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SmartFTP LE is a graphical FTP (File Transport Protocol)
client for the Windows platform. It allows users to
transfer files to and from the MCPS web servers from
the local workstation. This works from within and outside
the MCPS domain.
The primary user of SmartFTP is the webmaster creating
or updating a web site using a Windows environment.
In MCPS TechMod06 schools, SmartFTP can be found in
the program folder. This program replaces the older
WS_FTP application which is no longer available to MCPS.
Note: If the program is not present on
your PC workstation and you have privileges to install
software on your machine, you can download it for free
from the SmartFTP
website. In addition to this guide, there are flash
and text versions of SmartFTP tutorials
available online to help you become familiar with the
use of this product. The Tutorials of interest are Getting
Started - Connect and Transfers - Download Direct and
Upload Direct.
When you first launch the SmartFTP program, you need
to enter the server information. This information is
contained in your webmaster account email.
1. Enter the Server Information on the Address
Bar:
- Address: Enter your hostname or
the full URL (without http:// )
- www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org for web pages
OR if you're updating the school site for Beall
ES, you could also use www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/bealles
OR if you're updating the office site for budget,
you could also use www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget
- multimedia.montgomeryschoolsmd.org for
streaming media files
- tpilot.montgomeryschoolsmd.org for TestPilot3
server
- Login: enter your assigned logid
e.g. internet\smithjan
- Password: enter your assigned
password
2. Next, open your local browser
window. To do this, on the menu bar pull
down the menu under FTP to the first option, Local Browser.
3. Navigate through the folders
until you can see your local web folder and files.
These will be with your documents on your building fileserver
(or on your hard drive if you're working at home).
It will likely be in My Documents OR in the H: drive
which you can see in the above illustration within My
Computer. Open folders until you locate your web folder.
If I am working with /departments/budget my local browser
window would now look like the illustration below. When
you highlight a folder showing in the left pane, the
right pane shows those folders and files that exist
within the selected folder.
4. You are now ready to connect to the FTP
server. On the menu bar pull down the menu
under FTP to the second option, Connect. Optionally,
you can use the first icon under the menu bar to connect.
If you've correctly entered your host server, ID and
password, a new window will open showing the files on
the MCPS server at the address specified as the Host
(or remote server). Note that the Host name will appear
in the blue title bar of this new window.
5. Let's arrange the two open windows to make
it easier to work. One window shows the folder
and files in the Local Browser and the other window
shows the files on the MCPS server. To arrange the windows
in a way that makes viewing them both easier, go to
Window on the menu bar and select Tile Horizontally.
There is also a Tile Horizonal icon for on the icon
bar.
The result will look something like this:
6. If the connection is unsuccessful,
error messages will be displayed at the bottom of the
Host window in the area called Log View.
Transferring files from the MCPS server to your local
computer or file server is also known as "downloading."
You can use "Drag and Drop" for files or folders
to bring down files from the MCPS server.
- First you must be sure to have open the correct
folders in both the server and local browser windows.
- You can only move files from the
right panel on the www.mcps.k12.md.us server window
to the right panel of the Local Browser window.
- If you need to save a previous version of a file,
rename is with a new name BEFORE bringing down a copy
of the file from the server.
- Keep local files organized in folders in the same
structure as on the server so your links will continue
to function properly after updating your web pages.
- There is no un-do for overwriting files. If you
have a problem, you will have to use your local backup
copy to replace overwritten files.
- When you are certain you are properly prepared,
highlight the file (or folder) in the remote window
(click and hold the mouse button), drag the selection
and drop (release the mouse button) the file (or folder)
into the right panel of the Local browser window.
- If this is a new file, it should show up in the
list immediately. If it is replacing an existing file,
the date modified should be updated to today's date
and time.
Transferring files from your local folder (on your
machine or local file server) to the MCPS server is
commonly call "uploading." This is just the
opposite of getting files from the MCPS server and is
sometimes called a "put." We can also use
"Drag and Drop" for files (or folders) to
move files from our local machine "up" to
the MCPS server. Take great care in this process. There
is no un-do. Once you overwrite a file on the server,
you will not be able to retrieve the old page from the
server.
- As for when you are downloading, it is important
to have both the local browser and server windows
open to your site and have the same folders in view
in both windows before moving any files.
- Make sure you have saved your changes to the page
before uploading files. Only saved changes will function
in the uploaded file.
- Select (click and hold the mouse button) the item(s)
(files and/or folder) in the right pane of the Local
Browser window.
- Drag and drop the item(s) selected into the right
pane of the server or remote window.
- You only have permissions to upload files into your
assigned school or office directory. You will get
an error message in the log if you attempt to move
a file into someone else's directory.
- Normally, you will upload only those files that
have been changed locally to the MCPS server.
- Note: You will have to refresh the browser window
to see the latest version of the file(s) newly uploaded
to the server. If your file has been uploaded into
the wrong folder, your changes will not show up. This
will happen when the index page is uploaded into the
graphics folder instead of into the root of your folder
replacing the old index page.
SmartFTP will remember the address, login and password
unless you change the preferences. This means anyone
using the computer after you would be able to upload
and download from the MCPS server using your account
information. To remedy this situation, the following
settings should be changed on any shared computer.
You only have to do this once on each workstation
where you use SmartFTP.
- In Smart FTP, go to Tools --> Settings --> Under
General highlight
History.
- In the right window, uncheck the Save History and Save
Passwords boxes
- Click on Empty button. History
Entries should now be 0.
- Change Max History Entries to
0 (default is 50).
- Re-check box for Save History only.
- Click on OK to close Settings
dialog box.
Yes. Most HTML editor programs have some means
of FTPing built into their code. Because there
are so many variations, the Web Services Team is
not able to provide support for these internal
FTP clients.
It is always possible to separate the functions of editing
web pages from the FTP (uploading) function. Web Service
will be able to support you if you need help with the
SmartFTP application.
Contact Web Services Team at webmaster@mcpsmd.org
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