Can't open Domain.sites2 file in iWeb08

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Hi,

I'm unable to open the Domain.sites2 file I received from a friend.

I'm on iWeb 08.

Before getting his file, I ensured there was no ~/Library/Application Support/iWeb/Domain.site2 "file" present (it's not a file, it's a folder,
and Finder calls it an "iWeb domain").

I FTP'd his zipped version, and uploaded it to my Mac as "foo.zip".
I unzipped it, resulting in the following under /Users/sieler/Library/Application Support/iWeb:

ls -l -R

drwxr-xr-x@ 263 sieler staff 8942 Mar 31 14:26 Domain.sites2

./Domain.sites2:
total 99640
-rw-r--r--@ 1 sieler staff 66351 Mar 19 14:59 002002-4.jpg
-rw-r--r--@ 1 sieler staff 27814 Mar 19 14:59 002159-4.jpg
-rw-r--r--@ 1 sieler staff 89515 Mar 19 14:59 0345323580-4.jpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 sieler staff 86461 Mar 19 14:59 0393049922.01.LZZZZZZZ-4.jpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 sieler staff 56399 Mar 19 14:59 0688147194.01.LZZZZZZZ-4.jpg
-rw-r--r--@ 1 sieler staff 168267 Mar 19 14:59 101130-Large-4.jpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 sieler staff 38635 Mar 19 14:59 11barter.600-4.jpg
-rw-r--r--@ 1 sieler staff 28536 Mar 19 14:59 13050-4.jpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 sieler staff 5296679 Mar 3 18:55 2009 Blurb Plus Reg Form 2 with Rates Maxine revision of Jan 25 green1-11.pdf
-rw-r--r-- 1 sieler staff 1329419 Mar 3 18:55 2009conflier-11.pdf
-rw-r--r-- 1 sieler staff 33564 Mar 19 14:59 200px-Gnome_king_cover-4.jpg
...


I.e., all created my "me", all marked as readable/writable by me.

When I start iWeb (either directly from Applications, or indirectly
by double-clicking on the Domain.sites2 "file"), I get two sequential
pop-ups:

The document “Domain.sites2” could not be opened.

if I click on "OK" I get:

iWeb
Can’t open file “~/Library/Application Support/iWeb/Domain.sites2.”


(with no explanation as to why it can't open it ... sigh ... does it
not exist, is there an access violation, is it the wrong format?????)

Any help is appreciated, and I'll post the resolution on this thread.

(I'm on Mac OS X 10.5.6)

thanks!
[email protected]
 
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p.s.: I also tried: chmod -R 777 Domain.sites2
(thereby unsecuring all the files/directories)
with no change in the problem...still can't "open" in iWeb.

And, I verified that the shell is reporting the security mask correctly
on some of the files...I was able to "cat" them in the shell.

Could the problem be related to the file: domain-D8CB42B3-9DC3-41B6-A5FA-E3AC49F52A74
found under Domain.sites2?

The file DomainState.archive contains that long hex text ... but what if that was somehow related to
the original computer (e.g., a form of UID)? And iWeb was looking for domain-<local computer UID>
for some reason?

If I blow away Domain.sites2 and create a new/empty web site, I get a Domain.site2 with
a file: domain-7F1C1745-6570-4604-A647-19B00330914E
...and if I do it again, I get a different name.

If I blow away all *.sites2 directories, and then unpack my uploaded file into, say, foo.sites2,
and then start iWeb from Applications, I get an interesting dialog...asking me to cancel,
create a new Domain, or open an existing domain. If I start down the "open existing domain" path,
if I click on (but don't commit to) foo,.sites2, then I see a small preview of the domain on the
right side of the window ... and it's the right preview! It shows the correct web page!
But, when I commit to that file, I get the usual failed-to-open.

thanks,

Stan
 
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Problem found/resolved.

The problem is bad programming at Apple. When designing a data file,
one should incorporate a "tag" specifying what program created/updated
the file, and what *version* of the program it is.

Then, at file open time, iWeb should have had code like:

If 'iWeb' tag not found, reject "this file not created by iWeb"

else if version tag = my current version then
// ok

else if version tag < my current version then
begin
do what ever conversion is needed, if (a) necessary and (b) allowed
and then continue as above
end

else // oh oh, it's from a newer version of iWeb

reject "sorry, you are running version X of iWeb ... this file was created
by version Y ... a newer version. Since iWeb doesn't know what
changes may have been made in what was once the future,
iWeb can't open the file. Please consider upgrading to version X.
Note: there is some possibility that a version downgrade utility
might exist. Google for "iweb version downgrade" ... or just
upgrade. Did we say you could upgrade? "

And, iWeb lacks that code.

I'm surprised ... I wouldn't expect that kind of error from an
experienced developer.

Stan
 
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Sigh...I forgot to be really specific:

I had iWeb 08, the Domain.sites2 file was created / last-modified by iWeb 09.

We can hope for a patch from Apple for iWeb08 (and any earlier versions
that might still be somewhat supported) to add version-level checking.

Stan
 
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So, does all this mean that I should try and work with the previous computer to open my domain, or am I looking for a fix somewhere to this problem?
 

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