Site Manager FTP synchronization and server-side timestamp protection

Direct answer

There is no built‑in way in Adobe Dreamweaver’s Site Manager to make the "newer file" warning unavoidable, and there is no internal read‑only flag that can override FTP write permissions. The only reliable safeguard is to enforce restrictions on the FTP server side.

Confirmed facts

• Dreamweaver’s synchronization dialog shows a warning when the selected comparison method (size, time, or both) detects a newer remote file.
• The "Force overwrite" checkbox, when checked, suppresses that warning and the upload proceeds regardless of the comparison result.
• Dreamweaver does not store a per‑file read‑only attribute; it relies entirely on the permission attributes returned by the FTP server (e.g., Unix mode bits) to decide whether a write is allowed.
• If the server grants write access to the FTP account used by Dreamweaver, the transfer will succeed even if the file is marked read‑only locally in the Site Manager definition.

Likely explanation (based on observed behavior)

The warning is implemented as a UI prompt that can be dismissed by the "Force overwrite" option. Because the option is a simple boolean flag in the FTP transfer dialog, there is no server‑side or preference‑based mechanism to lock it. Similarly, Dreamweaver does not expose a file‑level lock; it defers to the server’s ACLs, so any attempt to create a read‑only boundary must be done on the server.

Steps to verify and enforce protection

1. Identify your Dreamweaver version – the presence and prominence of the "Force overwrite" checkbox changed between CC 2015‑2024 releases. Knowing the exact version confirms whether the behavior described applies.
2. Test the warning
   1. Open Site Manager → Manage Sites → edit your site → FTP settings.
   2. Set the synchronization option to "Compare by size and time".
   3. Make sure a remote file is newer than its local counterpart.
   4. Attempt to upload the local file. A warning dialog should appear.
3. Confirm that Force overwrite bypasses the warning
   1. Repeat the upload test, but first check the "Force overwrite" box in the FTP dialog.
   2. Observe that the upload proceeds without any warning.
4. Verify server‑side read‑only protection
   1. On the FTP server, change the permissions of a test file to read‑only (e.g., chmod 444 /path/to/file).
   2. Ensure the FTP account used by Dreamweaver lacks write permission on that path.
   3. Attempt to upload a newer local version via Dreamweaver.
   4. You should receive a permission error (e.g., "550 Permission denied") and the transfer will not complete.
5. If the server does not report Unix‑style permissions (common with some IIS FTP configurations)
   1. Check whether Dreamweaver still allows the upload despite the server rejecting it.
   2. If it does, enforce restrictions at the server level (e.g., IIS FTP authorization rules or Windows ACLs) and retest.

Missing diagnostic detail

To give a definitive recommendation, please confirm the exact Dreamweaver version you are using (e.g., CC 2021, CC 2023). This determines whether the "Force overwrite" checkbox behaves as described and whether any version‑specific preferences exist.