Publishing Your Web Pages Ann Emmanuel SIUE Web Administrator

Goals for Today b Introduce you to WS-FTP b Show you how to configure WS-FTP b Show you how to actually transfer web pages from your PC to the server and/or from the server to your PC. b Provide other helpful tips for web publishers

What is WS-FTP? Where Do I Get It? b WS-FTP is file transfer protocol software which allows you to transfer the web pages you have developed from your PC to the web server and/or from the server to your PC. b You can download it for free from the SIUE HELPDESK web site:

Configuring WS-FTP b Open up WS-FTP b Before logging in, click on the Startup tab in the Sessions Properties box. åInitial Remote Site Folder should be: /www/YOURDIRECTORY (fill in from your confirmation from me). Note there are no spaces. åInitial Local Folder should be wherever you keep your files: C:\My Documents\ OR A:\ åClick on “Apply”

Startup Preferences

Configuring WS-FTP b Before logging in, click on the General tab in the Sessions Properties box. åProfile name can be anything you like. I use SIUE. åHost name is: cougar.siue.edu åHost type is: Unix (standard) åUser Id is: Your SIUENET id (i.e. aemmanu) åPassword is: Your password (I recommend you not save it)

General Preferences

Configuring WS-FTP åClick on Apply if you are setting up WS-FTP for the first time, or OK if all the settings are OK and you are ready to log in. åClick on the Auto box at the bottom of the screen. åClick on the Options button at the bottom of the page. Select the Extensions tab. Click on the Add button and add: htm, html, and TXT. Click on Apply.

Extension Preferences

Configuring WS-FTP b Once you have set up these preferences, you are set to start up where you want every time you log in.

Using WS-FTP b The left side of the screen reflects what is on your PC. b The right side of the screen reflects what is on the server. b You can sort the files by name or date in either side of the window by clicking on the name or date box for that window. Sorting by date can be helpful in locating all the most recently updated files for transfer.

The FTP screen

Transferring a file b To move a file from the server to your PC:  Determine where you want to put it on your PC and make certain that folder is open in the left window.  Find the file on the server you wish to copy in the right window. Click on it to highlight it, and then click on the arrow that points to the left to transfer it to your PC.

Transferring a file b To move a file from your PC to the server:  Determine where you want to put it within your directory on the server and make certain that folder is open.  Find the file on your PC in the left window that you wish to move to the server. Click on it to highlight it, and then click on the arrow that points to the right to transfer it to the server.

Transferring a File

Before you transfer files…. b Be careful. Double clicking on a file will automatically transfer it. Be careful that you don’t click before you are ready! b Make sure you have a backup copy of your files. Once you’ve overwritten a file on the server or on your PC, you cannot “undo” it. You should always have a backup, just in case!

Before you transfer files…. b If more than one person is responsible for your site, make certain that you have worked out the protocol regarding how the site will be managed. You would generally be best served by downloading the file(s) needing updating from the server, editing them, and sending them back up. That way you know you’re always working from the most current version.

Before you transfer files…. b Make certain that you have the correct file and that you are in the correct directory. b Don’t forget to send your images up to the server along with your text files.

After you transfer files…. b Always check each page you load in your browser to make certain that your page loaded successfully: images, links, etc.

After you transfer files…. b Remember to remove old files from the server if they are no longer being used. Just because you aren’t linking to them does NOT mean they won’t be found by a search engine. Highlight the file and click on Delete. Note that you cannot delete an entire folder if files exist within it. First you’ll have to delete its contents, then the folder itself.

Other things to know... b If you have not configured WS-FTP as we did here today, the default Remote Site will be your personal directory on the server. For example, I would find myself in /staff/aemmanu/. You can use the up arrow button at the top of the window to get to the /www/ directory and then find your departmental site, or use ChgDir and enter the name of your directory.

Other things to know... b You have a 5 minute window of opportunity in which to complete a transfer once you have logged in. If you take more than 5 minutes, you will automatically be logged out. An error message will appear in the lower left corner of the screen. To log back in, simply click on the “Close” button in the lower left corner and then click on it again when it reads “Connect” and log back in.

Other things to know... b Let’s say you transfer a file from your PC and discover it has a typo. You make the correction, and want to transfer the corrected version back up within that 5 minute window of opportunity. Assuming you are still logged into WS-FTP, you MUST click on the Refresh button next to the screen for your Local System to bring the corrected version into WS-FTP, BEFORE you can transfer it. If you don’t you’ll simply resend the old file with its typo.

Other things to know...

b Each web directory is assigned an owner and a group. The owner of a directory and all members of the group, are granted permission to update that directory only. Requests to change directory ownership must come from the department chair. The directory owner can request changes in the group membership. If someone leaves, a request should be made to remove them from the group.

Other things to know... b You can view the ownership and group permissions of any directory by opening the directory in WS-FTP and then clicking on the DirInfo button next to the Remote Site window.

DirInfo Output

Other things to know... b If you have looked at your directory permissions and want to know who belongs to a particular group, your can check that as well.  Telnet to Cougar: Click on Start. Click on Run.  Type in: telnet cougar  Enter  Enter your SIUENET ID (i.e. aemmanu)  Enter

Other things to know...  Enter your password  Enter  Type in: grep groupname /etc/group (i.e. grep wwwadmin /etc/group) Make certain to include the space after grep, and after the name of the group. If you make a mistake typing, you have to depress Control and the Backspace button to back up and correct your error.

Other things to know... b You can change the group permissions for a file you own from the default assigned (i.e. staff) to the one assigned to your directory assuming you are a member of that group.  Telnet to Cougar: Click on Start. Click on Run.  Type in: telnet cougar  Enter

Other things to know...  Enter your SIUENET ID (i.e. aemmanu)  Enter  Enter your password  Enter  Type in: chgrp yourdirectorygroup /www/directory name/filename  Enter  Type in: ls -l /www/directoryname/filename to see that the group has been changed  Type in: chmod 775 /www/directroyname/filename

Other things to know...  Let’s say I want to change a file named search.html in the CWIS directory, where I am the owner, and the current group is “staff”, but I want the group to be wwwadmin. The commands would be: chgrp wwwadmin /www/CWIS/search.html chgrp wwwadmin /www/CWIS/search.html chmod 775 /www/CWIS/search.html chmod 775 /www/CWIS/search.html

Other things to know...  If you make a mistake typing, you have to depress Control and the Backspace button to back up and correct your error.  If you are uncomfortable making this change, you can request that the permissions be updated by sending me an to that effect.