How to "FTP"
Transferring Files to a Web Server
This information about transferring files is directed toward publishing files on the Web. 
Assumptions are that you have:
  1. developed a web page, PowerPoint presentation, or PDF document,
  2. saved your work as an .htm or .html file (or .pdf for Acrobat Reader purposes),
  3. noted the names of all the files that are associated with your work (such as image files),
  4. know where each of these files is stored on your computer, 
  5. have FTP software (such as WS_FTP**) installed on your computer,
  6. have an account with an Internet Service Provider to house your files,
  7. know the publishing path (information provided by your service provider), and
  8. know your username (or user ID) and password.

** WS_FTP LE is available as a free download for educational purposes from 
http://www.ipswitch.com/downloads/index.html
Scroll to the bottom of the page and select WS_FTP LE; click Try.

Before files can be viewed on the World Wide Web, the files must be copied (transferred) from your computer to your web page server. FTP software is necessary to accomplish the transfer. Some HTML editors have built-in FTP software so that you don't have to use a separate program to publish your pages.  At times, there may be a problem uploading the pages -- the reason behind the problems aren't always clear -- and it's simply easier to use a separate FTP program than to fight the software!
Here's how:
 
1. Open your FTP software.  The examples in this tutorial use WS-FTP LE. Go to the Start menu, click on programs, then locate the FTP program.
2.

Enter your information in the Session Properties window. 

  • The Profile Name can be anything -- this name helps you remember which server or account you are publishing files to.  It is helpful primarily if you publish files to several different accounts.
  • The Host Name/Address is the name of the computer where the files are being transferred. This information is available from your service provider, but it is usually (but not always!) the domain name of the server.
  • Leave the Host Type as Automatic detect.
  • Put your username or user ID in the User ID area.
  • Enter your Password.  Stars will show up so that the password is protected from others to see.
  • Unless you are the only person using your computer, do not check the box to save your password.
  • Click OK. 
  • You may be asked to enter your password again at the next screen.  Use the same password as before.
3.

The next screen will show 2 computer systems: the Local System on the left is for your computer, while the Remote System on the right is for the portion of the server computer than is assigned for you to use.

  • Look at the left side of the image above.  These are some of the files that are in the Program Files of the computer that the author is this tutorial is using. The files in your computer will be different.
  • Clicking on the green arrow will allow you to navigate through your folders and directories.
  • Now look at the right side of the window.  These are some of the files that belong to the author of this tutorial.  The files in your directory will be different.
  • Clicking on the green arrow will allow you to navigate through your directory here too.
4. Select a file from your computer (the Local System). Click on the file to highlight the file name. 
Now, click the right dotted arrow in the center of the FTP window. 

The file you selected will now be transferred (file transfer!) to the Remote System.  And, that's all there is to it!
 

BUT ... if your transfer experiences problems (such as the right arrow not appearing), a simple adjustment may need to be made in the WS_FTP program.
  • Click on the Options button at the bottom of the window
    options.gif (1530 bytes)
  • Select the Session tab
  • Click next to Use Passive Transfer Mode
  • Now click OK and proceed as usual.
5. To select multiple files to transfer, hold down the control key on your keyboard as you select the files to transfer.
Don't forget -- you must not only transfer the web page you created, but each image file associated with the web page must also be transferred.  This is why it is important to write down the name and location of each file that should be transferred.
6. After your page has been published, click on Close at the bottom left of the window, then Exit the program.  You may want to delay closing the program until you are sure than all of your files have been transferred properly.  If you want to just wait a while before exiting, click the minimize  button in the top right corner of your screen. 
After a few minutes, the FTP program may time out; if this happens, you will receive an error message. This is not a problem.  Just click on Close, then Connect and you will be set to transfer more files.
7. Using your web browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer), check the page that you've just published to the Web.  Remember: when you look at your page, you must click "Reload" or "Refresh" so that the latest version of your page is taken off the server.  If an image is missing, you may want to go through the transfer steps again to be sure that the image was transferred.
8. And that's it! You now have pages on the World Wide Web.
This page is not a publication of The Troy State University System. 
Troy State University has neither edited nor examined the content. 
The author(s) of this  page are solely responsible for the content. 
Suzanne Stokes, Ph.D. 
sstokes@troy.edu
07/25/03