Guide to FTP
Introduction This manual will guide you through understanding the basics of FTP and file management. Within this manual are step-by-step instructions detailing how to connect to your server, as well as a glossary explaining some common terms associated with FTP. The process of uploading files to your website is easy, and similar to using files and folders in Windows Explorer, or if you are a Mac user, to Finder. All the files in your computer are organized in a directory tree. Think of the directory tree as a filing cabinet, with each directory being a drawer in the cabinet. Within each drawer are files, similar to the files on your computer. Each of these files contains various items, such as documents and images and videos. (Please see glossary definition for Directory Tree for more information). In order for other people to view your files on the Internet, you need to first upload the files onto a web server. Web servers are computers that are solely dedicated to storing files for display on the Internet. To transfer your files to a web server, it is easiest to use an FTP Client, or in some cases you can use your web browser (Internet Explorer).
FTP Frequently Asked Questions What is FTP? FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, which is one of the standard methods of transferring files over the Internet. It s also the tool used to transfer files through the Internet from one computer to another. For example, you would use an FTP client to upload your webpage from where you built it (like your computer at home) to a website (like www.rampinteractive.com). When you publish with FTP, you do so using an FTP address. Think of the FTP address as the back door that you deliver your Web pages to, and the HTTP address as the front door that people use to see your pages. What is an FTP Client? An FTP client is software that is designed to transfer files back-and-forth between two computers over the Internet. It needs to be installed on your computer and can only be used with a live connection to the Internet (eg. Dreamweaver, FileZilla, CuteFTP, SmartFTP, WS_ FTP). We have listed some free FTP clients on page 8. There are many programs that use FTP to upload files to the Internet. Included in this guide are directions to using several of the most popular programs for both Macs and PCs to upload your files to your server. Some of the benefits of using an FTP client include: Added security Ability to resume a download that did not complete successfully Multiple file transfer Queuing utilities In some cases it may not be possible to download and install an FTP client (for instance if you use a work computer that is locked). In this case, you can use Internet Explorer to upload your files to the server.
FTP Frequently Asked Questions Firewall If a computer is behind a firewall, connecting via FTP may require adjusting certain settings on your FTP program. Though these settings may be found in different areas of the program, generally the way to connect to an FTP server from behind a firewall is to set the program to Active mode. In addition, many programs have an option to Enable Firewall Access. What is File Management? With a traditional filing cabinet, the person who does the filing has the option to label and organize the files however they see fit. They also decide which files to keep locked and which remain public. Imagine how hard it would be to find the file you re looking for in a filing cabinet if all the documents were just thrown haphazardly into each drawer, and some of the drawers are locked! It is the same with an FTP site. When you start, it is a good idea to plan out how you are going to manage your files and then stick with your plan. Even if further down the road you decide you want to change your filing system, if your files are well organized with continuity that will make it easier for you to change your system. When you re-organize your files, you have to go back and change all the links on your website linking to your files and documents, which can be a lot of work! This is why it is best to plan out how you are going to manage your files very carefully, in advance. Ultimately, how you organize your files will be up to you. Some people prefer to organize their files by the pages they correspond to, while others like to have all their documents in one folder, all their images in another, while all their videos are in yet another folder. A good rule of thumb is to imagine you are a complete stranger or someone who doesn t know anything at all about your files. Are your files going to be organized in a way that someone completely new can easily find
FTP Frequently Asked Questions what they are looking for? Are your files going to be organized so someone new can delete old files from your server without loosing other valuable or newer information? If the answer to these questions is no, then you may wish to plan your file management differently. Remember, your website is only as good as you make it, and file management plays a very important role. Deleting Files Over time you will notice that your directory is becoming full. Deleting old files that are not used anymore will save disk space on the server. It will also make your file management easier, by reducing the amount of files you have to sort in order to find the one you re looking for. You should keep copies of all your important uploads on your personal computer just in case further down the road you need a document you have deleted off the server. Naming Files The file names you choose have important ramifications for operating system compatibility and usability. When naming a document to upload it is important that there you use only letters and numbers, with no spaces, and no symbols (except periods, hyphens and underscores). The file name should be no more than 27characters. Try to make the name as descriptive but also as short as possible, to make it easier for you to find the file again in the future. We want to emphasize this as much as possible, because following these conventions will save you a significant amount of time fixing broken links. Play it safe; it ll save you hours of frustration. It s important to select a file naming convention for your directories, HTML files, and image files - and stick to it. You re less likely to get broken links caused by simple typographical errors if you stick to your naming rules. Many Web professionals recommend that you use only lower-case letters in file names: Less chance of coding errors because you don t have to remember
