# Please help! I cannot publish! **URL:** \ **Category:** RapidWeaver Classic\ **Created:** [August 28, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/please-help-i-cannot-publish/15936 "2017-08-28T19:07:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PeterB2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df788c/32.png) [@PeterB2](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/PeterB2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/please-help-i-cannot-publish/15936/1 "2017-08-28T19:07:04Z")
Hi there! So I know nothing about RapidWeaver or building a site in general really, but I’m trying to make changes to my boss’s website and his former assistant’s notes aren’t helping. First I make changes directly in RapidWeaver to the page I want to change and then hit publish. When I visit the website, it does not reflect the changes I made. Then I tried, in Chrome, to follow the former assistant’s instructions (below), but still the changes are not reflected. • Open FTP client • once logged in open the public\_html file • drag and drop the necessary files from the folder that has the most recent version of the website into the public\_html window of the ftp client • go to website, refresh page, see if changes were made When I do this, the page that I’ve changed in RapidWeaver appears in Chrome with the changes, but that’s because it’s linking to the file on my desktop. The changes are not reflected when I visit the site. Maybe I’m not dragging the right file? I’m making changes to his “speaking” page, so the file I’ve been dragging over to the FTP client is the speaking.html file. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, and I’m hoping someone has the knowledge to help me. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![MarkSealey](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/marksealey/32/22895_2.png) [@MarkSealey](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/MarkSealey)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/please-help-i-cannot-publish/15936/3 "2017-08-28T20:20:59Z")
The notes you are working from are either confused, incomplete, or wrong. _RapidWeaver_ is - and always has been - a fully integrated way to build and edit websites. Pages are part of a huge (agglomeration of) file(s) which are uploaded ((s)ftp’d) to a server without the specific ‘intervention’ of or need for another ftp client at all. Indeed, it’s asking for trouble to start dropping files anywhere on the server (from) outside the context within which _RapidWeaver_ works. Your workflow will be - assuming you have the same version of _RapidWeaver_ as your predecessor does (if not where may or may not be a variety of procedures to update and convert files) to open the file and attend to changes in/on individual pages within _RapidWeaver_ (for which you may well need sone real understanding of how to do this). That can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience; it may seem intimidating at first. There are lots of good people here to help as you learn the software 🙂 Then, to use its built in ftp routine(s) to upload what has changed - again inside _RapidWeaver_ itself - to the server using credentials which correspond correctly to those it expects. To start working ‘behind _RapidWeaver_’s back’ so to speak will fail. May I suggest you take a look at some of the (introductory) videos and tutorials available on the [RealMac Community site](https://rapidweavercommunity.com/tutorials)? Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Rovertek](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/rovertek/32/223_2.png) [@Rovertek](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/Rovertek)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/please-help-i-cannot-publish/15936/4 "2017-08-28T22:07:17Z")
Hi, Peter, Whatever was said above is still valid. However, in my opinion, you were on the right track when you attempted to follow the instructions created by your predecessor. The instructions were **almost** right. Allow me to suggest a bit more detailed version of the same set of instructions. 1. Export your site from RapidWeaver to a local folder on your computer (it doesn’t matter what location or what name you give to that folder, as long as you can easily find it); 2. Open FTP client; 3. Back up all files that are inside the `public_html` folder (for example, copy them to a special backup folder on your computer)—you will need them if something goes wrong; 4. Replace all existing files and folders that reside within `public_html` folder with same-name files and folders from your local export folder. 5. Any other files/folders that you see inside `public_html` folder should remain there, since they might have been created by something different than RapidWeaver; 6. You are done. The above set of instructions will work if you haven’t added any new pages to your RW project. If you have, just add this step: 4a. Upload any new files/folders from your local export folder to `public_html` folder to add them to existing ones. Be aware that adding and/or deleting html pages (either `index.html` or `index.php`) alone is not always enough to get desired changes. You must also update the `rw_common` folder, especially if you change theme, theme styles or CSS.