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downloading a website

by lazi
16 replies
Hello
I'm wondering if anyone can help me download my website to my computer.

I am changing over from SBI (SiteSell) to HostGator, and SBI inform me that:

As SBI! is a database-driven system, there is no FTP access
to the server. You will therefore not be able to download
the content of your site via FTP.

They then tell me to get a "free web editor" to download my site. I checked Google and was swamped with "web editors".

All this is new to me. HOw do I choose a "web editor"? And then, how do I use it?

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks
lazi
#downloading #website
  • Profile picture of the author Kate Davies
    Hi Lazi

    I took a look at your personal profile and presumed that the site you are referring to is the exibitionist book website. Then I tested my theory!

    I think I understand why SBI say it's a database driven site, it looks like it's blog based and they are often set up on a database / CMS basis.

    Someone else may be able to give you a more simple solution, but the way I would do it, under the circumstances, would be to download each page from the site individually (I tried it with the main page and it works fine, with all the links etc). That means you have to open each page in your internet browser and click on 'view' and then click on 'page source'. Save each page as an html file in notepad. You'll have to download all the images too - by right clicking on them and then choosing 'save image as'; save them in an 'images' folder.

    The bit about needing a web editor, is really so that you can see all the pages and make sure the images are in the right places and that all the links work. Where things don't work properly, you would need to change the html code.

    I know I'm making it sound easy and fully appreciate that it must seem really daunting if you are new to it. I'll PM you with an offer of more specific help if you need it.

    Kate
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  • Profile picture of the author lazi
    Thanks Digileaf,
    I got your PM but alas Warrior Forum will not allow me to PM you back, as I have not yet made 15 posts (I'm up to 11, this will be the 12th), so I'll send my "PM" reply here...

    Just prior to receiving your PM, I filled out a form for HostGator to move my site over to them. They said, they'd "try", and could make no guarantees.

    I don't know what that means - could mean almost anything.

    Anyway, I'll wait and see what they can do, and if they cannot help me, I'll take you up on your offer.

    Thanks for your help
    lazi
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    • Profile picture of the author lazi
      Thanks for your help, ProductCreator.

      I actually liked SiteSell myself, mainly because of all the tools they have integrated into their system - it makes everything very easy.

      But when I informed them that I wanted to change the name of my site the told me I'd have to build it all over again - and I don't want to do that.

      My main gripe, though, is their back-up service is minimal. You cannot phone them (you can - but you will have to pay extra) and emails take a long time to get answered. Also they limit you with what questions you can ask. If it is outside their fairly narrow parameters, they will not answer you.

      Don't mean to do a hatchett job on them. No system's perfect and I was happy to stay with them - except I had that name-change problem with them.

      lazi
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      • Profile picture of the author lazi
        digileaf,

        just sent you a PM.

        Don't know if I worked the PM function correctly. Please let me know if you did not receive it.

        lazi
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  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    lazi...

    If all you want to do is change the name why don't
    you just register the new name and redirect it to the
    current site? You can mask the redirect so people
    aren't aware of the current domain name.

    Tsnyder
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  • Profile picture of the author swiminsoda
    Originally Posted by ProductCreator View Post

    Google httrack. Very powerful software for downloading sites.

    SBI seem to be talking bull. They just want to keep people, that's why they don't let you download your sites.

    What a shame they are like this, I really like the look of their sites. I would go with them if their per site fee wasn't so high.

    Originally Posted by ProductCreator View Post

    Google httrack. Very powerful software for downloading sites.
    Hi ProductCreator,

    I have a website which was created using a web building WSIWG Editor from a internet marketing and hosting company eOneNet.com Online Site Builder Tutorial - Step 1 : Web Creator Welcome Screen. I am looking to swith hosting because the cost to maintain and host with them is expensive. Does Google httrack support downloads from such an editor?

    Thanks.

    ceelin
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    • Profile picture of the author Killer Joe
      Hi lazi,

      I know a little bit about this (a little bit).

      If you used a Site-Build-It template on SBI you won't be able to transfer all your content over to a fresh site. You can transfer the text but not the header or footer images or the nav bar images. Those belong to SBI.

      For what it's worth, I just transfered a site from SBI to GoDaddy for a client. I had to create all new graphics and nav bars for him.

      I copied and pasted his original text from his old site into my favorite web building software, Notepad. Yep, I build 'em in Notepad. It's a lot faster than anything else I've tried, and no 'Gotchas' like with Komposer

      You have to be fairly handy with HTML code, but once you get used to coding your own sites you can build them really fast.

      The reason I bring this up is that if you like the layout you have on your SBI site you can copy and paste a lot of the code into a program like Komposer by saving the old pages in Notepad. This can help you save a lot of the formating.

