HTML vs. FTP

HTTP stands for hypertext transfer protocol, and it's the protocol used to view Web pages. If you want to view your files on a Web server, you must HTTP to that Web address. An address that begins with http:// allows you to view a Web page in your browser.

FTP stands for file transfer protocol, and it's the protocol used to upload pages to a Web server. If you want to copy or upload your files to a Web server, you must FTP to that Web address. An address that begins with ftp:// allows you to upload or download a Web page in a file management program such as Computer window (PC) or Fetch (Mac) or Filezilla (either format).

Instructor Note:
There, you just read it, but I'll say it here more simply: HTTP is for viewing Web pages, FTP is for uploading Web pages.

If you attempt to view a Web page with an FTP address, it won't display the linked files. Linked files are images, your linked CSS, linked JavaScript, etc., etc., which is pretty much everything that makes your page look like it looks.

You will upload all your assignments to the Student Web Server (SWS).

Uploading to the SWS with a File Management Utility

To ftp to your folder on the SWS, copy and paste the following address into the address field of your file management utility:

ftp://sws.pcc.edu/student/CAS111D_melany.budiman_?????/

The ????? stands for the 5 digit course reference number (CRN) of this course.

You will then be required to put in your Login Name and Password to be able to place files in your private folder. Your password is your PCC identification number (it starts with a capital G). You will not have to log in to place files in the shared folder.

Uploading to the SWS with Dreamweaver

You must have already created a Site Definition in Dreamweaver for this to work properly (see instructions on Creating a Site Definition for that process). After you have completed a Site Definition, you will see the folders in the Files panel turn green -- GREEN IS GOOD. Those folders are all of the ones under your Site folder which, in this example, is cas111d. Always work inside green folders. If you are working in yellow folders, you are working outside the Site Definition and probably destroying your links. YELLOW IS BAD.

Uploading a file is called "Put a File" in Dreamweaver. You click the file(s) or folder(s) you want to upload in the Files panel, then click the blue "Put file" arrow. The figure below shows an example of putting the nifty folder to the server. Note the blue arrow (in that big, obvious red circle) is prominently displayed as though the mouse was hovering over it -- normally it's gray until you hover over it.

 

Putting files with CS5

Viewing your Files After Upload

To view your folder on the SWS, copy and paste the following address into the address field of your Web browser

http://sws.pcc.edu/student/CAS111D_melany.budiman_?????/

Then replace the ????? with the 5 digit course reference number (CRN) of this course.