WS_FTP LE - Installation and Configuring

WS_FTP LE has been the most commonly used FTP program; it is both easy to use and was free until Summer 2004 for non-commercial use with a $40 Pro version for other use. However in the summer of 2004, LE was replaced by a Home version for $34.95 with a free 30 day trial. If you want to use this, go to www.ftpplanet.com, click on the right hand side of the screen. Download it to an easily accessible location, for example the desktop or the root directory (top level) directory of the hard drive.  Since the download is only 690K, you can also download it to a floppy.  To install the software, open up Windows Explorer or My Computer and double click on the file you downloaded. 

You need to set up a new profile for the web server to which you want to upload your files.  To set up a profile, proceed as follows:

1) Connect to the Internet.  Start the WS_FTP95 LE program.  Click New to create a new profile.  Enter an appropriate name for your profile -- the name is for your benefit, you can name it anything you want.  It is good idea to name it after the server you will be uploading files to, since you will create a different profile if you use another server. What you enter for hostname, username, and password will depend on where your web site is being hosted:

Transfer of files using WS_FTP LE

a. You can select single files or multiple ones (in the listing, you can select a range of files by selecting the first one, holding down the Shift Key, and selecting the last one; if you only want selected files, hold down the Control Key as you select each file). 

b. The direction of the file transfer is controlled by which arrow you select.  Make sure that the proper directory is showing for the destination.  You can transfer whole directories by responding "yes" when one is asked whether you want to transfer the directory structure.  You can also transfer files by dragging-and-dropping the file from one pane to another or simply by double clicking on the file.  

The effect of double clicking the file can be customized.  I would recommend changing the setting from automatically transferring a file to viewing a file to avoid inadvertently over-writing files.  For example, if the most recent version of your file is on your computer, then accidentally double clicking on the same file on the server would over-write the file on your computer.  To change the setting, select Options, then Advanced.

c. To transfer a file in a folder on your computer, you double click on the folder on the left hand side to open up the folder.  On the right hand side (the server), do the same to open up that folder.  Then select the file on the left hand side, and transfer the file.  You must remember to open up the folder on the destination side else the transferred file will go in the wrong place at the destination.

d. Files are normally displayed alphabetically.  However, if you want to have them sorted by some other attribute, you can click the header over the column.  If for example, you want to transfer all recently-edited files, you can sort the files by date and then select the range of files you want to transfer.  Since the program inserts a log file into whatever directory you are in when a transfer is made, you can transfer all files that have been changed locally since your last transfer just by transferring all files above the log file (assuming the files are sorted in reverse chronological order).  (Note: If you are transferring your files to another server as a backup, and the transfers are not made on the same schedule as to the primary server, this procedure will not work, since the log file is not server dependent).  

4. Editing files - You can edit a file, either on your computer or on the server, by right-clicking on the file and then selecting edit.  However, if you are editing a file on the server, make sure when you are saving the file where the file is going.  If it goes to your computer, as it has when I have tested this feature, you must FTP the file to the server for the server file to be changed.

3) Click OK -- The directory on the left will change to the initial local directory you have specified and the directory listing on the right will change to show what's on the server, if the connection to the server has been made.

5. Directories and folders - You must delete all the files in a folder before the program will let you delete the folder.

Revised: August 29, 2004. Comments to William Pegram, wpegramnvcc.edu