3.9.6.2 Uploading Large Files Using FTP
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and it is a means of transfering files between computers on a network or uploading them to the Internet. The file manager that is built into the Bistro editor allows you to upload most files directly. It does have a file size limit. This means that larger files (over 10MB) will have to be uploaded using FTP. If you have many images, documents or media files to upload to your website, you may choose to upload them via FTP because it allows you to quickly transfer multiple files.
To upload files using FTP, you must access the actual online files that make up your website. To do this you need an FTP software application. While there are a number of them available, this tutorial will focus on one commonly used FTP software called FileZilla. FileZilla is a freeware, so you can download it and use it free.
Download FileZilla from SourceForgeNet at http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/ and install it on your computer. Once you have downloaded and installed FileZilla, you can use the program to upload your files to your website by following the instructions in this tutorial.
Note 1: You will need the FTP address for your site as well as the FTP login name and password for your site. This information is typically provided by whoever is hosting your website, or by your website designer or developer.
Note 2: If you have difficulty connecting to your website with FileZilla, please make sure that your local internet settings (firewall, anti-virus, IE Internet Options Security Settings, etc.) are not blocking you from connecting to the server on Port: 21.
1. Launch FileZilla to open the main file transfer screen. The main elements of this screen are
- the local folder tree (framed in teal) on the left (in this case, the files to be uploaded are contained in a folder called my_website on the local computer)
- the selected folder content (in the green frame) also on the left and below the local folder tree (shows everything contained in the folder called my_website which is highlighted above)
- the empty white space on the right will show the file tree of your website (called the remote site) once you connect
- the empty white space across the bottom of the screen is the window where your upload progress is tracked once you begin uploading your files
Note 3: Once you are more familiar with FileZilla, you may choose to customize the view and program windows to suit your preferences.
2. To set up FileZilla to connect to your website, click on the small computer icon on the far left of the menu bar at the top of the main screen (red arrow on previous image) and the Site Manager window will open.
3. Click on the New Site button (red arrow above) and enter a name for the new connection settings in the text box (underlined in red above). You can enter any name here - it is just something for you to call this website as you transfer files.
4. Complete the connection details (red arrows above) including the following:
- Host name - this is your FTP address (please NOTE - NO "www" or "http" goes in front of the domain name - instead you enter "ftp" as the prefix to the address).
- Server Type - set to FTP
- Logontype - set to Normal
- Username and password as provided by your host or website designer/developer
If you are not working from your own computer, or you are using a shared computer and don't want anyone else to have access to your website files, select the option "do not save password" (underlined in blue above). Once you're sure the settings are correct click the Save and Exit button.
5. You will be returned to the main program window where you can select your website and connect by clicking the small arrow next to the computer icon at the top left of the screen and picking the name you gave your website from the drop-down menu.
6. Once your connection is established, you will see the folders of your website (remote site) on the right side of the screen (below).
These folders include:
- your website main directory (called public_html if you are hosted on a cPanel type server, or httpdocs if your host server uses PLESK), and
- various system folders.
Note 4: When working with a Bistro website, you will be uploading your files to a specific file located within your website files called /public_html/admin/sources/editor/assets
Note 5: Do not upload files or make any modifications to the system folders or you may damage your website structure.
Connected to website on a cPanel server
Connected to website on a PLESK server
7. The images in this tutorial illustrate uploading website design files into the main folder of your website. The principles for uploading other files are the same.
- To find the folder (/public_html/admin/sources/editor/assets) where you will upload images, media files and documents for linking to on your Bistro website, first open your main website directory (public_html or httpdocs) by double-clicking on the folder icon by that name.
- Continue to double click on the folder names as identified above until you reach the assets folder.
- Once the assets folder is open, you will see any image files, media files and documents that have been previously uploaded to your website.
- Follow the same steps detailed below to upload your new files - using the open assets folder as your target
8. Find the files you want to upload on your local machine by moving through the folder tree on the left side of your screen.
- highlight the files you want to upload
- drag-and-drop them into the target folder in the window on the right side of your screen.
You can watch the transfer process in the window at the bottom of your screen
If the upload has been completed successfully, you will see that copies of your uploaded files have appeared in the right window of your screen.
If they do, congratulations! You have successfully uploaded your files.
9. If you want to upload revised versions of these files at a later date, just follow the same process and confirm when prompted to OVERWRITE the file with the same name on the server.
NOTE 6: Once you OVERWRITE a file by uploading a new version with the same name, the original file cannot be retrieved from the website. Please make sure that you really want the new file to overwrite the old file before you click OK.
10. Once you have finished uploading your large files, close your connection to the website by clicking on the close connection icon as indicated by the red arrow below.
- You can then close the FileZilla program by clicking on the red X in the top right corner of the FileZilla main screen.
