What are all those _vti folders for?

Add or remove metadata in Expression Web

Microsoft Expression Web requires metadata to maintain  cross-page dependencies features like hyperlinks, DWTs and some site reports.

Metadata is stored in hidden folders. This prevents you from any unintentional modification, deletion or any such action on the metadata. There are two types of folders:

• a. _vti_cnf folders – stores information about all the files such as the links in the file.
• b. _vti_pvt folders – stores configuration information for the site.

It depends on the method you use to publish you site whether the metadata is visible to the visitors of the site. You can choose this while publishing the site.

What is metadata and what does it store?

Wikipedia defines metadata as "data that provides information about other data". In other words, it is "data about data."  Does that explain it clear enough? Not to my way of thinking.  Of course metadata is data about data but there is more to it than  that. Metadata allows you to describe your website to help the Search Engines locate your site and index it. To optimize your site on search engines’ you need to have a well descriptive title tag and also use your keywords in the body of your document and in your metadata.But the SEO aspects of metadata are not what we are concerned about.

Expression Web uses metadata to store information about:

1.  File properties such as Page title, keywords, file size and other properties that appear on the General tab of the Properties dialog box.
2.  Summary comments (the Comments box on the Summary tab in the Properties dialog box).
3.  Workgroup options (the Workgroup tab in the Properties dialog box).
4.  Site Reports.
5.  Script language settings (the Advanced tab in the Site Settings dialog box).
6.  Server message language settings (the Language tab on the Site Settings dialog box).
7.  Database connection information (the Database tab on the Site Settings dialog box).
8.  Pages attached to a DWT (Dynamic Web Template).

Where is metadata required?

Metadata is required by:

1.  FrontPage sites with components that require FrontPage Server Extensions.
2.  Hyperlink management features.
3.  Hyperlinks view.

How do I configure Expression Web to use metadata?

In Expression Web you can easily add or remove metadata from your site. You can also refresh the metadata and resynchronize the cross-page dependencies with Recalculate Hyperlinks command, to update all the links in your site.

Add metadata-

1. Open the site.

2. On Site menu > choose Site Settings.

3. On the General tab, choose ‘Maintain the site using hidden metadata files’.

Remove metadata-

1. Open the site.

2. On Site menu > choose Site Settings.

3. On the General tab, uncheck ‘Maintain the site using hidden metadata files’.

NOTE: The metadata for a site stored under the ‘My Web Sites’ folder on your computer cannot be removed. Hence for all the sites saved in above location, the ‘Maintain the site using hidden metadata files’ is grayed out in the Site Settings dialog box.

Recalculate metadata-

1. Open the site.

2. Go to Tools > click Recalculate Hyperlinks.

3. In the Recalculate Hyperlinks dialog box, choose Yes.