Using FTP Clients


FTP server and client software are needed for the file transfer process. The server software runs an FTP daemon that waits for attempted connections and commands from remote clients. The client software sends commands and requests files from the server. Two connections are established during the file transfer process:

  • A control link - for logging in, moving around, changing settings, etc.
  • A data link - for actually sending the data
The client and server interact until the links are terminated.

OVERVIEW OF DOWNLOAD PROCESS

  1. FTP file(s) to hard disk
  2. Decompress files (if needed)
  3. Virus check

STEPS OF FTP PROCESS

  1. Identify FTP address
  2. Login to server
  3. DIR, CD to move around to find files
  4. Identify mode of file transfer as ASCII or BIN (most common error)
  5. GET files
  6. QUIT

SKILLS FOR USING FTP CLIENTS

  • Logging in
  • Navigating
  • Changing directories
  • Setting transfer modes to BIN or ASCII (TEXT)
  • Transferring files
  • Transferring multiple files
  • Making bookmarks and shortcuts
  • Closing session

BASIC FTP COMMANDS

This table of commands applies to client software using a command line interface (like using the FTP command on PEPPER to open the PEPPER FTP client software).
open or ftp [host name or IP address]
Open connection to the host name or IP address given
user
Restart the login process to the remote FTP site by providing an FTP login prompt
help or ?
Get help on the FTP program
dir or ls
List out the contents of a directory
mkdir [directory_name]
Make directory called directory_name
cd [directory_name]
Change to the directory specified by directory_name
cdup
Change directory to one level up in the hierarchy
lcd [directory_name]
Change to specified local directory_name on your own hard disk
ascii (asc) or text
Change mode to text or ASCII transfer mode
binary (bin)
Change mode to binary transfer mode
get [remote_file_name local_file_name]
Get file with matching file_name and transfer it to your local hard disk naming it local_file_name
put [local_file_name remote_file_name]
Put file with matching local_file_name from your own hard disk and transfer it to a remote hard disk naming it remote_file_name
mget [file_names]
Get multiple files and transfer them to your local computer at the same time
mput [file_names]
Put multiple files to a remote computer at the same time
delete [file_name]
Delete file called file_name
rename [old_file_name new_file_name]
Rename file from old_file_name to new_file_name
quit or bye
Leave the FTP program and return to the operating system prompt

HINTS AND TROUBLESHOOTING

Funny-Looking Files
If your files look funny or don't decompress correctly, you probably transferred the file in the wrong mode. Compressed files, for instance, must be transferred in the BIN (binary) mode. A way to test this is to transfer the file to your hard disk using both ASCII and BIN modes (using different file names of course) and compare the results.
File Naming Conventions
When transferring files across different operating systems like Unix and DOS, for example, name files without spaces. For cross-platform transfers, use 7+3 characters for file names. Pay attention to upper and lower case letters in file names; Unix systems care about this; VMS and DOS do not.
Finding Out What a Directory Contains
Use READMEs (often at top of directories) to identify file contents and descriptions before downloading.

COMMON FILE TYPES AND EXTENSIONS

Text Files
Readable text
Program code in languages like C or Pascal
Postscript text to be interpreted by a printer
Executable Files
Programs that can be run on a computer
Archived and Compressed Files
Archives contain multiple files stored together like papers in a folder.
Data Files
Files that contain data about documents like images, spreadsheets, and word processing files.
COMMON FILE EXTENSIONS

.txt                  ASCII text file
.doc                  Word 
.xls                  Excel 
.mbf                  Access 
.ppt                  PowerPoint 
.pm5                  PageMaker 5
.psf                  PhotoShop 
.html or .htm         HTML files 
.tif                  Image file
.gif                  Image file
.jpg                  Image file
.mov                  QuickTime movie file
.pdf                  Adobe portable document file
.exe                  DOS/Windows executable file binary
.ps or .psc           PostScript file (laser printer) ASCII

See also
Kinds of Compressed Files for additional compressed file extensions.

HELP AND TUTORIALS ON FTP CLIENTS


Using FTP
Contents
Prev Topic       Next Topic

Maintained by: Layne Nordgren (nordgrle@plu.edu)
Last Update: 05/24/97