Web Site FAQ















Connecting to my ISP's FTP server

To connect to your ISP's FTP server you will need to know the correct server address, and you will need to type this in the New Connection Dialog (see Server... New Connection or click the toolbar short cut).

This may or may not be their publicly accessible server which will normally have an address similar to 'ftp.ispname.com'. It is however common to replace the 'ftp...' part of the address with some prefix to let you know that it is their FTP server for web pages. If you are in any doubt check with your ISP.

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Specifying a username and password

You will have to provide a username and password to access the FTP server. You can type this in the relevant fields of the New Connection Dialog. You will not be able to connect using the anonymous login to access your account on the FTP server.

Your username and password is normally the same unsername and password that you use to connect to the Internet using your ISP's dial up connection. If in doubt your ISP will be able to tell you.

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Navigating around your site

When you login to your ISP's FTP server you will most likely be automatically placed in your own private web directory. This is normally all that will be visible to you (apart from the root i.e. the computer icon).Within your own directory you will normally be able to create subdirectories as required.

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Uploading your web site

If your site is small or all your files are contained in one directory on your own computer, then the directory you will need to upload your site to is the first directory on the remote server (your are normally placed there automatically).

If your site is made up of a number of subdirectories then you will need to replicate the local directory structure on the remote server. You can then drag and drop files between the relevant directories. The simplest way to upload the complete file tree structure is to use the directory drag drop option. Whether your site has subdirectories or not, in almost all cases your home page should be called index.html (or index.htm) and must be placed in the first directory on the server.

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Uploading using directory drag drop

If your site is quite large or has a number of subdirectories you can drag the complete directory structure in one operation.

There are two important things to remember. 1) Make sure that the name of the first directory of your local copy is given exactly the same name as the name of the first directory on your ISP's server. 2) Drag the first directory of your local copy to the root (i.e. the computer icon). If you do not you will create your web site one directory down from where it should be. This works in exactly the same way as Windows Explorer so try some directory drag drop operations on your own computer first if you are unsure.

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I've uploaded my pages but I can't view them, why?

If you can see all the files that make up your web site in the remote FTP Site view of Terrapin FTP Browser then you have successfully uploaded your site. If you still cannot view your pages with a web browser consult your ISP, but here are four common reasons for this:

1) You have not named your home page index.html, or;
2) index.html has not been put in the first directory on the server.
3) There may be some time delay for the update to take effect.
4) Your ISP may have some special procedure that 'switches on' your web site.

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Why don't my images display?

If your image files have been uploaded successfully (i.e. you can see them in the remote FTP Site view of Terrapin FTP Browser) then assuming your image files are of the correct format, (normally .gif or .bmp) then the only reason why they will not display is that the URL is incorrect. The first thing to check is that you have uploaded the graphics to the correct directory.

If you have used relative URL's and could see your images when you viewed the page locally, the most common reason for them not displaying on the site are CaSe IsSUeS. It is most likely that your web pages are hosted on a UNIX computer, UNIX is case sensitive. Make sure all the file names and the URL's to the image files are written in lower case.

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Why don't my HyperText links work?

As with image display problems, the only reason for links not to work is incorrect URL's. If you have used relative links to your other pages and these work when you test your page locally then make sure all the URL's and the files they link to are written in lower case.

If case is not the issue then there may be a more fundamental inaccuracy in the URL. One other common reason for links not working is that the page to which the link goes to is not in the correct directory as specified by the URL. The document "Maintaining a web site" subheading 'Use relative URL's' may help.

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