FTP

A How to Guide

Using WS_FTP95
(You can get your own copy for home use here:  WS_FTP95)

• After you have finished editing your webpage, save it to the C-Drive. Remember, if you are editing your home page you MUST save it as default.html (This is essential!!).  Other pages have their own names - be sure to keep track of whether files end in .htm or .html when you are linking to them. 
  
  
• Click on the Start button, Internet Tools, WS_FTP95.
  
  
• When the FTP program is open, go to the Session Properties Box, enter RML05 as the Profile name, enter tiger.scranton.edu as Host Name, enter your tiger/email username, and password.  Before entering your password make sure that the anonymous checkbox is not selected, otherwise your password will be readable. It is recommended that you do not save your password. Don't worry about the rest of the blanks on the screen, they needn't be messed with.
   
  
• Once you are logged in to FTP, the directory on the right side of the screen should be your web directory .  You should automatically be put into your own personal folder NY: [web.student.username].  At your level of web use, you probably won't have subdirectories in your main directory.  If you plan on becoming a "mature" web user, you might consider evolving a folder system to keep things neet  As a beginner, however, we stongly recommend that you leave everything in your defualt directory.  Trust us.  On the right side you'll see a little green up arrow.  That would take you up one directory level to [web.student].  From there you can see the directories of every current student.  You can even click on their folders and look at the names of their files.  You can't delete, or overwrite, any of these files, however, because your password only gives you that power in your own subdirectory.
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• On the left side of your FTP screen all the files on the computer you are working on will be listed.  You may see folders, or drives listed. You also may see an up arrow that works like the one on the right.  Use this system to locate where you saved the page you want to publish. If you forget what folder your file is in, go back to the Netscape editor and re-save the file using the "Save As" option.  In Save As, you should be able to see what directory you're in. 
   
• Once you have the file you want to publish visible on the left side of the screen and the right side is displaying your web account you will be ready to publish.  You can either click on the file and drag it from the "computer" left side to the "web" right side, or you can make sure your file is selected and click on the little arrow in the middle of the screen that points to the right (web side).  This too will will move your file over for you.   Double clicking on your file will open it in a text editor, which you probably don't want to do.   CAUTION-CAUTION-CAUTION!! (that is -  "WARNING WILL ROBINSON!!)  Before you transfer a file, look in the right (web) column an be sure that there is no file name appearing in the little middle window.  If there is a file named there, the file you transfer will be renamed to match the right file name as you transfer and the right file will be overwritten.  This can cause GREAT CONFUSION.  If there is a file name in the little window on the right, make it go away by blocking it and deleting it.  With no name in the window on the right, the file will transfer with the name "god" (you) gave it originally and there will be peace in the valley. 
  
  
• The first time that you work on your home page and publish it, on the right side of the screen next to the file default.html will be a small number 1.  Each time you work on your page and publish it in that session you will see this number go up.  If the number does not go up, and you are sure you are publishing the correct file, you may be experiencing an FTP problem.  Often this problem is caused by the name in the window problem discussed above.  If you can't figure out why FTP isn't working, try closing the program and restarting it once.  If things don't work now, the problem is not in the program, I vote, you probably are not watching all the letters in your file name (skipping the "l" in "html" is a popular fatal error).  Take a deep breath - read every letter in the file name out loud, both before and after the "." and do the same for any link you may be using to get to your file.  If things still don't work stop worrying about it and ask for help - we love to help :)
  
  
• As you publish your page, it is a good idea to check it on the web to make sure your changes are visible to everyone in cyberspace.  The best way to do this is to always have your page open in Netscape, that way when you make a change you can simply hit reload to see if it worked. PLEASE NOTE!!!  If you don't hit reload you will NEVER see your page change no matter how long you sit there looking at it, or how many times you flip between windows.  The web works by loading a page and closing the web connection - as far as your web browser is concerned, it did it's work, the page is loaded, leave me alone!!  You have to hit reload, what else can I say.  Well, one more thing...if you have images on your page, you may need to hit hold down the shift key while clicking reload.  If your changes don't appear after that, you probably didn't publish, and need to check if the left and right sides of the FTP program are where they should be and double-check your file name and link, letter by letter. 
  
  
• At first this may seem like a frustrating process, so don't be afraid to ask for help.  The only way to really master FTP is to keep using it over and over again.  Don't limit yourself to the minimum that is expected of you in Research Methods Lab, add to your home page whatever you would like, this will not only give you practice but also your own little place on the web, where you can express yourself however you like.  
  
  
• Good luck and enjoy your newly learned skill of FTPing.