WEB DEVELOPMENT BLOG

June 26, 2006

Uploading files with Dreamweaver (FTP)

Note to users of the main Case Web server (Aurora): As of May 19, 2008 you will upload your files via WebDAV instead of FTP. Learn more about the transition to WebDAV.

Once you've planned your site and organized your files, it is time to start building and uploading your pages. If your site is hosted on Case's main Web server you will do this via FTP (File Transfer Protocol). There are a variety of good inexpensive FTP programs* available, but if you are using Dreamweaver—provided through the software center as part of Macromedia Studio—you can simply use its built-in FTP functionality.

Note: If your site is hosted on a different server, you may be required to transfer files using a different protocol such as WebDav or Secure FTP (SFTP). Check with your administrator for details.

Step One: Define your site

Click on image to enlarge

I recommend doing this when you first start working on your site. In doing so you will provide key information to Dreamweaver that will allow it to better manage your links and other information.

1. Under Dreamweaver's site menu, choose "Manage sites."
2. Click the "New" button and select "site" from the drop down menu. This will open the dialogue box pictured on the right of this page.
3. Making sure you have the "advanced" tab selected, enter a name in the "Site name" box. This can be any name of your choosing.
4. In the "Local root folder" box navigate to the folder on your local computer or network where you are storing your files for this Web site.
5. Check "refresh local file list automatically.
6. In the "Default images folder" box box navigate to the folder within your site folder where you are storing your main images. (Note: You do not have to keep all images in this folder)
7. In the "HTTP: address" box type in the url for your site, such as http://www.case.edu/community/.
8. Check the "enable cache" box.
9. Your site has now been defined, but don't click OK just yet!

Step Two: Define your remote server connection

Click on image to enlarge

This step tells Dreamweaver what protocol to use, the location of your server, and your login and password information.

1. On the left side of the dialogue box select "remote info." This will bring up a different dialogue box.
2. In the "Access" box scroll down and select "FTP."
3. In the "FTP host" box type: wwwftp.case.edu.
4. Leave the "Host Directory" blank unless you are maintaining multiple sites within the same account.
5. In the "login" box type the account name that was assigned to you for this Web account.
6. In the "password" box type the password that was assigned to you for this Web account. Click the "Save password" box.
7. Leaving all the other boxes unchecked, you are now ready to click "OK."
8. This will return you to the first dialogue box. Click Done. When this box is closed the "files" panel will automatically open on either the left or right of your open file.

Uploading ("putting") files to the Web server

1. With the files panel open and set to local view, click the blue button that looks like an electrical plug connecting to an extension cord. This will open your connection to your remote Web server.
2. Select files and folders you would like to upload and push the "Put file(s)" button which is identified as an upward pointing blue arrow.
3. In the drop down menu where it says "Local view," switch to "Remote view" to verify that your files have been uploaded.
4. In your Web browser go to your site to ensure that everything looks right.
5. Note: If you would like to view local and remote files at the same time, simply click the expand collapse button to the far right of the other buttons in the panel screen. It has a blue and green bar on the top and a small right pointing arrow.

Downloading ("getting") files from the Web server

1. Downloading is very similar to uploading. With your connection already open, switch from "local view" to "remote view."
2. Select files and folders you would like to download and push the "Get file(s)" button which is identified as a downward pointing green arrow.

Once you've defined your site, the process is pretty easy. Just upload or download files using the up and down arrows, and you're all set!

*Other popular FTP and related programs

I have used each of the following with good results. If you would like to consider more options, Tucows lists a variety of FTP and related programs that are available either as Freeware or Shareware.

• Fetch (Macintosh FTP client)
• Fugu (Macintosh SFTP, SCP and SSH client)
• Transmit 3 (Macintosh SFTP and FTP client)
• WinSCP (Windows SFTP/SCP client)
• WS_FTP (Windows FTP client)

Stumble It!

Posted by: Heidi Cool June 26, 2006 11:30 AM | Category: Heidi's Entries , How-to , ftp , webdav

Posted by: hac4 (Heidi Cool) June 26, 2006 11:30 AM | Comments (4) | Trackback

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