Uploading & Downloading Files

Please choose from the following questions.

  1. Do I need to know FTP?
  2. How do I use FTP using CompuServe?
  3. Does your site support multiple WWW pages on the same directory?
  4. How often can I upload my revised HTML pages and what is a cost of each upload?
  5. How many people would have access to upload and/or edit html files per account?
  6. Can I break them my pages down into sub directories?
  7. How many FTP sites come with the starting package?
  8. Does each of my Home page clients need separate FTP sites?
  9. Do we use standard HTML to design Home pages or a special format?
  10. Are FTP uploads the only way to get a file there?
  11. Can I create my own disk-library structure ?
  12. Am I 'limited' on changing files, etc.?
  13. How do I transfer files to your server?
  14. I would like information on how I will set up my Web HTML pages, and any other requirements as well.
  15. How do I upload my "index.html" with the four letter extension when my PC will only allow me to add a three letter extension.
  16. If a user accesses a large 200 k gif and then cancels it after 5 k are received will it show up in the logs and then the stats as a 200 k transfer?
  17. I uploaded a known good file to the public_html. I logged onto to my WWW page and downloaded it to verify that it worked. The file now had errors. Why did a good upload resulted in a bad download.
  18. Can I copy files from my local Web directory to my FTP directory?
  19. What, if any, files do you want to start or will you put a dummy in the directory for me to overwrite?
  20. I made some directories by accident and the server will not allow me to delete them. What's the deal with that?
  21. How do I delete files in Fetch?
  22. Is there a way for anonymous users to upload files?
  23. How do I get my web pages to the server?
  24. Can I use to Telnet to edit my web pages?
  25. How should I upload JPG files using FTP?
  26. I usually upload documents with rz command from terminal mode. Can I upload my documents in this way?
  27. Does your Web/FTP site support the anonymous FTP function needed to download files?
  28. What is the path to my ftp directory?
  29. Is there a way to download files without anonymous FTP?

Do I need to know FTP?

If you want to sign up for a Self Serve account you need to know how to use FTP. It usually isn't all that complicated. Ask a friend or lab assistant that knows. Take the time to learn about FTP, it is an investment in yourself.
 

How do I use FTP using CompuServe?

The CompuServe software supports FTP. Go ahead and try it. Open an non anonymous FTP session with the server you are on, for example, thor.he.net. When it prompts you for an account name and password enter your account name and password. If you have trouble read the manual to figure it out or ask their technical support.

Does your site support multiple WWW pages on the same directory?

Yes.

How often can I upload my revised HTML pages and what is a cost of each upload?

As often as you like, when you like. Each upload generates traffic equivalent to one hit on the document involved.

How many people would have access to upload and/or edit html files per account?

As many people as have the account name and password and know how to use FTP or telnet.

Can I break them my pages down into sub directories?

Yes.

How many FTP sites come with the starting package?

Each account comes with one Web directory and one anonymous FTP directory.

Does each of my Home page clients need separate FTP sites?

Typically, anonymous FTP is used for large files, such as demonstration software etc. If you client isn't going to have any special files to download they won't need to use the FTP directory.

Do we use standard HTML to design Home pages or a special format?

You use whatever format you want in your pages. However, most browsers won't understand anything but standard HTML, or Netscape-enhanced HTML, so we suggest you use one of these two formats...

Are FTP uploads the only way to get a file there?

It's the primary way, but there are work arounds.

Can I create my own disk-library structure ?

You can create any structure of directories you want.

Am I 'limited' on changing files, etc.?

No. You can change files as often and as many times as you like.

How do I transfer files to your server?

You use FTP.

I would like information on how I will set up my Web http pages, and any other requirements as well.

When you sign up for an account you receive basic instructions.

How do I upload my "index.html" with the four letter extension when my PC will only allow me to add a three letter extension.

You have two solutions at your disposal to resolve this:

1. Get a fully functional FTP client for Windows (I am assuming you are using windows) which allows you to set the destination file name. There are several free FTP clients that support this.