FTP Frequently Asked Questions what to capitalize and when. Visitors have an easier time if they re trying to type the URL directly into their browsers instead of clicking on a link. An all lower-case format reduces errors, but also makes file names harder to read. As a compromise, designers use the underscore symbol (_) or a hyphen (-) to separate individual words in a file name. Hyphens are more visible than underscores, as the underscore is usually impossible to detect in URLs that are underlined, as in a default hyperlink. Underscores can also cause problems in certain programming languages if it becomes necessary to refer to an external file. Never use spaces in file and directory names. Windows operating systems do allow spaces and even seem to encourage you to use them, but some computers will be unable to read a file or folder with spaces in the name. If you use spaces you won t have any problem when you test your page on your own Windows or Macintosh operating system, but problems may arise when you place the page on a Web server. Name your images with names that will help you remember what is in them. Users who name their images something like picture1.jpg or picture20.jpg find their images are difficult to identify later because they have to be fully downloaded before you can tell what image they are. If you instead name your images something more descriptive, they will be easier to find later. Here are some examples: lightbulb.jpg sticks_helmets.jpg tournament_2009_billy.jpg volunteers_2007.gif
Getting Started If you are unable to install an FTP client on your computer, you can use Internet Explorer. In the address bar type this URL: ftp://rampinteractive.com From here you will be able to view your files on the server. Simply click and drag the files from your computer into the Domain Directory. Note: You must have the Passive FTP option turned off to use this FTP connection. Here s how to de-activate this feature: 1. Click on Tools 2. Click on Internet Options 3. Click on Advanced Tab 4. Uncheck the Use Passive FTP feature. To delete: Select the files you would like to delete and hit the Delete button To add: Drag and drop files from your personal computer into the ftp window. NOTE FOR INTERNET EXPLORER 7: If you have Internet Explorer 7 you will need to do the following (if you have not yet upgraded to IE7 you may wish to do so now): 1. Enter ftp://rampinteractive.com into your address bar. 2. Enter your login and password in the pop up window. 3. Select the Page button in the top right corner 4. Select Open FTP Site in Windows Explorer 5. In the new window that appears (should have a folder with a world on it as an icon) enter your login and password. Folders should appear as folder icons. Here you will be able to add/delete files.
Using an FTP Client: FTP Clients When using a Web browser for an FTP connection, FTP uploads are unreliable, and you will not be able to resume the upload of a large file if you have connection problems. FTP clients also offer additional features that make it easier to manage your files. FTP Clients usually have a two-pane design. The pane on the left side of the window generally displays the files on your computer (local system) and the pane on the right side generally displays the files on the remote computer (remote system). A remote computer is a computer that you aren t in immediate control of. File transfers are as easy as dragging-and-dropping files from one pane to the other or by highlighting a file and clicking one of the direction arrows located between the panes. Free Clients: Cyberduck (http://cyberduck.ch/) MAC FileZilla (http://filezilla-project.org/) SmartFTP (http://www.smartftp.com/ download/) WINDOWS Purchased Clients: CuteFTP (http://www.globalscape.com/products/ ftp_clients.aspx) Dreamweaver (http://www.adobe.com/products/ dreamweaver/) FrontPage (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ frontpage/fx100647001033.aspx) Fetch (http://fetchsoftworks.com/) MAC WS_FTP (http://www.ipswitchft.com/products/ ws_ftp_home/) WINDOWS
FTP Client Instructions Once you have installed your FTP Client software, use these step-by-step instructions to upload your files. You may be behind a proxy server or firewall, especially if you re trying this from work. If so, you will need to get your firewall details from your IT support people. CuteFTP Choose Site Manager from the File menu. Choose which folder you would like the Site Profile to be in (normally in the General FTP Sites folder) and click on the New button. Next fill in the following fields: Label: Whatever you want to name the site profile (eg. domain name, name of your organization). FTP Host Address: yourdomainname.com FTP Home Directory: yourdomainname.com FTP site User Name: Your username FTP site Password: Your password FTP site Port Connection: 21 Set the Login Type to Normal Then click on Connect. Once you are logged in, the left window is the Local Window and the right window is the Remote Window. In the Remote Window, you will be logged into the Home Directory; open up the Domain Directory to which you want to upload your site. Then, choose the files in the Local Window you want to upload and click and drag them to the Remote Window. The next time you need to upload to that site, simply choose Site Manager from the File menu and click on the Site Profile and click Connect. If you are behind a firewall, you may need change the settings. Choose Settings from the Edit menu. Doubleclick on Connection and then click on Firewall. Check the Enable Firewall Access and Active mode boxes. This should allow you to upload from behind a firewall.
