Introduction
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a means by which you can send and receive files over the Internet. Using an FTP "client" program, which runs on your machine, you can connect to an FTP "server" which will allow you to upload and download files. In order for you to change or add content to your homepage, you will need to become familiar with one of the numerous FTP client programs available (WSFTP, CuteFTP, etc.). Windows 95 also comes with an FTP client program which you can use after you install basic networking components. Most shareware/freeware FTP client programs can be found on the World Wide Web, local bulletin board systems, or shareware/freeware CD-ROM compilations. If you find that you are having difficulty locating one of the abovementioned programs, please contact webmaster@wrightsoft.com.
Connecting to our FTP server
In order to upload content to your homepage, you will need to be connected to the Internet, either by an online service (CompuServe, Prodigy, AOL), or through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Once connected, you will need to load your favorite FTP client program, and connect to our FTP server. A procedure for doing this is as follows:
Note: This procedure is independent of any specific FTP client program.
- Enter 204.180.77.84 or chimaera.wrightsoft.com as the address of the FTP server to connect to. This is the IP address of our FTP server.
- Once connected, you will be prompted for your name. Enter the username supplied to you by Wrightsoft, and then hit <ENTER>.
- A prompt for your password will follow. Enter the password supplied to you by Wrightsoft, and hit <ENTER> again. If you forget your password, please contact us so we can issue you a new one.
- If you log in with the correct username and password, the FTP server will tell you that you have logged in successfully. If, however, you type an incorrect username or password, the server will fail to log you in, and you will be disconnected after a short period of time. If you have difficulties in logging in, please report this to webmaster@wrightsoft.com.
Creating and changing directories
Now that you're (hopefully) logged in, you can send files to our server for viewing on your homepage. As soon as you log in, you are placed in a directory called the "document root" of your web site. It is at this point where the web that you create will begin. Initially, there will be no other directories created underneath your document root; however, as you begin to add content to your web, you may find that separating documents from images by putting them each in different directories eliminates any confusion associated with locating a particular file. For sake of example, we will be using WSFTP as our model FTP client program. To create a new directory using WSFTP, click on the "MkDir" option on the right side of the screen (the remote side). A box will appear, asking you to input the name of the directory you'd like to create. A good naming convention would be to name the directory after what type of files you'll be putting in that directory. For example, if the directory is to hold graphics files, you may want to name the directory "graphics". Once you've typed in the directory name, click "OK", and the directory will be created on our FTP server. To change your working directory to the directory you just created, double-click on the directory name, which is in the top window on the right side (remote) of the screen. Your working directory will now be the directory that was just created.
Sending and receiving files
You've just created a new directory. Now let's put some files in it. Using WSFTP as our model FTP client, you will notice that the screen is divided into two sections: the local system, and the remote system. On the local side (left), you will see the drives on your system above, and the files in your local working directory on the bottom. To send a file to our FTP server, you will need to locate the file you want to send on the local system. Changing directories on the local system (your machine) is similar to the remote system; however, the local system lists drives AND directories on the above window, where as the remote system only lists the directories. Once you've located the file you want to send, click on it once to highlight it, and then click on the "Binary" radio button in the middle, to ensure that the file is sent correctly. Generally, ASCII (text) files are sent using the ASCII transfer option, but this could introduce errors if a person were to send a binary file using the ASCII transfer option. In this case, the file would not be sent correctly. Using binary mode, ANY file can be sent, whether it be binary or of ASCII type. So, if binary mode is always chosen, the user can be assured that the file is sent correctly.
Now that you've chosen the file, click on the arrow pointing to the right, and the file will transfer to the remote system. The file will now be visible on the upper right side of the screen.
To receive files, use the same methodology as you did to transfer a file to the remote system. However, you'll need to click the arrow pointing to the left to transfer the remote file to your computer. Also, make sure you're using Binary modem to transfer the file. This will ensure that your file is correctly transferred. Highlight the remote file by clicking on it once, and then click on the arrow pointing to the left. After it has finish transferring, the file should be visible on the bottom left side of the screen (local).
Disconnecting from the FTP server
Most FTP clients give you the option to "Close" connection, or "End" session. Choose one of these if it applies to your program. Otherwise, just exit your FTP client, and the connection will be closed.