Template Updates not working

Question

I've trawled through this forum reading all the threads regarding this problem but unfortunately none of the advice given seems to have worked for me.
My problem is that whenever I update my template (dwt) my pages (html) isn't updates.
I've even goe as far as creating a completely new site and just testing out the template functionality...
1. created a new site (test_site)
2. created a simple template with a 2 row table.  made the second row an editable region. (test_template.dwt)
3. created a new page from template (test_page.html)
4. back to test_template.dwt and edited the text in row 1 (the non-editable region)
5. hit save
     opens popup: Update Template Files
     Update all files based on this template?
     test_page.html
     hit update button
     opens new popup Update pages
     Files that use...
     Templates checkbox ticked
     Status:
     Updating E:\Webserver\test_site\
just hangs here.
Tried to resolve this all day and am now left wishing I just did all the updates manually as I would have been finished long ago.  However, this wouldn't be any good for future updates.
I've seen the following info posted on most of the threads, but none of the points relate to my site.
Here are seven common mistakes that will result in changes not propagating
from Template to child -
1. Rename the Templates folder
2. Move the Templates folder to some other folder level in the site other
than root level
3. Move a template out of the Templates folder.
4. Make changes to an editable region of the template (which will not
propagate)
5. Assume that template changes can be uploaded to the server without also
uploading the changed local files
6. Corrupt the site cache so that the link between template and child page
is broken
7, Improperly create your child pages by simply opening the template,
adding page specific content, and resaving the template with an *.html
extension rather that its *.dwt extension. (you can tell if this is the case
by looking at the code on a child page - if you see anything like <!--
TemplateBeginEditable... then this is what you have done)
The 6th problem can be repaired by using SITE | Advanced > Recreate Site
Cache, and the six others can be fixed by just not doing them. Have you
done any of those?
done everything I can think of
Renamed Templates folder to foortemplates and then back to Templates
Delete Win...cache.dat
Recreated my site cache
I'm exhausted of this problem but would like to know if anyone can shed any light on a possible resolution.  I was contemplating buying CS5 but with nonsense like this happening I'm reluctant to upgrade

Answer 1

Welcome to the Dreamweaver Forum!
You may rest assured that the problem is not with the Dreamweaver program, and if you are stumbling over templates in CS4, you will be stumbling over them in CS5... So all you need is a little more practice!
Do not ever rename the Templates folder.
At this point,
opens new popup Update pages
     Files that use...
     Templates checkbox ticked
     Status:
     Updating E:\Webserver\test_site\
One of your choices for buttons should be "Close", which you may do as soon as it is available, because the site has already updated the pages. You can wait forever, but since it has already finished, it's on your time, not the program's!
If the pages are open when you update, you must save them again. (The page names in the tabs will have asterisks noting that they need saving.)
I recommend making another test site and test page and trying again. Remember, don't rename the Templates folder, and as soon as you make a Child page (your number 3), save it.
In fact, it doesn't hurt to save frequently:
Make a page. Save it.
Then save it as a Template. DW creates the Templates folder and saves your new Template in it.
Make a child page. Save it.
Change the Template. Save it. (it should update the child pages upon this save)
Once you get the hang of templates, they are very useful. They can be a little frustrating at the beginning, but they don't usually require the great efforts you have gone through already!
Beth