2. Telnet to the server you are on, for example, thor.he.net. Log in using your account name and password and type:

cd public_html

mv index.htm index.html

If a user accesses a large 200 k gif and then cancels it after 5 k are received will it show up in the logs and then the stats as a 200 k transfer?

Only the actual data transferred, in this case 5 k.

I uploaded a known good file to the public_html. I logged onto to my WWW page and downloaded it to verify that it worked. The file now had errors. Why did a good upload resulted in a bad download?

The file was probably uploaded with your FTP client in text mode. This does CR-LF to LF translation. (DOS to Unix text translation.) Don't do this. If you use a command line FTP client, be sure to type "binary' before sending up files for download. If you are using a client like WS_FTP, be sure you select the binary transfer option. With WS_FTP, you do this by clicking on the circle near the word "Binary".

Can I copy files from my local Web directory to my FTP directory?

Yes, but you should know it makes no difference to the FTP client where you are putting your file as long as you have write permission.

What, if any, files do you want to start or will you put a dummy in the directory for me to overwrite

We prefer you install your pages as soon as possible. All new accounts are created with a temporary home page.

I having trouble putting a file in /pub/myaccount directory via FTP. I get a response of access denied. Is this something I should be able to do?

You need to FTP non anonymously. Log in with your account name and password. (if your FTP client does not prompt you for your account name and password, you are using anonymous FTP, quit and start again with the appropriate options for the FTP client you are using.)

I made some directories by accident and the server will not allow me to delete them. What's the deal with that?

You may be having trouble because if you using telnet or a text based FTP client you have to put quotes around the filename.

Also, you may be having trouble because you need to delete the files inside the directory first or you might be having trouble because you typed the name wrong.

How do I delete files in Fetch?

After connecting to the site with your account name and password using Fetch:
  1. Select the file or directory. Choose "Delete File or Directory" from which ever menu it is in. It will delete the currently selected file. This is the technique to use because it avoids you having to type in the name again.
  2. Choose "Delete File or Directory" from the menus. Then you have to type in the file or directory name. This way leads to problems with incorrect names.

Is there a way for anonymous users to upload files?

We don't currently support incoming directories due to the legal and security risks.

How do I get my web pages to the server?

To get your Web pages to the server your going to have to use FTP. When it prompts you for a name and password, enter YOUR account name and YOUR password. (This will put you in YOUR home directory).

Once you have finished this then you are going to have to send you html files to the server. (I'm not sure what FTP client you are using, so I'm not sure of the commands you will use)

Select the files on the local machine (Your machine) and click on Send This should send the file from your machine onto the server.

Can I use to Telnet to edit my web pages?

Yes. As for working on your Web pages on the server. I would recommend using the "pico" editor. Just type pico yourfilename your options are listed at the bottom of the screen.

How should I upload JPG files using FTP?

Some FTP clients don't know file is binary and not text and so they do carriage return to line feed translation (changing the value of certain bytes to new values) on your image. Which damages it.

If you are using a text based FTP client (like through FTP) type binary. Otherwise select binary or raw data transfer.

I usually upload documents with rz command from terminal mode. Can I upload my documents in this way?

Yes.

Am I correct in assuming that people will view my pages using http, but will be able to download my demos using ftp? If this is so, do I have to place the download software anywhere special? Or do I simply use ftp:// in the tag which references them?

As noted in your account information:

Your FTP directory is:

/home/ftp/pub/accountname

Files that you put there will can be retrieved via anonymous FTP using the URL:

ftp://servername/pub/accountname

Where servername is the server your account is on (for example, thor.he.net) and accountname is your account. Note this is different than your public_html directory.

Does your Web/FTP site support the anonymous FTP function needed to download files?

Yes, you get your own anonymous FTP directory with any of our accounts.

What is the path to my ftp directory?

/home/ftp/pub/accountname

Make sure to replace where it says "accountname" with the name of your account.

Is there a way to download files without anonymous FTP?

You can also transfer your .EXE's as files via HTTP but it isn't as efficient. Since most web browsers support FTP URLs you can have your Web documents (in your Web directory on our system) refer to your FTP files (in your anonymous FTP directory on our system).

FTP can be more efficient that HTTP for transferring files because some implementations support on the fly compression and decompression.