What is WS-FTP and How Do I Use It?

Note: Due to the lack of security features, USM Computing will soon be ending its support for the WS-FTP LE application. We encourage USM web publishers to switch to Filezilla for secure transfer of files to and from the USM web server. Learn how to access and configure Filezilla.

What is WS-FTP?

WS-FTP is the program used to send web files from your hard drive to the web server, and to copy them from the web server to your hard drive. It works, in essence, as a 'middleman' in charge of transferring files back and forth.

How do I use it?

Provided below are step-by-step instructions on how to use WS-FTP. If you have questions regarding the use of WS-FTP, you can contact the Help!Desk at 780-4029 or via e-mail at helpdesk@usm.maine.edu.

  1. From any PC on USM's local area network, go to Start > All Programs > USM Apps > WS-FTP.
    location of WS-FTP in USM Apps folder

    If you do not see USM Apps in your Programs menu, please make sure you are logged on to the network.
  2. Once the program opens, a dialog box called "Session Properties" will appear on your screen.
    image of the sessions property dialog box that appears when you execute ws ftp

    If the dialog box appears with blank boxes, you will need to set up your USM account:
    1. Click New
    2. Enter the following information in the boxes provided:
      • Profile Name: USM
      • Host Name: usm.maine.edu
      • User ID: your USM account login name
      • Password: your USM account password
    3. Do Not click "Save Pwd". Saving your password could allow anyone to access your files while you are away from your desk!
    4. Click Apply, located at the bottom of the dialog box.

    The next time you open and use the FTP program, this information should automatically come up leaving you to enter just your password. If the information does not come up automatically, simply click on the arrow in the Profile Name box, and choose USM:
    sessions property diaglog box in ws ftp displaying the profile name option
  3. After you have entered this information, click OK at the bottom of the dialog box. A new screen will appear, which is the main screen of the FTP program. It is from within this screen that you manage your files. You will now need to navigate to:
    1. the place on your local directory where your web files are/will be saved (they will appear on the left side of the screen), and
    2. the live web files (they will appear on the right side of the screen).

    graphic of the local system and remote system in the ws ftp interface
  4. In the Remote Site box, you will see a list of available site directories. Double click on the site you need to access. Note: the site called "public.www" is your personal web site.
  5. In the Local System enter the path on your local computer or network drive where you saved the web files you want to transfer to the web server, e.g.

    u:\wintcp

    You can change your local directory settings by clicking ChgDir on the left side of the screen. When you click on ChgDir, another box will come up, in which you can enter the path to your local directory.
    Dialog box that appears when you click on ChgDir in the ws ftp interface

    Alternately, you can navigate to the folder by double-clicking on the drive letter and clicking through to the folder until you have the correct path. To navigate to a directory above the current path, double click the green up-arrow at the top of the directory list.
  6. The files on the right side of the window are the live web files. What you will need to do in order to edit a live web file is to transfer it to your local system (on the left) then open it in FrontPage (or any other web editor you choose to use). When you transfer a file to your local system a COPY is actually transferred, so the original file remains on the web server and won't be modified until you transfer a file back to the right (to the web server), overwriting the existing file.
  7. Before transferring files, double check that both your local system path (on the left side) and your remote system path ( on the right side) are pointing to the correct locations.
Transferring Files

To transfer a file from the live web server to your local drive, click on a file on the right side and click on the left arrow in the middle of the FTP screen.
Graphic of the ws-ftp user interface showing the arrows to click to transfer files from remote web server (right side) to the user's local system (left side)

A copy of the live web file is transferred from right to left. This is good to know because you can safely work on the file on your local drive without having to worry about destroying the original.

Once the file is transferred to your local drive, you can edit it in a program, such as Frontpage. After you have made your edits and saved your file, you are now ready to post it back up to the live web. You should not rename the file, as there are other files linked to this; changing the name will cause other links within the site to "break" or not work.

Remember: Posting a file back to the remote side (right side) will overwrite the existing file shown on the current web site.

Posting Back to the Live Web Server

Go back to the FTP screen. You will be doing exactly the opposite as you did to transfer from live web to local. Make sure the right side of the screen is still set to your Remote Directory. Click on the local file on the left side of the screen, and click the right arrow. The file will then be transferred to the right, and will overwrite the existing file. Unlike overwriting a file in Windows, there will be no prompt asking you if you really want to replace it! Once the new file is transferred, refresh your browser window and open your site. You will see your new changes. If you do not, try closing your browser and reopening it, as sometimes the refresh does not work.

Your FTP connection may only last for a few minutes, so it may be necessary to log back in if you have not worked in it for a few minutes.

Please contact the Help!Desk at 780-4029, email helpdesk@usm.maine.edu, if you have further questions.

The USM Computing site is maintained by Robin McGlauflin.