FTP Client Instructions Cyberduck The first thing you need to do is connect to your Web server. To do this, first open a new Cyberduck browser window, if one isn t already open, by choosing File > New Browser. Now choose File > Open Connection, or click the Open Connection button at the top left of the browser window. Enter in your information: Server: your domain name Username: your username Password: your login password Click Connect. Once logged in, you will be taken to your home directory on your Web server. This directory contains (amongst other things) your website directory, which is where you need to upload all your files. The easiest way to do this in Cyberduck is to open the website folder on your hard drive using the Finder, then drag the file from the Finder to the Cyberduck window. After you ve finished uploading stuff, click the Disconnect button at the top right of the Cyberduck browser window to disconnect from your Web server,or simply close down Cyberduck. To delete a file that you have uploaded to your server, click on the file in the Cyberduck window to select it, and press the Delete key on your keyboard. To configure Cyberduck to work through an FTP proxy server in Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger), open the System Preferences application then click Network, then the Proxies tab, check the FTP Proxy option in the list, and enter your FTP proxy details.
FTP Client Instructions DreamWeaver When starting a new site, simply go to the Site pulldown menu and choose New Site. If you are resetting the FTP information on an existing site, choose Define Sites from the same pull-down menu and click on the site you wish to set up. Choose Remote Info from the Category list and in the pull-down Access Menu choose FTP. Then fill in the following fields as such: FTP Host: yourdomainname.com Host Directory: yourdomainname.com Login: your username Password: your password When you want to upload your site, simply choose the Connect to Remote Host icon (it looks like 2 wires plugged together) on the toolbar of the Site Window. Then, copy your files from the Local Folder to the Remote Site. Make sure you have the Passive FTP option turned off on your connection. Fetch Fill in the fields with the following information: Host: yourdomainname.com User ID: Your username Password: Your password Directory: yourdomainname.com Then click OK and you re logged in. Once you re logged in, you can upload by clicking and dragging files from the desktop or any open folders into the Fetch Window; or, using the Put File button.
FileZilla FTP Client Instructions Once FileZilla has started, enter the following details in the fields at the top of the program window. Address: yourdomain.com User: Your username Password: Your password Port: 21 Click Quickconnect to connect to your site. From now on you will be able to select this site and other recent sites from the Quickconnect history drop menu. If you have many sites and would like to add it to your Site Manager, you can select Copy connection to Site Manager from the File menu once connected. FRONTPAGE 98 & 2000 From the File Menu choose Publish Web. In the field: Specify the location to publish your web to: ftp:// yourdomainname.com/yourdomainname.com Note:You do not want to enter the www on your domain name address. Then click Publish. Next fill in the fields: Name: Your username Password: Your password Then click OK. When the site is finished uploading, simply click Done. By default FrontPage starts with a new, blank document. If you should happen to close a document and want to open a new document select File/New/Page. {Click} on Normal Page under the new dialog box. Deleting Files - To display the Folder List, on the View menu, click Folder List. In the Folder List, click the file you want to delete, and then press DELETE.
