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Viewing your Pivotal Tracker Export

After exporting your Pivotal Tracker data, you can view and analyze the exported files to ensure that the migration process was successful. This guide will walk you through the steps to view your Pivotal Tracker export files and understand the data structure.

The process consists of downloading the exported files from ptmigration.com and setting up a local server to view the files in a web browser. This allows you to navigate through the data and verify that all the necessary information has been exported correctly.

Running a Pivotal Tracker export from your local machine is a straightforward process that allows you to view your Pivotal Tracker export before deploying it to a live server. This guide will walk you through the steps required to set up a local server to host your Pivotal Tracker export.

Prerequisites

Before you start, ensure you have the following:

  1. A Pivotal Tracker export (HTML, CSS, JavaScript files). You can create by creating an account on ptmigration.com and exporting your Pivotal Tracker data.
  2. A text editor or IDE (e.g., Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text).
  3. A local web server. You can use a simple HTTP server provided by Python, Node.js, or other tools.

Method 1: Using Python's HTTP Server

Python comes with a built-in HTTP server that you can use to serve your Pivotal Tracker export. This is available in both Python 2 and Python 3.

Steps

  1. Open a Terminal or Command Prompt.

  2. Navigate to Your Website Directory:

    cd /path/to/your/website

  3. Start the HTTP Server:

    • For Python 3:

    python3 -m http.server

  4. Access Your Website:

    Open your web browser and go to http://localhost:8000. You should see your Pivotal Tracker export.

Method 2: Using Node.js with http-server

If you have Node.js installed, you can use the http-server package to serve your Pivotal Tracker export.

Steps

  1. Install http-server:

    npm install -g http-server

  2. Open a Terminal or Command Prompt.

  3. Navigate to Your Website Directory:

    cd /path/to/your/website

  4. Start http-server:

    http-server

  5. Access Your Website:

    Open your web browser and go to http://localhost:8080. You should see your Pivotal Tracker export.

Method 3: Using Live Server Extension in Visual Studio Code

If you are using Visual Studio Code, you can use the Live Server extension to serve your Pivotal Tracker export.

Steps

  1. Install the Live Server Extension:

    • Open Visual Studio Code.
    • Go to the Extensions view by clicking on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the window or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X.
    • Search for "Live Server" and install it.

  2. Open Your Website Directory in Visual Studio Code:

    • Go to File > Open Folder.
    • Select the folder containing your Pivotal Tracker export files.

  3. Start Live Server:

    • Right-click on your index.html file (or any HTML file you want to view).
    • Select "Open with Live Server".

  4. Access Your Website:

    Your default web browser should open automatically and display your website. The URL will be something like http://127.0.0.1:5500.

Conclusion

You now have multiple methods to run a Pivotal Tracker export from your local machine. Whether you prefer using Python, Node.js, or Visual Studio Code, you can easily set up a local server to develop and test your website. Other methods exist, so it's worth exploring different options to find the one that best fits your workflow. You can search the web for more tools and techniques to serve your Pivotal Tracker export locally by searching for "how to host a static site".

Additional Tips

  • Customization: You can customize the port and other settings for these servers if needed.
  • Browser Sync: Tools like BrowserSync can provide live-reloading and other development features.
  • Security: Remember that these local servers are for development purposes and should not be used for production.

Feel free to explore these methods and choose the one that best suits your workflow.