Creating a Website: The Missing Manual, 3rd Edition

Transferring Files

Once you sign up for web hosting, you’re ready to transfer some files to your web space. To perform this test, you can use Lee Park’s résumé from the previous chapter (which you can download from the Missing CD page at www.missingmanuals.com/cds/caw3). The final version has the file name resume5.htm.

FTP

Ideally, your web host will provide FTP access. Using FTP, you can transfer groups of files from your computer to the server (or vice versa) in much the same way that you copy files from one folder to another in Windows Explorer or the Mac’s Finder.

Before you can upload files using FTP, you need the address of the FTP server, as well as a user name and password. The latter two usually match your hosting account’s user name and password but not always.

To upload files using FTP, you can use a standalone FTP program. However, in these modern times you probably don’t need to. Windows includes its own built-in FTP browser that handles the task comfortably. Here’s how it works:

1. Open Windows Explorer.

   Right-click the Start button, and then choose Explore.

2. Type the FTP address into the Windows Explorer address bar. Make sure the URL starts with ftp://.

   In other words, if you want to visit ftp.myhost.com, enter the URL ftp://ftp.myhost.com, not http://ftp.myhost.com, which incorrectly sends your computer off looking for web pages.

3. Enter your login information (see Figure 3-11).

   Once you log in, you’ll see your site’s folders and files on the web server; you can copy, delete, rename, ...