FTP Client Instructions SmartFTP Start SmartFTP by double-clicking the program icon on the right. When the application launches, you may see a Settings dialogue box. If this is the case, just click the OK button to accept the current settings. There should be no need to change anything. The first thing you need to do is to display the Local browser. From the pull-down menu, select FTPLocal Browser. Using the folder view window, navigate your way to the folder where you keep your website files. The second thing you need to do is to enter 3 pieces of information in the toolbar at the top of the application window. URL: yourdomain.com Login: Your username Password: Your password You do not need to enter any other information, leave all other boxes blank. You are now ready to connect to the web server. Click the Connect button or select FTPConnect from the pull-down menu. SmartFTP now attempts to contact the web server using the address you gave. If all your details are accepted, a new remote window will open and you will see your own personal web space on the remote computer. To upload your files to the web server, simply dragand-drop them from the Local Browser window to the remote computer window just as you would in the Windows Explorer. In fact, most of the standard Explorer operations can be undertaken on your remote files. You can rename them and delete them. If you are updating files that already exist on the server, just dragand-drop them in the usual way and choose Overwrite when prompted.
WS_FTP FTP Client Instructions Upon opening WS_FTP the Session Properties window will pop up. If you have entered the information prior to this session, simply choose the Profile Name of the site you wish to use. If you have not already entered the site using Common FTP Programs you are uploading to, click the New button to clear the fields and then enter the following: Profile Name: Enter your domain name here (yourdomainname.com) Host Name/Address: Enter your domain name here (yourdomainname.com) Host Type: Automatic Detection User ID: Your username Password: Your password If you are located behind a firewall or gateway, you may need to alter the settings to allow for Active transfers. To do this, click on the Advanced tab and check the box next to Active Transfer or make sure the Passive FTP is turned OFF. Next, click OK to log in. The window on the left is the local listing and the window on the right is the remote listing. To upload files, simply highlight the files to transfer and either click and drag them from the local to the remote window or click the arrow button between the windows.
Glossary Directory Tree - A computer s file system can be visualized as a file cabinet, where the drawers represent high-level directories and lower-level subdirectories may be represented as file folders within the drawers. A typical file system may contain thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of directories. Files are kept organized by storing related files in the same directory. A directory contained inside another directory is called a subdirectory of that directory. Together, the directories form a hierarchy or tree structure. Firewall - An electronic boundary that prevents unauthorized users from accessing certain files on a network; or, a computer used to maintain such a boundary. While firewalls can make it difficult to connect with other computers, they prevent unauthorized connections to and from your computer. FTP - FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, which is the standard Internet protocol for the transfer of files. It s also the tool used to transfer files through the Internet from one computer to another. For example, you would use an FTP to upload your webpage from where you built it (like your computer at home) to a website (like www.rampinteractive.com) so that all of your friends and neighbors can look at it. There are many programs that use FTP to upload files to the Internet. HTML - Stands for Hyper Text Markup Language, a coding language used to make hypertext documents for use on the Web. HTML resembles old-fashioned typesetting code, where a block of text is surrounded by codes that indicate how it should appear. HTML allows text to be linked to another file on the Internet. It provides a means to describe the structure of text-based information in a document by denoting certain text as links, headings, paragraphs, lists, and so on and to supplement that text with interactive forms, embedded images, and other objects.
Glossary HTTP - Stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, a standard method of transferring data between a Web server and a Web browser. HTTP is a request/response standard between a client and a server. A client is the end-user, the server is the web site. The client making a HTTP request - using a web browser and the server responds by sending the information stored in the HTML files back to the user for display. Path - Shows the source/destination location of the directory in use. A path is the general form of a file or directory name, specifying a unique location in a file system. A path points to a file system location. Server - A Server is a machine that makes services available on a network to client program. For instance, a file server makes files available. A web server is a computer that is responsible for accepting HTTP requests from clients (user agents such as web browsers), and serving them HTTP responses along with optional data contents, which usually are web pages such HTML documents and linked objects (images, etc.). User Agent - Web user agents range from web browsers and email clients to mobile phones and Braille browsers used by people with disabilities. When Internet users visit a web site, a text string is generally sent to identify the user agent to the server. This forms part of the HTTP request, and typically includes information such as the application name, version, host operating system and language. Web Browser - A Web browser is a software application which enables a user to display and interact with text, images, videos, music, games and other information typically located on a webpage at a website on World Wide Web. Web browsers are the most commonly used type of HTTP user agent (eg Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator).