The transfer of files or Web pages to the Web server is usually done with FTP. A simple version of FTP comes with Windows, however it requires you to work at the command or DOS prompt. This can be challenging. If you are interested in command-prompt FTP, be sure to look at the FTP at Command Prompt section of this page.
Most people use a commercial program with a graphical user interface. There are several easy-to-use FTP programs that can be downloaded from the Internet for a free evaluation period. A Web search for Free FTP programs displays dozens of good hits. One popular program is CuteFTP at http://www.globalscape.com. If you go to this site, you can download a trial version of CuteFTP.
You can learn more about FTP by opening the Internet
Explorer, then click
FTP allows you to store documents on a remote Web server. Some colleges provide limited server space for their students. Most Internet Service Providers provide you with one to five megabytes of free storage space to host your own Web site. This means you can post your personal resume, portfolio projects, and Web pages to your college or ISP site.
The following exercises use CuteFTP to demonstrate transferring files to a Web server. But first you must configure your program so that it knows the address of the FTP site, as well as your user name.
1. Open your FTP program.
2. Choose File, Site Manager.
3. Click New to add a new FTP site.
4. Enter the name for the Web site, the site address, your
user name, and your password. For
Some sites allow you to log on anonymously; that is, you can download whatever you want, but you probably do not have create and delete rights.
5. Save the changes, if there is a Save option. Click
Connect if there is a connect button. Click OK if necessary to view your
site.
You should be able to see your local computer in the local window on the left, and the remote site should appear in the opposite remote window on the right.
Note: If you have previously configured a different site, and it has been set as the default connection, you will be asked if you want to break the current connection. Click Yes.
Note: If a dialog box appears asking for a User Name, it is probably because you did not enter the correct user name or password when you created a new site in the Site Manager.
6. Once you can see your remote site, exit your FTP program.
Your settings should be automatically saved for the next time you use your FTP program.
Once you have access and a connection to a Web Server, transferring files is not very difficult. You can use FTP at Command Prompt, or you can use a commercial program, such as CuteFTP, which is described in the following exercise.
1. Open the Windows Explorer and select your file.
2. Open your FTP program.
There are usually two panes. (CuteFTP help refers to these panes as Windows.) One window or pane (typically on the left side) is for your local drive or folder, and the other window or pane (typically on the right side) is for your remote folder.
3. In the local window, browse to the correct local folder,
in this case the folder where your student files are located.
4. In the remote window, browse to the correct remote folder.
Note: If your remote window does not show the remote site, you may have to reconnect. Depending on the FTP program that you are using, one way to do is to choose File, Reconnect.
5. Drag your file from the local window to the remote window.
This transfers the file. You may also be able to just double-click the file in the local window to send it to the remote window. A status indicator shows the file transfer progress, and when it is done the transfer is complete.
6. Exit your FTP program, if your file is now displayed in the remote window.
Note: Some FTP programs do not permit the transfer of open files. It this is the case, close the file and try to transfer it again.
7. Open your browser, and open your FTP Web site.
8. Double-click your file, and confirm that it has been successfully transferred.
9. Exit your browser.
If you do not want to purchase a commercial FTP program or download evaluation software from the Internet, you can use FTP from the command prompt to upload your files and Web pages. The process is technical, but not difficult. First, you must go to the command prompt: Click Start, choose Run, and in the Open box, enter command (Windows 95 & 98) or cmd (Windows NT & 2000). It is easier if you begin by changing directories to the source folder; this is done using the CD command. Then you log on to your Web server with the FTP command. If you want you can display a list of available commands by simply typing ?. Finally, you use the send command to transfer the desired a Web page to the server. The following shows an actual FTP session.
C:\>CD
xpCollab
C:\xpCollab>DIR
Volume in drive C is WINTERSGW
Volume Serial Number is 7654-5555
Directory of C:\xpCollab
2 File(s) 77,091 bytes
4 Dir(s) 32,080,592,896 bytes free
C:\xpCollab>ftp
home.tampabay.rr.com
Connected to home.tampabay.rr.com.
220 home.tampabay.rr.com NcFTPd Server
(licensed copy) ready.
User
(home.tampabay.rr.com:(none)): wintersf
331
User wintersf okay, need password.
Password:
230-You
are user #21 of 250 simultaneous users allowed.
230-
230
Restricted user logged in.
ftp>
?
Commands
may be abbreviated. Commands are:
! delete literal prompt send
? debug ls put status
append dir mdelete pwd trace
ascii disconnect mdir quit type
bell get mget quote user
binary glob mkdir recv verbose
bye hash mls remotehelp
cd help mput rename
close lcd
open rmdir
ftp>
send ResumeWebPage.htm
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection.
226
Transfer completed.
ftp:
32432 bytes sent in 0.02Seconds 1621.60Kbytes/sec.
ftp>
quit
221
Goodbye.
C:\xpCollab>