you will go to https://yourdomain.com/wordpress. Technically, this page is visible to the world, but you can attempt to block anyone from finding it using a robots.txt file.

Now – the folks above posted a couple resources about moving your WordPress files around, which I suggest you read. It is possible to move all your WP files into a subfolder (called wordpress), then when you are done creating your masterpiece, you can set WordPress to show the main page at your domain root while holding all the WP files in your subfolder. In other words, you wouldn’t have to move all of your files again.

You would have to do away with your current home page. I suggest creating a folder called “previoussite” when you’re ready to make the switch and moving all of your current site’s files into it. That way your root directory will be nice and clean – and you can get that old site back pretty quickly if you run into any trouble when you launch your new WordPress site.

Hope that helps and doesn’t further confuse!
~KJ

Oh you were sent from heaven KJ! I actually understood what you said!!! And I did read the other suggested links but still am so dizzy by some of the terminology, tho I caught a bit here and there and think it will seep through eventually. Ha, me editing php files, maybe in my next lifetime…

Oh good! I agree – when I started out, the most basic of WordPress documentation gave me pause. It does get better as you become more familiar with the lingo. Best of luck!

Wait don’t go just yet! The new “directory” should it be at the same level as the wp files are now? They automatically went into my public_html folder, shall I drag them out of there or in a folder in public_html, or doesn’t it matter? Thanks for your translation abilities!

Well, the new directory should be at the same level as the wp files, but I caution you to review the Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory link before dragging them over.

There is a place in the WordPress admin interface (dashboard) where you indicate where the wordpress files are stored. It’s been a while since I’ve done this (and I refer to the documentation every time, to be safe) – I believe there is an order to the proceedings that must be followed to avoid heartache and strife. ??

I don’t recall if you change the setting in the admin panel first or move the files first… or if you even need to move the files once you’ve changed the setting in the admin panel. Sorry – I’m just heading to bed and don’t have it in me to review the documentation at the moment.

Now, when you view your files through DreamWeaver, you see:

public_html
wp-admin
wp-content
wp-includes
wordpress

Once you have completed the process, in your directory list you will see:

public_html
wordpress
wp-admin
wp-content
wp-includes

The first three folders will be moved into the wordpress directory. The “loose” wordpress files should also go into the wordpress directory.

Right, I’m done for the night. Good luck!

Drat – my spaces didn’t show up. Once more with feeling:

Now you see:
public_html

• wp-admin
• wp-content
• wp-includes
• wordpress

Once done you will see:

public_html

• wordpress

• wp-admin
• wp-content
• wp-includes