Patrick J. Kidd - FTP Concepts -

File Transfer Protocol
Basic Concepts

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

Overview of FTP
Registered / Anonymous FTP
FTP Server / FTP Client
Download / Upload
File types
FTP Searches (Archie)

FTP at Dawson College

Overview of FTP

CHMOD
- UNIX permissions
- Quick Perl CHMOD Script, recurssive CHMOD, CGI CHMODER, Unix Linux servers, Change Permissions recursively, free chmoding perl script, free permission changing cgi script
- R=Read=4, W=Write=2, X=Execute=1
- ```
Owner  Group  Public  CHMOD Value  
R-W    R-W    R-W       666  
R-W-X  R      R         744  
R-W-X  R-X    R-X       755  
R-W-X  R-W    R-W       766  
R-W-X  R-W-X  R-W-X     777
```
An FTP client (e.g. WS_FTP) will allow you to navigate the FTP server directories, access directories and files, select and manipulate files and directories, view files' contents, download and upload files.

FTP Client software downloads

Modern browsers contain FTP client software (for downloading only).
Selecting files (when using WS_FTP)

Click on the file - to select one file
Ctrl-Click on any number of files - to select more than one file (in any order)
Click on the first file then Shift-Click on the last file - to select a group of files (together)

File compression: Since it takes less time for smaller files to be transferred over the Internet, files are often compressed or made smaller.

When you download a compressed file (*.zip, etc...) you must uncompress or unzip it. The best program for this is WinZip. (The evaluation version is free.)
When you download an executable program file (*.exe), it does not need WinZip. It is able to uncompress itself when you run it.
File Compression utilities: WinZip, 7-zip, etc.

Virus protection is essential when you obtain new software over the Internet. You should always scan any new downloaded files to make sure there is no virus.

Compare types of software: (Commercial software, Shareware, Freeware, Public Domain software, etc...)

FTP Client software downloads

FTP

FTP = A set of rules that provides for the transfer of files between computers.
Registered FTP = Full-privilege FTP = restricted access = Requires username and password
Anonymous FTP = Limited to publicly-accessible files. Your userID (login name) is Anonymous, and your password is your FQDN (fully-qualified domain name) or guest@unknown

FTP Server

FTP Server (computer) = Remote System (computer) = The other computer somewhere else
FTP Client (computer) = Local System (computer) = Your computer

FTP Client software downloads

FTP Download

Reminder: Your Working Disk should be H:\backup if you are working in a Dawson College lab.

Download a file from an FTP server computer to your your local disk A: or C: or D: ...

Upload a file to an FTP server computer. Usually not allowed (for security reasons). To upload files you will probably need a userID and password to access the server.

FTP Address = URL = Uniform Resource Locator = Protocol://DomainName/Path/Filename
          Protocols: nntp:// mailto: ftp:// telnet:// gopher:// http:// file:///
          Usually (not always) the DomainName starts with ftp. (see http://tile.net/ftp/ )
          UNIX addresses are often case-sensitive. (i.e. UPPERCASE, MixedCase, lowercase)

File Types

asc = ASCII = text = DOS = can be listed to the screen and read,
bin = binary = special file (executable, graphic, compressed, etc) not meant to be examined directly by users = not readable if listed to the screen = machine readable
File Compression – File extensions: ZIP, LHA, tar, Z, etc. (You need WinZIP)

FTP Searches

Archie = Archives = Search Tool = User-index of anonymous FTP
"Archie, derived from the phrase "file archive" is a service that maintains databases containing listings of files from various file transfer sites. Performing a query to find a specific file involves either sending e-mail to an Arche site or connecting to an Archie server via Telnet."