Support Manual

FTP Instructions

All of your files and subdirectories need to be sent into your www directory to be viewable on the web. Refer to the Account Overview section of this manual to learn about all the different directories you'll see once you log in. It is very important that you do not delete any directories or files in your account. The files which you design and upload to your www directory are the only files you should ever replace.

Once you have completed the design of your website, there are several ways to get the files into your account. 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 whenever you choose.

Online services which offer an Internet gateway, such as AOL, MSN, or  CompuServe may have a built-in FTP interface. If you have a PPP  Internet provider (dial-up, cable etc...), you will need an FTP program. Visit http://www.wsftp.com/ to download a copy of WS_FTP for the PC.  There are other FTP programs out there, but this is the one we cover in this tutorial.

(WS_FTP) For PC Users

The following information is contained within your account activation notice and is needed to connect you to your web site via FTP:

USERNAME
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 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 profile, click the "New" button and enter a profile name at the top of the Session Profile window, such as "My Web site." Next, enter your Host Name/Address (yourdomain.com), User ID (yourlogin), and Password for your web site as illustrated below.

Click "OK" to continue. This will connect you to the web server, 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 web site, as illustrated below.

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 sub-directories. Once you are in this directory, we recommend you click on the Options button on the bottom of the WS_FTP window, and uncheck the box that says "Use Passive Transfer Mode".  You should also click the button that says "Save Current Folders As Connection Folders".  This will eliminate the need to have to double-click on the www folder every time you login via FTP.

To make your home page load automatically when someone types in your domain name, name the HTML document "index.html" in lowercase and upload it to the www directory of your account. To upload this or any file , 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 in your browser, try hitting the "Refresh" or "Reload" button, while holding down the CTRL key on your keyboard. If that fails, you will need to clear both disk and browser cache. This function can be found by selecting Options>Network Preferences in Netscape, and Tools>Internet Options>Delete Files in Internet Explorer. Remember that you must first be connected to the Internet through your local Internet service provider in order to connect to the web server.

The only system directory in your account that you may need to use is the cgi-bin.  This is your CGI directory and is reserved for custom scripts.  

Fetch For MAC Users

The following information is contained within your account activation notice and is needed to connect to your web site via FTP:

USERNAME
PASSWORD
FTP HOSTNAME

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 (yourlogin), and password for your web site as illustrated below.

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 below, except that yourdomain will be in the pop-up window.

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 below. It will already have your name, Host, and User ID filled in. Under Type, choose File from the pop-up 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!

Once connected, 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 sub-directories. The only system directory that you may need to use is cgi-bin, which is reserved for custom scripts. To make your home page load automatically when someone types your domain name in their browser, name the HTML document "index.html" 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 the sample window above, 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 below.

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 your browser, try hitting the Reload or Refresh button while holding down the CTRL key on your keyboard.  Remember that you must first be connected to the Internet through your local Internet service provider in order to connect to the web server.

 

 

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