Uploading Files and Using FTP Clients

on Your Server

Uploading Files to Your Server

This process is perhaps the one you will use most frequently as the Server Agent. You will need to know at least one method of transferring files to and from your Server. The most frequently used method is FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Other methods are available, such as our Site Manager and many web publishing programs. Even in these programs the underlying transfer method is usually FTP.

Below are some general instructions for uploading using an FTP client. Downloading (moving files in the other direction) is done in a similar, but reversed fashion. Note that the terms client or FTP client refer to the FTP program on the computer you are using, i.e. probably your office computer

General Information About Using FTP Clients

1. Obtain an FTP client for the computer you will be using (are using this moment?) to access your Server. Most computers come with one or more FTP clients installed. On Macintosh computers it is usually Fetch; on Windows 95/98 machines it may be WS_ftp; on UNIX systems it is simply called FTP.

2. Connect to your Server using your issued login (username) and password. Leave the Directory field empty, so that when the login is complete you will be placed in (be able to use) your home directory. This is the same directory you reach when you Telnet or SSH to your Server.

3. All HTML files and image files on your Server website should reside in your server's home. This home directory is ~USERNAME/httpd/htdocs, where USERNAME is your login name. Your home page is in this directory and is called index.html. Initially it is the homepage established for you when your Server was set up. As you change it or overwrite it or upload your own version, keep in mind that your Server expects a file named index.html. Other files you upload may be placed in this directory or any subdirectories you establish.

4. Here is a simple test to perform now: Upload a file called, try.htm to your home directory. Access this file using your web browser and the URL - http://www.yourdomainname/try.htm. Now for another test: Using your FTP client, create a subdirectory called docs and upload the file try.htm to that subdirectory. Access this file using your web browser and the URL - http://www.yourdomainname/docs/try.htm.

5. Your FTP client allows you to move about from directory to directory, change file names (of files that are yours), create new (sub)directories and delete files. These options are very useful and powerful, so practice using them carefully.

6. Since you can rename files on your server using your FTP client, you can upload your home page (or any other file) and then change its name afterward (e.g. to index.html.

7. VITAL! : Be sure to upload HTML files in Text or ASCII mode (depending on what it is called in your client). Upload all image files (e.g. .gif or .jpg) in Binary mode. Most FTP clients have an automatic transfer mode option, which will automatically select the correct mode for the type of file you are transferring. If you use this option, be sure, first, to set the correct modes for each file type you intend to transfer. When using UNIX ftp type "asc" before doing a text file transfer (such as an .html file), and type "bin" for images files.