      Go to your site, click on 'View Source' on your browser (in IE) and then use the 'Save As' function to save the code in Notepad.

      If you or someone you know is familiar with HTML they can even replace a lot of the images and keep them in the same locations by replacing the images with new ones. The nav bar not so much in certain templates.

      I've had several SBI sites, and they are a good outfit when you are first starting out, but they are a wee bit expensive when that $300 renewal fee rolls around.

      Hope this helps, and I know it doesn't help much, but I thought these pointers might give you some food for thought...

      KJ
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  • Profile picture of the author RoyChan
    Hostgator will not be able to transfer your site. I've tried and done that.

    Here is how I did my transfer, Lazi. If you were really "lazy", you will love it...

    I had near 300 pages with Site Build It, 2 years back. I decided to get away from SBI after 2 years renewal with sbi. Then I researched long and hard to find the best way to get away from it.

    I was so lazy to copy and paste the txt, as suggested by KJ above. I decided to find automatic way and do it automatically - well not quite, but close.

    WARNINGS!

    1) This method might not get you 100% coverage, if there are some orphan pages on your site. So, be sure to double check, after you're done.
    2) For the media file, sorry, you need to go through them one by one.

    Tool required: Acrobat Adobe.

    Assuming your site is closely connected - i.e. each page is a three-tier structure, as the Site Build It action guide told you to. You can use Adobe to take down the ENTIRE site. What Adobe does is that it follows your entire site and create your site on a PDF file. Once you have your pdf file, you can grab text from it and use it to rebuild your site.

    In 15 minutes time, you can have your site on a pdf file ready for your slice and dice. Then you decide how to reconstruct your site, as you wish.

    You may follow my guide in my sig file below to start building it up again.

    You can build your site with wordpress, which is free, which is the way I do it. It has all the whistles and bells, just like what SBI! promises you - a SEO based site. On top, you will save $99 a year for the 2.0 technology which SBI offers you.

    Some of the down side of not using SBI!:
    1) you lose the Wordtracker Function to do your brainstorm it! or monetarizeIt! and all those kinds of jazz; however, if your site is old, you know what are the keywords for your niche. Otherwise, I suggest you USE them up before renewal expires.
    2) You lose the autoresponder/ newsletter function, which I use aweber to substitue. Make sure you export your ezine list before dropping SBI! service.
    3) you will lose your no-brainer online sbi page builder which wordpress can easily work wonders easily for you. (even if you have no html skill at all.)

    Results? No SBI, no problems!

    Hope this help you and many other who have the same struggles.

    Roy

    P.S. If you PM me your domain, I can grab your entire site down for you and give you the PDF file if you don't have Adobe which is 200+ a pop. Hope that save you some hair pullng struggles.
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  • Profile picture of the author Roy Carter
    Tsnyder's solution would seem to be the best option, unless of course you have your current domain name in your header and footer graphics etc
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  • Profile picture of the author Geogravity
    Hello Liz, I understand that freewebs is a good site to upload your website.
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    • Profile picture of the author gxd5
      If you want to copy everything, use "WGET". It will let you download an entire site with one line of code.

      I can't post the code apparently, because it keeps erroring every time I do. I get a "page not found error." this is the command:

      \/\/get -R http://yoursite.com

      I made the "w" out of slashes because WF errors every time I try to use the actual command. Try it for yourself.

      Anyway, it is a linux command, but it mirrors an entire site in one line. Still, you can get a windows version of it on sourceforge for free.

      http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/wget.htm
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      • Profile picture of the author xiaophil
        Originally Posted by gxd5 View Post

        If you want to copy everything, use "//GET". It will let you download an entire site with one line of code.

        I can't post the code apparently, because it keeps erroring every time I do. I get a "page not found error." this is the command:

        //get -R http://yoursite.com

        I made the "w" out of slashes because WF errors every time I try to use the actual command. Try it for yourself.

        Anyway, it is a linux command, but it mirrors an entire site in one line. Still, you can get a windows version of it on sourceforge for free.

        //get for Windows

        Another vote for \/\/get as the fastest and easiest way to mirror your site.

        And yes I was also getting the "page not found" error trying to post about it too. Weird.

        Note however for recursive download I think it's -r not -R.

        Or even better use -m for mirror.


        Phil.
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        • Profile picture of the author lazi
          Thanks everyone
          A lot of good information there
          I must admit I haven't had a response like this (or anywhere near it) on other forums
          lazi
          PS - the name does not mean I'm lazi, it's just that I WANT to be lazi - can't see it happening for some time yet!
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  • Profile picture of the author milan
    Do what ProductCreator says:
    Get HTTrack Website Copier - Offline Browser and download the site.
    After that, you can change your pages with a "free web editor", for example get KompoZer - Easy web authoring , than you FTP the files to your Hostgator account. Good luck.
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