This document is designed for user new, or relatively new, to transferring
files using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). It is also intended for users
inexperienced with installing and configuring an application for
Microsoft Windows.
This document is designed for user new, or relatively new, to transferring
files using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). It is also intended for users
inexperienced with installing and configuring an application for
Microsoft Windows.
This document assumes you have the following installed on your PC:
This document additionally assumes you can do the following:
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is used to transfer files between
networks. A transfer requires both a FTP client and a FTP
server. A FTP client request a file from a server and
subsequently "takes delivery" of the process. A client can also
tell a server that it is going to send a file and the server
receives the file.
Web browsers such as Netscape and Mosaic allow the transfer of a
file from a remote server to you PC. There are limitations when
using a Web browser for FTPing since not all capabilities are
supported. Web browsers only allow "anonymous" downloading. An
anonymous FTP session is used when you do not have an account on
the remote network.
There are times when you want to perform an upload to an network
on which you have an account. An example of this use is
uploading HTML documents to directory your Internet provider has
designated so that they are available for publishing on the Web.
This document will provide detailed instructions for installing
and configuring a full-featured FTP client on your Windows ready
PC. Using this FTP program requires that you have the ability to
directly connect to the Internet using a SLIP/PPP or pseudo-slip
connection. If you are already using a Web browser such as
Netscape, Microsoft Explorer, or Mosaic you qualify.
Before starting the download and installation process, create a
dedicated directory on your PC to hold the downloaded file. I
would suggest C:\JUNK. You may of course use another drive or
directory. After the installation, you may delete the directory
and all its contents.
The file to be download is compressed using PKZIP.
You will need a program called PKUNZIP to uncompress the program
files. I'm assuming you already have PKUNZIP.
We are going to be downloading a program called WS_FTP. The program
has consistently been rated the best FTP client program available.
It was written by John
A. Junod, a master sargeant in the U.S. Army. John has also
written some other winsock software which is described on his
home page.
There are three versions of WS_FTP, a 16 bit version, a 32 bit
for win32 or Windows NT, and a 32 version for Windows 95.
The 32 bit version has more features and is more
desirable since it contains features not found in the 16 bit
version. In order to use the 32 bit version you must be running
a 32 bit operating system such as Windows 95 or Windows NT. You may
also use the 32 bit version if you have WIN32S installed on your
system. All three versions are contained in a single downloadable
file. You will select the appropriate version during installation.
If you are running a 32 bit operating system or you know for sure
you have WIN32S installed, skip to the Installation
section below.
If you have installed Mosaic, you have WIN32S. If you have ever played
Free Cell on your computer you also have WIN32S installed.
If you are using Netscape, or another Web browser,
you may not have WIN32S installed. If your not sure click on one of the anchors
that follow. The first tests for WIN32S on Drive C: while the second tests for
WIN32S on Drive D:
The first test for file:///c:/windows/system/win32s/
The second test for file:///d:/windows/system/win32s/
There is also a possibility you WIN32S files may be in a different directory
if you have installed Window for Workgroups. Try C:\WFW\SYSTEM.
If you get an error from both tests, you do not have WIN32S installed. On
the other hand, if you receive a listing of the directory from one of the tests
you do have WIN32S in place and can use the 32 bit version of WS_FTP.
Click here to test for WIN32S pn Drive C:
Click here to test for WIN32S pn Drive D:
The next step is to download the program to a dedicated directory
you created to on your hard drive.
You can get additional information, or
download the programs
directly from the authors home page.
Escape to DOS and make your download directory the default, let's assume
C:\FTP. If you downloaded WS_FTP32.ZIP enter:
C:\FTP> pkunzip ws_ftp32
After unzipping, a directory listing should produce something like:
Volume in drive C is DISK2_VOL2
Volume Serial Number is 632C-555B
Directory of C:\JUNK
. <DIR> 10-13-96 12:18p
.. <DIR> 10-13-96 12:18p
WS_FTP32 ZIP 499,360 11-19-96 6:17p
COMMON TXT 4,404 04-23-96 1:42p
COMPLETE WA_ 12,106 07-13-95 11:00p
CONNECT WA_ 14,354 08-19-95 8:33a
ERROR WA_ 9,996 04-10-95 9:30p
INST32 EXE 144,896 08-21-96 12:15p
INSTALL EXE 112,736 08-21-96 1:00p
LICENSE WRI 7,680 05-05-96 9:43p
PRORDER WRI 4,608 05-08-96 2:32p
WHATSNEW TXT 11,241 08-21-96 12:53p
WS_FTP EX_ 240,592 08-21-96 1:03p
WS_FTP HL_ 48,020 05-14-96 4:20p
WS_FTP IN_ 1,941 08-20-96 6:28p
WS_FTP TXT 6,557 05-14-96 3:19p
WS_FTP32 EX_ 308,736 08-21-96 12:53p
WS_FTP95 EX_ 337,920 08-21-96 11:59a
18 file(s) 5,797,829 bytes
110,247,936 bytes free
The next step is the actual installation. From the Windows Program
manager click on File. Next, click on Run. As the command line
entry input:
C:\JUNK\INSTALL
If you used a different directory name, substitute it above.
