Free Tutorial from PrillyCharmin.com

FTP ~ File Transfer Protocol

PUBLISHING TO THE WEB... When you upload your HTML files and photos to your web site, this is call "publishing" your files to the web. This is a fairly new term, but it's becoming popular.

And, "Publishing" is an appropriate term because web sites can be compared with books. Web sites use text and photos to communicate ideas, just like books do. In fact, the internet is replacing books and printed materials in many cases, because it costs less and can be updated frequently.

In order to "publish" files online, you need to use an FTP tool of some kind.

Some HTML software programs have a built-in FTP tool that will assist you in "publishing" your files to your web site. A built-in FTP utility is a nice feature.

FrontPage is an older program and doesn't include an FTP utility so you will have to do it yourself. I think it's better to have "Hands On" with FTP transfers anyway. If they make it too easy, then you won't really learn how to do it.

SITEBUILDER SOFTWARE... Yahoo's Site Builder is a full featured program for making web sites. SiteBuilder has an FTP utility built into the program.

However, SiteBuilder says it's web site files can't be used by other HTML programs. So I don't recommend that you download the SiteBuilder software from Yahoo.

I don't understand why any programmer would create a proprietary HTML program. HTML is a simple code language, therefore it should remain universally compatible, in my opinion. You need to be able to work with your web files anywhere and with any text editor or HTML program.

Yet, I've seen a few of these proprietary programs lately. Avoid them. They're trying to get you dependent on their technology, and there's no valid reason for it. Eventually they will figure a way to force you to pay for something that's free everywhere else.

Front Page Express is not a proprietary program. Later versions of Front Page are. I don't recommend them. The early version of Front Page Express that we use, is a straight HTML creator program. The files that Front Page Express creates are compatible with other programs.

~ ~ GeoCities: FTP Tools ~ ~

If you have a GeoCities site, they offer an easy upload utility that is good for newbies. Their Easy Upload works online only. The Easy Upload feature allows you to choose one file at a time, so it's slow going compared with an FTP software program, but the Upload is very easy to use. That's a big advantage.

File Manager is another Yahoo option for GeoCities users. File Manager is GeoCities' FTP utility. This free utility works online only. File Manager does help you manage your GeoCities web site, upload photos and upload files.

~ ~ FileZilla: FTP Software ~ ~

FileZilla is an FTP software program that you install on your own computer. Yahoo recommends this program. It is freeware, and it has a good reputation. The rest of this lesson is about FileZilla.

OBJECTIVE: to download and install FileZilla on your PC. FileZilla does have an automatic install utility, so this installation will be easier than lesson 1.

WHAT IS IT: FileZilla software will transfer files from your computer to your online web site at GeoCities, or other web hosts.

LESSON TIME: Approx. 15 minutes.

PRINT THIS PAGE: You may want to print this instruction page so you can refer to it while you do the installation.

To Download FileZilla to a PC:

Click the Download button.
File Size: 3.62 MB

When the Download Window pops open, click the SAVE button. If you have a DOWNLOAD directory on your computer, then save the file there.

If you don't have a DOWNLOAD directory, then make one now.

Click on the MY DOCUMENTS icon. This window will appear:

You can make a NEW FOLDER if you click the icon at the top of the same window. The blue arrow shows you which icon to select. Click the ICON, and the New Folder will appear in the list. Give the folder a name, such as DOWNLOAD.

Next, select the DOWNLOAD folder that you just made, and click on it to enter that folder. NOW, you can finally click the SAVE button, to save the FileZilla program in your Download folder.

Now the file will begin downloading from the Server.

When the Download is finished, the window will ask what you want to do next. Click on the OPEN FOLDER button.

In the RIGHT SIDE window, you will see the FileZilla_2_2_25_setup.exe. Doubleclick on that file. The installation will begin.

You might get a warning that this is an "unknown publisher." Ignore the warning, it's a standard error message that seems to come up with a lot of these download programs. If you are confident that the source of this file is reputable, then click the RUN button.

The InstallShield Wizard will automatically do all the installation for you from this point on. If the installation asks you any questions, just accept the default options. Allow the program to install the way it wants to.

You can delete the FileZilla_2_2_25_setup.exe file. Or, you can save it. I save my download files in case I need to install the program again at a future time.

Now, go to your computer desktop. You will see the FileZilla icon on the desktop. The program is also on your Start menu. You have just installed FileZilla utility on your computer.

FileZilla is freeware: you are not required to purchase the program.
Yahoo recommends FileZilla for FTP transfers.

~ ~ HOMEWORK ~ ~

If you want to look at FileZilla and get acquainted with it, then load the program and click the HELP button on the top menu bar. Then click on CONTENTS. You will see the option USING FILEZILLA on the list. Click on that to open the list.

Read through the sections on Using FileZilla:
this will give you a good introduction to the program.

Here is the link at GeoCities that lists how to set up your FTP utility so you can load files to your web site: http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/webhosting/gftp/

That link is an extensive tutorial (Question & Answer format.) You will be able to set up and use FileZilla if you go through the list of questions carefully.

You don't need to set up FileZilla quite yet.
At this point we are downloading tools to use in these lessons.