FTP
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.
If you are using FrontPage, you must create your new
web on the "localhost" system. This is accomplished by selecting
"create new web," and then entering "localhost" in
the line where it asks for the web location. Once you have completed your
web on your computer, you can then select the "publish web"
option from the file menu in FrontPage Explorer. You will be prompted
for your IP address and web name and then it will send it to our servers.
Please note that you will be prompted for a user ID and password, and
depending on your system configuration it may be the one that we issued
you or it may be the one that you entered when you first installed FrontPage.
If one does not work, then simply try the other. If you have forgotten
what that password was, then you will need to reinstall FrontPage and
select a new one.
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 all the time.
For instructions for the most popular FTP client software
for both PC and Macintosh users, see the instructions to follow.
For PC Users (WS_FTP)
The following information is contained within your account
activation notice and is needed to connect you to your website via FTP:
USERID
PASSWORD
FTP HOSTNAME
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 www, and infobots
which are landmarks suggesting a successful connection to your website,
as illustrated in Figure 1B.
Figure 1B
You need to double click on www to get to your web directory.
This is where all your files will be downloaded, and/or you will create
subdirectories. The only system directory that you may need to use is
cgi-bin; this directory is reserved for custom scripts. To make your home
page load automatically, name the HTML document "index.htm"
in lowercase and upload it to the www directory of your account. 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
HTML documents and scripts in ASCII mode and images 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 www 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.
For PC Users (Cute FTP)
This is a brief tutorial showing you how to set up Cute FTP in order to
connect to our server.
1. Start the application by double clicking on the program icon. After the
program starts, you will be in the Site Manager window. This is where you
set up all of your FTP connections.
2. Create a new connection site by clicking on the Add Site button.
3. You will then be given this window :
4. The Host Address :
- Basic Web site customers : Use our domain name as the
Host Address as shown.
- Domain Web site customers : Use your IP Address or your domain
name as the Host Address.
Note : This will only work when your domain name has
been finalized with Network Solutions. In the meantime, you must enter your IP
number in the Host Address area.
5. Once you are connected, click on the "www" directory. This
is where all of your files are to be placed. You will now see a list of
the files in your current directory.
6. To transfer files to your account, select "Upload" from the
"Commands" menu, and choose which files or folders you wish
to upload.
7. To download files from your account to your home computer, choose the
file you wish to download, and select "Download File" from the
"Commands" menu.
These are the basics to using Cute FTP. If you need more information,
please use the "Help" menu in the application or read any documentation
that came with the program.
For Mac Users (Fetch)
The following information is contained within your account
activation notice and is needed to connect to your web site via FTP:
USERID
PASSWORD
FTP HOSTNAME
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 www to get to your web directory. This is where all your files will
be downloaded, and/or you will create subdirectories. The only system
directory that you may need to use is cgi-bin; this directory is reserved
for custom scripts. To make your home page load automatically, name the
HTML document "index.htm" in lowercase and upload it to the
www 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 HTML documents and scripts
in Text mode and images 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).
To insure that the Automatic selection works properly,
make sure the selections under the Upload tab in the Preferences window
looks the same as Figure 2D below.
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.
Dreamweaver Setup
Dreamweaver 4
1. Open Dreamweaver. From the menu bar select "site" and
then "open site"
2. Fill in the appropriate fields:
Site
Name = Name Your Web Site
Local Root Folder = This will be the path to your local folder that holds your
web site files.
HTTP Address = yourdomain.com
3. Select Remote info on the left navigation bar. Drop down the
access menu and select FTP
4. Fill in the appropriate information:
Access
= FTP
FTP Host = yourdomain.com
Host Directory = /home/username/www. This will then upload the files directly
into your www directory.
Login = User Name
Password = Password
Click OK
5. This will then open the Dreamweaver FTP program.
6. Click on Connect button on the top menu bar. The raised button in the
picture below is the connection button.
7.
Your are now connected to the server and you will see two windows
Left Window
Dreamweaver
will now display a split screen. The window on the left will contain the
folders and files contained within your www directory. This is your space on
the server. This is where you will place your website. You will see folders
with names such as infobots and access-log.
Right Window
The
window on the right will contain the folders and files on your local computer.
This should be pointing correctly to your local Web Site.
Upload Files
1. Highlight a file (or files) from your computer in the right
window.
2. Click the blue up arrow button on the menu bar to transfer your files
3. You will see a note in the status bar at the bottom when your file
transfer is complete.
Download Files
1. Double click on the folder you want to download files into on
your computer to open it in the right window.
2. Highlight the file (or files) you wish to download from your website
in the left window.
3. Click the green down arrow on the Menu bar to transfer the files.
4. You will see a note in the status bar at the bottom when your file
transfer is complete.
The
picture above shows that by selecting the blue up arrow, you will be placing a
file called hook.gif into your web site located on the server. To disconnect,
select "file" and then "close"
Anonymous FTP Setup
Your anonymous FTP site is completely different from
your website. When people FTP to your domain anonymously, they will see
the following directories:
bin
dev
etc
incoming
lib
pub
"Pub" is where you should put all your anonymously
accessible files. "Incoming" is for the anonymous users to upload
files. You are responsible for any "pirated" software uploaded
by the anonymous users. The anonymous FTP sites will be periodically monitored
for any abuses. You may ignore the other directories (bin, dev, etc, and
lib).
You may tell your visitors that they can visit your
anonymous FTP site by typing "yourdomain.com" as the hostname,
"anonymous" as their username, and their complete email address
as the password.
To access the anonymous FTP site via the web, use the
following address:
ftp://yourdomain.com/pub/
Your HTML to download a file called somefile.exe from
a webpage would look like this:
<A HREF="ftp://yourdomain.com/pub/somefile.exe">Download
Somefile now</A>
You should tell your visitors that they may need to
right-click on the link if they are PC users, or if they use a Macintosh,
they need to hold down the mouse button on the link, then select the appropriate
option from the Pop-up menu.
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