The first thing you will see is licensing agreement. Read it
carefully and click on the appropriate button. You are then
prompted for a directory that will become the permanent home for
WS_FTP. The default is C:\WSFTP but you may change the default if
you like. Next, you are prompted for a primary download directory.
The default is the same directory you selected in the previous step.
You will usually select a download directory -- which overrides
the default -- in your session
profile selection so don't be concerned with this entry.
The next step presents a dialog
box with three check boxes. If you're using Windows95, select the
lower box since it installs the special Winodows95 version. You can
actually install all three versions if you like. When you click
on OK, the installation program does its thing.
After determining the installation was successful you
may delete the temporary directory and all its files. The DOS
command to do this would be:
deltree C:\JUNK
At this point, WS_FTP is ready to fly. However, configuring the program for
frequently contacted sites will make FTP life almost painless. Double click on
the newly installed icon to bring up the program. When you start the program for
the very first time you are place in the Session Profile dialog box.
A profile is a set of preconfigured information used when you wish to establish
a FTP session with a specific site. The very first time you start WS_FTP it
bring up the Session Profile dialog box with its own home site as the
profile. This link points to
A screen shot of the actual Sessions Profile page. It's
6K.
Clicking on OK results in a connection with the FTP machine at the
United State Military Academy at West Point. This specific profile, WS_FTP
comes preconfigured with a bunch of popular FTP sites preconfigured, uses
anonymous FTPing. With anonymous FTPing you enter "anonymous" is
response to a request for a "user name" and your e-mail address if response
to a request for a password. "guest" as shown in the sample, as well as
a password in the form "you-user-id@" frequently works but your full e-mail
address will always work for anonymous login.
Many people are perfectly content doing their FTPing using Netscape or some
other Web browser. However, along comes the prospects of uploading files for
a you own home page and the deficiencies of browser FTPing soon becomes
obvious.
A profile can be a big help since all the information normally entered during
a FTP session is stored and available at the click of a mouse. Let's build a new
profile
You can start a profile by clicking on the New button. If you
are building a new profile containing much the same information in
an existing profile, you can just edit the necessary fields. Let's
assume we are going to build a profile to use when uploading files
to our Internet providers Web server machine. In this example, I'll
include an actual example for each entry used in parent parenthesis.
First, click in the Profile Name field and enter a profile
nickname. (acy) In the Host Name field, enter your provider's
domain name. (acy.digex.net) In the Host Type field enter
operating system type if you know what it is, otherwise, leave it on
Automatic Detect. If Automatic Detect does not work try (Unix
Standard) since most Internet FTP servers are on Unix machines. If
that does not work, try Microsoft NT since may Internet Service
Providers are running Windows NT. Enter the user name you use when
logging onto the system in the User ID field. (levelness) Enter
your actual password in the Password field.
(surely-you-jest) Leave the Account field blank.
In the Remote Host field enter the actual path name supplied by your
Internet provider. This is where you upload your home page documents.
The path name usually contain your user login name and
frequently public_html. (/ftp/lejeune/public_html) If you keep all your home
page files in a designated directory on your PC (a really good idea) enter the
path in the Local PC field. Make sure the Anonymous Login
check box is unchecked and the Save Password and
Auto Save Config check boxes are both checked. Click on Save and
you've just build your first profile. Click on OK to start the connections
bringing up the standard FTP dialog box. as shown below. A screen shot of
the Actual WS_FTP Dialog Box. It's 15K.
When transferring files I like to be prompted for destination file name,
especially when doing home page related transferring. HTML document files
stored on your PC with an HTM extension should be transferred with an html
extension if being transferred to a Unix system. To have the system prompt
for a remote file name each time (with the local file name being the default
prompt) first, click on the Options button on the bottom line
of the screen. Within the Options dialog box click on the
Sessions Option button. Within the Session Option dialog
box check the Prompt for Destination check box. Click on
Save in the Sessions Option dialog box and click on
Exit in the Options dialog box.
In the main dialog box the Local System path and file names appear on the
left side of the screen, your PC in this case. The remote system's
directories and file names appear on the right side, your Internet
provider's system in this example. A file to be transferred must be
highlighted. Click on the file name to activate. Next, click on an arrow
in the center of the screen. The direction of the arrow shows the direction
of file transfer. Clicking on an arrow bring up the dialog for naming the
transfers file if you used the example convention shown above. Multiple
files can be selected for transfer. If you want to transfer an entire
directory, or a group of files grouped together, click on the first file
Files and drag the pointer to the last file while holding the left mouse
button down. You can also hold the Ctrl key down, and while holding it down,
click on the files you wish to transfer. When you are finished FTPing,
click on the Close button -- the first one on the left of the
button bar. After closing the connection the name on the button will change
to Connect. Clicking on Connect brings up the Session
Profile dialog box allowing selection of an existing profile
or the creation of a new one.
In this document, I've tried to present a basic survival guide to WS_FTP. Most
of the main dialog's buttons are self-explanatory. The program has many
features not described in this document. Try out different things. The program's
online help is excellent.
Author
The tutorial was prepared by
Urb LeJeune,
ATS's president and resident nerd. If you have any problems with this
tutorial we wouldn't be surprised. Please tell Urb yourself! He gets
mad when we "drop the bomb."
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