Overview
This document describes:
- The GedSite file.
- The Input folder and Output folder that are associated with the GedSite file.
- The GedSite folder which extends the program folder and can be used to customize GedSite. The GedSite folder is located in the user's "Documents" folder. It's a convenient place to store GedSite files.
- The optional Cached Images Folder that GedSite uses to reduce the overhead of creating optimized image files.
GedSite File
In order to create a site, you have to create a GedSite file via the File > New... command. GedSite writes all the options and settings associated with the site into the GedSite file.
Two folders are associated with the GedSite file, an Input folder and an Output folder. They are located in the same folder as the GedSite file.
GedSite names the two folders by appending "-i" and "-o" to the name of the GedSite file. If you name the GedSite file MySite.gsfile, the Input folder will be MySite-i and the Output folder will be MySite-o. To remind you of the "-i" and "-o" suffixes, the Help pages for GedSite often include the suffixes when referring to the folders, i.e., the "Input (-i) folder" and the "Output (-o) folder".
The optional Cached Images folder, explained below, is named in a similar fashion but using a "-c" suffix.
- mysite.gsfile
- mysite-c
- mysite-i
- mysite-o
Input Folder
During the execution of the Make Site command, GedSite copies all the files and subfolders in the Input (-i) folder to the Output (-o) folder. The Input (-i) folder exists so that your site can include custom graphic files or other files for your site.
If the Input folder includes a subfolder named "include", GedSite does not copy that subfolder to the Output folder.
When copying files that are directly in the Input folder, GedSite will choose a subfolder of the Output folder as the destination based on the file extension. HTML files (.htm, .html, .shtml) will be copied to the "up" (user pages) folder. CSS files (.css) will be copied to the "st" (styles) folder.
When copying files, GedSite checks the file attributes. Hidden and System files are skipped. Read-only files are copied, but the read-only attribute is removed.
| Subfolder | Description |
|---|---|
| js | Place Javascript (*.js) files in the js folder. |
| st | Place files in the st folder that are used by styles. For example, to replace an image file that is provided with a Theme, place the file in the st folder. |
| ui | Place image files in the ui folder. This is where GedSite stores images that you choose with the Image User Item. |
Input Folder Subfolders
If the Input folder contains other folders, those subfolders and their contents are also copied to the Output folder. If necessary, you may use the same folder names as some of the special folders used by GedSite. If you want to add images to the ex (exhibits) subfolder that GedSite creates, put those files in mysite-i\ex, for example.
Output Folder
Note The first step in the Make Site process is to erase all the files and subfolders in the Output folder, so do not put files there manually. Let GedSite manage the contents of the Output folder.
GedSite creates the files for the web site in the Output (-o) folder. All the files and subfolders that are in the Output folder are part of the site and should be copied to the web server or removable media that you use to publish your site.
GedSite creates several subfolders in the Output folder. They all have two-character names. GedSite also copies any subfolders in the Input (-i) folder to the Output folder. When you assign a name to a subfolder in the Input folder, use a name that is longer than two characters to avoid using the same name as a folder managed by GedSite unless you want the content of the folder to be copied into the GedSite-managed folder.
To ensure that the Output folder contains the right files, and the right versions of the right files, GedSite deletes the Output folder and recreates it at the start of the Make Site process. The delete step may fail if some other process is using the folder. If that happens, GedSite will issue a warning and continue with making the site by reusing the existing Output folder.
Reusing the Output folder may leave orphan files in place that are no longer part of the site. Also, in some cases, GedSite may have trouble recreating a file that already exists. I do not recommend publishing a site where the warning was issued during its creation.
GedSite Folder
As described above, GedSite uses the Documents\GedSite folder to allow customizations. Some folders in the GedSite folder are extensions of the same folders stored beneath the GedSite program folder. Because they are not in the GedSite program folder:
- they are easier to change,
- they are not subject to being overwritten when the GedSite program is updated, and
- they are not subject to operating system constraints related to updating files in the Program Files path.
Cached Images Folder
The Cached Images folder is related to the Optimize Image Files option. When the Optimize Image Files option is checked, GedSite attempts to optimize image file sizes by reducing image dimensions and increasing JPEG compression in order to produce image file sizes that are less than a user-specified length.
When GedSite creates an optimized image file, it stores a copy in the Cached Images folder. GedSite names the Cached Images folder by appending "-c" to the name of the GedSite file. If you name the GedSite file MySite.gsfile, the Cached Images folder will be MySite-c.