KB / FTP / Using FTP clients

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You've installed an FTP program, now how do you use it? Here are some tips for some of the more popular FTP clients.

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Commonly used FTP clients

The following FTP clients are commonly used with DreamHost Web Hosting's FTP services.

Web Based

Windows

Mac OS 9 / Mac OS X

Linux

Linux Console FTP clients


For a detailed list, see the Wikipedia article on FTP clients

How do I show hidden files?

Configuring your FTP client to show hidden files is a process that differs significantly from each FTP client. Instructions for doing so using many popular FTP clients can be found below:

In Dreamweaver

  1. Open up the website that you would like to see the hidden files for, and connect to the remote server
  2. Click on the "drop down menu" button in the top right of the "Files" sidebar
  3. Select "View > Show Hidden Files"

In Filemanager

  1. Go to www.yoursite.com/fileman/fileman.cgi?
  2. Select the 'web' folder
  3. Select Preferences from the tools menu.
  4. Tick the 'File Display' -' Do you want to show hidden files?' checkbox (NB: The directory will refresh showing the hidden files.)
  5. You can then delete / copy / move the file using the Commands menu.

In FileZilla

  1. Choose Settings from the Edit menu.
  2. Select Remote file list under Interface settings in the tree on the left.
  3. Make sure that the Always show hidden files checkbox is checked.

In CuteFTP (not Pro)

  1. Go to Sitemanager.
  2. Choose the connection and click edit.
  3. Make sure filters is checked.
  4. Press the filter button towards the bottom.
  5. Check [Enable remote filters (Server applied filter)]
  6. In the box below add -al
  7. Hit apply, now log in with that connection.

In CuteFTP 8.0

  1. Go to Site Manager.
  2. Highlight your DreamHost connection.
  3. Select the 'Actions' tab.
  4. Click on the filter button towards the bottom.
  5. Check [Enable remote filters (Server applied filter)]
  6. In the box below add -al
  7. Hit apply, now log in with that connection.

In CuteFTP Pro

  1. Go to your "Site Manager"
  2. Right click your DreamHost FTP account that I have created.
  3. Right click on it (Alt+Enter When its Selected) and go to "Properties".
  4. Click the "Actions" Tab at the top of the dialog.
  5. Click the "Filter..." button at the bottom of the dialog.
  6. Click and enable "Enable server side filtering (server appliesfilters)".
  7. In the "Remove filter:" box, type in "-al".
  8. Click "Apply", then "OK".
  9. Re-Connect to your DreamHost FTP server.

In WSFTP

  1. Right click on the connection before logging on, select "properties"
  2. Select the "startup" tab.
  3. Enter "-al" (without quotes) in the Remote file mask field.

In Fetch

  1. Open the Preferences.
  2. Click on the 'Misc' tab
  3. Click on the 'Obscure Options' popup menu.
  4. Check the 'Send LIST -al to UNIX servers'

In BBEdit

  1. Click the checkbox that says 'Show Files Starting with "."'

In Transmit

  1. Open the Preferences.
  2. Click on 'Files' in the Toolbar.
  3. Check the box that says 'Show all Hidden Files."

In FTP Voyager

  1. Select a profile in the FTP Site Profile Manager.
  2. Click on the 'Advanced' button.
  3. Select the category 'Connection'.
  4. Enter "-al" in the Extra LIST Parameter.

In SecureFX

  1. Right click on the connection before logging on.
  2. Select "properties".
  3. Select Category > Options > FTP.
  4. Select the All entries option under Directory Listing Options.

In LeechFTP

  1. Choose Options from the File menu.
  2. Select the Transfers tab.
  3. Change the LIST command field to "LIST -a" (without quotes).

Where do I put my files once I've connected via ftp?

You should see a folder called yourdomain.com. Upload your files there.

If you don't see that folder yet, you probably just have to wait a little bit longer.. but you can also go ahead and just make it yourself in your FTP client (be sure to make it all lowercase, and without the "www."!).

Also, note that the first page you want to be shown when people visit your site (for example, your homepage) should be called index.html, all lowercase. Otherwise, when users connect to yourdomain.com they will see a list of files, rather than your default page.


Can I upload text files with ftp?

Yes!

HTML files are a kind of text, and you definitely need to upload those! Just use auto-detect as the transfer type, or you can select ASCII (which means text) in your FTP program.

Using the Netscape Communicator FTP client.

I have a copy of Netscape Communicator on my computer, and have recently learned that it contains an FTP client that I can use to upload files to my site. Do you recommend its use, and how do I use it?

About Netscape

Netscape Communicator is the de facto standard in which web browsers are judged against. Having been around longer than most of the competition and provided the first web browser to become popular with the general public, Netscape is a tool found in nearly every web designer's arsenal. In fact, even the word 'Netscape' has become a synonym for the web itself.

Many people don't realize, however, that Communicator also features a built in FTP client. Netscape's built in FTP functionality can be used to upload files to your Dreamhost account.

Limitations

However, note that Netscape's FTP client is not recommended for more than the occasional site update, as it is missing features considered essential for a fully functional FTP client. In particular:

     1. You cannot delete files or directories.      2. You cannot rename or move files or directories.      3. You cannot change file/directory permissions.      4. You cannot batch-download files.

As such, Netscape's FTP functionality is not recommended for daily use beyond the occasional update to an existing page.

The Plus Side

On the other hand, Netscape does have some redeeming factors for an FTP client. First, it is almost guaranteed to be on any machine connected to the Internet. If you are using someone else's computer and need to make a simple update to your site, you won't need to download and install a brand new FTP client. Second, it is available for just about every conceivable operating system you may use. From the MacOS to Windows, even for Linux or any number of Unix derivatives, a version of Netscape that can run on your platform may be found. With the open-source Mozilla project in effect, you may soon see Netscape available for an even wider set of platforms such as the BeOS or Amiga. A limited port to MS-DOS is even underway.

Using Netscape FTP

For the purposes of this article, I have used screenshots from the Mac version of Netscape Communicator v4.5. Note that older versions of Netscape or versions for other operating systems may be slightly different.

To connect to your site, type your username and domain into the location bar of your browser in the following form:

     ftp://username@mydomain.com/

...where 'username' is your username. Remember, your username is case sensitive, so you will need to ensure that you have typed your username in with the proper mix of upper and lower case letters. When finished, hit return. You will presented with the following dialog:

<img src="./images/illustrations/netscape-ftp_ex1.gif" ALT="netscape-ftp_ex1.gif" BORDER=0>

Here, you will be prompted for your password. Type it in and hit return again. As with your username, ensure that it is typed with the proper mix of upper and lower case letters. Your Dreamhost account passwords are case sensitive.

If you receive a message stating that authentication has failed, you can attempt to log on again. Otherwise, you will be presented with a directory listing of your account's root directory.

<img src="./images/illustrations/netscape-ftp_ex2.gif" ALT="netscape-ftp_ex2.gif" BORDER=0>

Within your directory, you will be presented with a listing of its contents. If you wish to open a directory, simply click on its name in the listing.

Uploading Files

To upload a file, make sure you are currently within the directory that you wish to upload into, then select the 'Upload File...' command from your File menu. You will be prompted to locate the file you wish to upload. Once you have made your choice, your file will be sent to the server.

Note that if you upload a file into a directory containing a file with the same name, the older copy will be replaced. This is usually how updates work. You should always keep a current copy of your site on your local hard-drive to prevent unnecessary data loss.

Retrieved from "http://wiki.dreamhost.com/KB_/_FTP_/_Using_FTP_clients"
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