Publishing to MobileMe
Previous Step
This article is part of the "Setting Up Your Host" procedure, and is for you if you are publishing your site to Apple's MobileMe service. The previous step of this process is "Choosing a Publishing Location."
Pre-existing Sites
If you have a pre-existing site, you probably should not change its host, since doing so can create a ripple effect of changes that may become confusing.
If you have sites that were created with Apple's web-based .Mac website creation tools (which are no longer available) or with Apple's iWeb software, and you wish to use MobileMe to host a site created in Sandvox, you will need to publish your Sandvox site in a separate subfolder to prevent conflict between the files created with other tools.
Changing the setting from a "homepage" to a "web" URL of an existing site may be confusing, since the previous website will still be available at the previous location; if you do this, you may want to carefully delete the existing website from your iDisk folder (in the Sites menu). Even if you delete the site, bookmarks that visitors have made when visiting your site in the past and references to your site in search engines will still refer to the old location of the site. This is why its generally best to stick with your pre-existing site's original host.
If you were a .Mac user, you might want to read Apple's page about migrating from .Mac to MobileMe.
Selecting MobileMe as your host
Whether you have a MobileMe account or not, you can get started from the Host Setup Assistant. On the Publishing Locations screen, choose "On a Remote Host" and "MobileMe / .Mac Account".
If you don't have a MobileMe account, or if you aren't signed in to a MobileMe account, you'll see the screen below. Click "Get MobileMe Account..." if you don't have one yet or "Open MobileMe Preferences" if you do.
After setting up your account, the screen will display the name of the account to which your site will be published — the account that is set up in your System Preferences. (It is also possible to publish to a different account.) All that's left is to select a few more options.
- Location
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Select a location.
- web.me.com This will probably be your choice if you have just set up a new MobileMe account and do not have a pre-existing web site.
- web.mac.com This is actually the same server as web.me.com so web sites published there can also be found here.
- homepage.mac.com This is where pre-existing Sandvox sites from .Mac will continue to be published for continuity.
- personal domain Some additional setup is required to use a personal domain. The link below this option on the screen will take you to Apple's explanation of how to set up a personal domain. You can also find additional information in our article on publishing to a MobileMe personal domain. Note that MobileMe domains apply only to web sites, not email; for email coordinated with a personal domain, you will have to contact the provider of your domain name.
- Store site in a subfolder
- If you wish to host multiple sites on your MobileMe account, you need to store each one in a subfolder. Using a subfolder is essential if you also have sites that were created with Apple's web-based .Mac website creation tools (which are no longer available) or with Apple's iWeb software. Enter the subfolder name you wish to use for the site you are setting up now in the box provided. Note that you must not use spaces or any other characters that are not permitted in web addresses.
If you are only publishing one site, then simply leave the box blank.
Next Step
Click the "Continue" button to move on to "Testing Your Connection."
