Question about index.aspx file.

I'm new to web site programming. I've stumbled thru HTML code in the past but am stumped at this point.

I'm attempting to make some minor changes to an estore. The previous web programmer deviated from the web hosting sites programming tools. She created some pages using Dreamweaver that linked to the estore.

I understand how to make estore changes, adding new products, categories, manufactures, etc.

The problem I am having is the interface between the main web page and the estore. I have downloaded all the files from the host. There are several references to a web page ( index.aspx ). If I make changes to index.html, then upload to the server, the changes never appear.

The web server continues to use the file index.aspx, and it is at this point, I have no idea what to do or how to make changes.

If someone could please explain what the index.aspx file is, how is it created, why can't I download it from the server, etc I would really appreciate it.

TIA.

.aspx files generally have HTML markup with some ASP.NET stuff added. You can open it up and edit HTML bits that you see, but anything with <asp:> or <% tags are off-limits.
Not that you aren't allowed to edit them, but if you try to (and aren't sure of what you're doing) then you might accidentally break something.

.aspx files are executed by the server, and what you get back (like with a browser) are the results. Not the original source. You should be able to get to it with FTP or some other tool.

index.aspx is most likely a default document name in the IIS web server. Sometimes depending on how you upload the remote IIS server might tweak the filename when it saves it.

It's likely index.html is also defined as a default document name, in which case the IIS server settings will determine which file gets executed when both are present in the directory.