HTML Tutorial For Beginners - FTP - File Transfer Protocal

HTML IN AN HOUR!
"HTML is rapidly becoming a must-have skill of the 21st century"
Discover how a breakthrough system can teach you the language of the web... in just one hour!

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocal. Some web hosts no longer require you to use FTP to publish your files. Instead, your files are uploaded via web browser function. While this method is ok for uploading a file or two, it can be very tedious to send multiple files. Most web hosts support FTP which is why I have chosen to explain the process in detail. It will make your web master experience so much more enjoyable. Plus, if you are planning to build websites for others, it's a very good skill to have.

FTP software may look different but they all accomplish the same thing - to move files from a local host (your computer) to a remote host (your web page host's computer), and vice versa.

Uploading a File: to send - 'copy' - a file from your computer (the local host) to your host's computer (the remote host).
Downloading a File: to retrieve - 'copy' - a file from your host's computer to your computer's hard drive or disk.

(Uploading and Downloading apply to other forms of Internet activities and communications, not just FTP. When you 'attach' a file to an email and send it to your friends, you are 'Uploading' the file via eMail. Conversely, when you receive an 'attachment' from a friend via eMail, you are 'Downloading' a file to your computer.)

Before you can start FTP'ing, you need FTP software. I use the most wonderful little program called SendTo FTP (Freeware). WS-FTP or CuteFTP for Windows users are also very good programs. (For operating systems other than windows, I suggest searching for an FTP program using your favorite Search Engine.) (WS-FTP has two separate programs, WS-FTP LE, a program that is free for personal use, and WS-FTP Pro, a shareware program you can purchase for business use.)

The examples below describe procedures used with WS-FTP (I don't use it myself, but I've read alot!). If you're using another program, the steps will be similar. Read the Help sections and their ReadMe.txt for more information about their particular program.

First, you need the following information from your host before you can upload (FTP) your HTML files, graphics etc. to your new web site.

You Need:

username and password - Usually the same as your Internet logon to your web host, or, if you are using an ISP for your web space, it will be the same as your ISP logon. Double-check. Sometimes it is slightly different for FTP'ing.
remote host address/server name (URL) - The address is usually ftp.your-host.com, www.your-user-name.your-host.com or www.your-host.com, but it can vary. Example: If you are using tripod.com for a host, you will probably use a remote host address of ftp.tripod.com.
the name of the directory where your files are to be placed Many times this directory is the main directory, but sometimes it may be www or web. If your host does not specify, it is probably just the main directory. If no directory is specified, don't worry about this piece of information.

In addition, you will need to know the location/name of the directory on your computer where you have placed your HTML files. (c:\\Documents and Settings\Your Name\My Documents\New Website\ - is how the path may look if you're a WindowsXP user.)

After you've installed your FTP software, and you start it, a Server Profile screen should appear (in WS_FTP, it says Session Profile). It has areas, called 'fields', to type in your remote host address / name, your username and password. There is also an area where you enter your remote directory (WS-FTP supplies this information in it's Startup tab).

Type in your host's name and your username. You may include your password or leave it blank. If you choose to leave it blank, you will be required to type it in every time you connect with FTP. It also prevents anyone else with access to your computer from changing your web pages.

If your host's directions specify a remote directory - 'path' - enter the name in that box. If not, leave it blank.

Now you can choose connect to log on. (If you are unable to connect after following these directions, read the FTP FAQ/help section at your host's web site, which may help you figure out the problem. Or, if this fails, you can do as we have done on many occasions - contact your host's support team. They should walk you through the process.)

If your settings are correct, and you've connected, the files in the right-side window are the files that are on your server (in WS-FTP or other programs it may say remote host somewhere - your host's computer). There may be no files in this directory, or there could be a single temporary index.html if this is the first time you've logged on. The left-side window shows files on your computer (WS-FTP or other programs, it probably says local host somewhere - which is your computer).

Navigate in the left-side window, the local host window, to get to the directory where your HTML files are located on your computer. You may see two periods ('..'). If you click that, it will take you one level back in your directory tree. (Example: If you are in c:\\Documents and Settings\Your Name\My Documents\New Website\images\ and you've placed your HTML files in c:\\Documents and Settings\Your Name\My Documents\New Website\, one click on '..' will take you from \New Website\images\ back to \New Website\ [you may have to scroll down]. You can then click New Website, and you'll be in the right directory.)

Once the correct directory is loaded on the local host side (your computer - left window), and the correct directory loaded on the remote host side (your web host's computer - right window), you can begin to Upload (and Download) files.

To Upload a file from your computer to your host, select the file you want to transfer in the left side by clicking it once. Press the arrow to the right arrow towards → the remote host side. Your file has now been copied to your remote host's computer. (*Special Note*: This will also replace any file existing on the remote host that has the same name! Example: You're Uploading index.html and a file called index.html already exists on the remote host side of your FTP program. Once you click the arrow towards remote host, your old index.html will no long exist on your server. I mention this because if you have multiple directories and/or multiple folders within directories, you may accidentally over-write an existing file because you were in the wrong directory. I've done this many times, so don't be upset if you're just starting out and this happens to you. Simply find the correct directory on your computer and the file you intended to transfer, and Upload it to the remote host. Don't allow yourself to be over-whelmed. As I said, it happens to us all at some time.)

If you want to Download a file from the remote host's computer, select the file you want on the remote host side of the FTP program and click the ← left arrow towards the local host side (your computer). As stated above, the reverse is also true. If you have a file on your computer that contains the same name as that of the file you are transferring from your remote host's computer, that file will be over-written, so double-check that you are transferring the file into the right directory/folder. A good rule of thumb - Backup! Save your entire website (or at least the .html documents) into another directory on your computer's hard drive, or onto floppy disks. This way, you will always have your old files to fall back on - just in case!

Note: You may see a selection in your FTP software (WS-FTP included) for ASCII mode, binary mode, and auto mode. If auto is available, check it. Otherwise, select ASCII mode when you transfer HTML files, and binary mode when you transfer graphics and music files.

I wish you good success with your FTP experiences. If you run into any problems, your remote host server should have a Help section available. Follow their directions, and you're on your way to being a Webmaster like me!