Getting error message when trying to play with files in Dreamweaver CS5

[foxden vixen]

Told you I would be back. I have downloaded a template called avignon that seems to be very easy to work with to start my own customization. Now I am a web designer, not a web developer. I don't like using server-side code but have to as in cases like this or when working with a Wordpress site. As a web designer I prefer to use Dreamweaver CS5 so I can "see" changes as I incorporate them. I have set up WAMP and can see the finished template just fine. However when I try to access the individual pages that make up the template (i.e. tpl_header.php), I get an error. First at the top of the page in Dreamweaver it states Dynamically-related files could not be resolved because your credentials don't allow file activity on the server. I click setup and get the popup menu to setup servers. Sice I am using WAMP, I have everything loaded at c:\wamp\www\zencart. Server is localhost, address is c:/wamp/www. Have connection as local/network, and testing box is checked. Now the cool thing about Dreamweaver is when you want to see the pages in a browser, you hit F12 and your default browser displays the page. I get a Forbidden message that I "don't have permission to access /zencart/includes/templates/avignon/common/tpl_header.php on this server". What am I doing wrong? As stated above "designer not developer"! Help please?

[RescoCCC]

Never use a web design tool such as Dreamweaver to edit php files. These tools frequently screw up the code. Use a pure text editor such as Notepad++.

[DrByte]

Those "features" you're using in DW are not relevant to how a dynamically-built website like Zen Cart works.

For example, previewing just the "tpl_header.php" file in your browser is pointless, since it only works in conjunction with other template pieces which must also load (such as stylesheets, and html head sections, and more).
(And, so it's a good thing that it's giving you a permission-denied error.)

You must work strictly in PHP-only mode. That is, *not* using WYSIWYG features, nor built-in -preview features.

There was a time when I used DW for all my PHP editing ... and, for a season it worked okay. But the only built-in "feature" that I used from it regularly was the file-manager tools, since it allowed me to upload a changed file directly to my webserver for immediate availability, so that I could then flip over to my browser and refresh the page, so that it could re-draw and show me the effect of whatever I'd changed.
From that perspective (the file manager handy-ness) it was slightly more useful than something like Notepad++ which would then be coupled with an FTP program.

But, since you're working "locally" (ie: in WAMP), you don't need that file-manager benefit. So, using Notepad++ would be an excellent approach.

But, you could still use DW, but NOT have it do ANY loading or altering of ANY dynamic or related files. WHATSOEVER. DO NOT ever let it auto-update any "related" files whenever you make any changes to a given file. DO NOT have it automatically upload "related" files (or download either), because it does NOT know how the files actually relate to one another. These PHP files are NOT like a collection of HTML+CSS+IMG files, and DW therefore does NOT make accurate guesses about relationships, and will mess things up badly if you let it try.
Don't use the "connection" or "server" features, nor the "testing" feature. If you're going to use it for PHP editing, then ONLY use it for PHP editing. ANYTHING ELSE will get you in trouble, and then you'll be coming back here asking how to fix whatever got mysteriously broken. And then it's all guesswork.

And make regular backups of everything. Seriously.

[foxden vixen]

Well thanks guys....it has been AGES since I hand coded. That is why I prefer using DW. I NEVER have it update other dependent files when I save. I do whatever I need to manually. So ok I can't view just the header.php page. I am trying to remember how I did all of this with Wordpress. I was able to see what I was changing in DW and got it all to work well. That was on DW CS4...things have been updated. I did download Notepad++ and have no idea where to start there. I wanted to find out what this error message as all about in CS5. Do you have any idea what this error message is talking about? I would like to know for my own piece of mind. Thanks.

[DrByte]

Not sure which "error" you're talking about.

However when I try to access the individual pages that make up the template (i.e. tpl_header.php), I get an error. First at the top of the page in Dreamweaver it states Dynamically-related files could not be resolved because your credentials don't allow file activity on the server.

Sorry, I've no idea what it's trying to do there. I don't have or use DW anymore, so can't really help you there.
But, if you're truly just using it as an editor, then there's no reason why it would be trying to load or resolve any dynamically related files. I suggest turning off whatever is causing that.

Now the cool thing about Dreamweaver is when you want to see the pages in a browser, you hit F12 and your default browser displays the page. I get a Forbidden message that I "don't have permission to access /zencart/includes/templates/avignon/common/tpl_header.php on this server".

That's because of security protections built-in to Zen Cart which prevent accessing such PHP files directly, because no visitor to your site would ever have any business accessing any individual PHP file other than the main /index.php file. Any other attempt would be for malicious reasons.