FTP Tutorial
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FTP Tutorial |
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FTP Maintenance (Uploading Your Files to the Server) The process by which files are transferred to the web server is called "FTP" (File Transfer Protocol). You have unlimited access via FTP 24 hours a day. As such, you can create and maintain your web pages on your own computer and upload files to your web site at your leisure. Online services which offer an Internet gateway, such as AOL, CompuServe, and Prodigy may have a built-in FTP interface. If you have a PPP Internet account, you need an FTP program. NOTE: If you are using FrontPage, you should NEVER use regular FTP to upload your files. This will damage the extensions. Stick with one or the other at all times. Question on uploading and creation of your website in FrontPage can be answer at www.microsoft.com/frontpage/ For instructions for the most popular FTP client software for both PC and Macintosh users, see the instructions to follow. To obtain a copy of the latest version of of WS_FTP please visit http://www.wsftp.com/ The following information is contained within your account activation notice and is needed to connect you to your website via FTP: USERNAME Each time you run WS_FTP the Session
Profile window will be displayed. A profile contains the information
needed to connect to your website. Creating a profile now will eliminate
the need for you to configure the software each time you wish to connect
to the web server via FTP. To create a profile, click the "New" button and
enter a generic profile name at the top of the Session Profile window,
such as "My Website." Next, enter your Host Name/Address (yourdomain.com),
User ID (yourdomain), and Password for your website as illustrated in
Figure 1A.
Figure 1A Next you need to click "OK" to continue. This will connect you to the webserver, where you will connect directly to the root ("home") directory of your account. WS_FTP will display a split screen where files on the left-hand side are within your own computer. You will see several folders on the right-hand side such as certs, logs, users and web which are landmarks suggesting a successful connection to your website, as illustrated in Figure 1B. Make sure that you see the right hand side of the screen exactly as shown below. You may have to click the green arrow a few time to get to this screen.
Figure 1B You need to double click on web to get to your web directory. This is where all your files will be downloaded, and/or you will create subdirectories. On the right-hand side of WS_FTP rename the index.html file to gibsadmin.html and upload your version from the left-hand side.To make your home page load automatically, name the HTML document "index.html" in lowercase and upload it to the web directory of your account. If you access your site (www.yourdomain.com) and see a page that says, "Welcome to the Web Site of www.youdomain.com" that means you have not uploaded your "index.html" file correctly. To upload a file or files, simply highlight the file(s) on the left and click the right arrow button (->) in the center of the window. Be sure to upload your site in Binary mode. To transfer a file to a subdirectory, double-click the appropriate subdirectory to open it before transferring the desired file(s). To create a new directory, click on the MkDir button when you are inside the web directory or subdirectory. As soon as a file is uploaded to the web server, it is available for all to see. If, after uploading a file, you are still unable to see the updated file via Netscape, try hitting the "Refresh" or "Reload" button. If that fails, you need to clear both disk and browser cache. This function can be found by selecting Options>Network Preferences in Netscape. Remember that you must first be connected to the Internet through your local Internet service provider in order to connect to the web server. IMPORTANT NOTES:
NOTE: If you are having trouble uploading your site please visit http://www.wsftp.com/ The following information is contained within your account activation notice and is needed to connect to your web site via FTP: USERID The hostname tells your FTP software to connect to the web server upon which your web site resides. Each time you run Fetch, the New Connection... window will be
displayed. A profile contains the information needed to connect to your
web site. Creating a profile now will eliminate the need for you to
configure the software each time you wish to connect to the web server via
FTP. To create a new profile, select "New Connection..." from the File
menu. Next, enter the Host (yourdomain.com), User ID (yourdomain), and
password for your web site as illustrated in Figure 2A.
Figure 2A Don't worry about the Directory option right now. When you have your Host, User ID, and Password entered, click on the OK button. The next window which will pop up will look virtually the same as
Figure 2B, except that yourdomain will be in the popup window.
Figure 2B Bookmarking the Connection You should take the time, now that you have established your
connection, to make it easier for you to get here next time. Under the
Customize menu, select New Shortcut. A window will pop up called Bookmark
Editor, as shown in Figure 2C. It will already have your name,
Host, and User ID filled in. Under Type, choose File from the popup menu.
If you would like Fetch to remember your password so you won't have to
type it in each time, type in your password in the Password field. Now,
under the same Customize menu, choose Preferences, and under the General
tab, make sure the connection you just entered is selected as the default
shortcut. Next time you open up Fetch, your shortcut will be opened
automatically and all you'll have to do is click the OK button!
Figure 2C How to Transfer Files Refer again to Figure 2B. You need to double-click on web to get
to your web directory. This is where all your files will be downloaded,
and/or you will create subdirectories To make your home page load
automatically, first rename the current server index.html file in the web
directory to gibsadmin.html, then name the local HTML document "index.html"
in lowercase and upload it to the web directory of your account. To upload
a file or files, simply drag them from your hard drive onto the Fetch
window when you are in the appropriate directory or subdirectory. Be sure
to upload your site in BINARY mode. Or to make life easier, click on the
Automatic button as shown in Figure 2B, and Fetch will decide the
proper format. To transfer a file to a subdirectory, double-click the
appropriate subdirectory to open it before transferring the desired file(s).
Figure 2D As soon as a file is uploaded to the web server, it is available for all to see. If, after uploading a file, you are still unable to see the updated file via Netscape, you need to hit the Reload button in the Netscape button bar. Remember that you must first be connected to the Internet through your local Internet service provider in order to connect to the web server. IMPORTANT NOTES:
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