"The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it." -- Laurence Sterne, Tristram Shandy

This week we are going to use a tool called "File Transfer Protocol" (or "FTP") which will allow us to access remote computers to send and retrieve files from these computers. Actually, it is probably more accurate to say that we will be using "anonymous" FTP, but I'll explain that in a minute.

This is the tool that towns will use to send their web site documents to the Secretary of State's web-server (if your town hosts your website there) as well as to send and retrieve files from the Department of Taxes (Act 60).  Also, it can be used to get files from remote computers across the Internet.  Still, these days, many of the tasks FTP has been used for to download files have been replaced by the Web Browser software.  However, to upload files, you will usually need FTP.

What sort of files are available through FTP? Well, "hundreds of systems connected to the Internet have file libraries, or archives, accessible to the public. Much of this consists of free or low-cost computer programs for virtually every make of computer. If you want a different communications program for your IBM, or feel like playing a new game on your Amiga, you'll probably be able to get it using FTP."

"But there are also libraries of documents as well. If you want a copy of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, you can get a copy using FTP. Copies of historical documents, from the Magna Carta to the Declaration of Independence are also yours for the asking ... You can also find song lyrics, poems, and even summaries of every Animaniacs episode ever made. You can also find extensive files detailing everything you could possibly want to know about the Net itself" (1)

Before we get too in-depth into FTP, I think that now is as good a time as any to quickly review the client/server relationship that I briefly mentioned earlier.

"Client" is just another word for a program running on your service provider's system that enables you to talk to, and get stuff from, distant computers. The client on your service provider's system takes your commands and turns them into requests for information from programs -- "servers" -- running on other, distant computers.

The client/server relationship allows you to use FTP to get/send files from/to remote sites.

The client/server relationship is also what makes my job as an Internet trainer quite difficult. While all of the FTP clients (programs) out there do the exact same thing, they all use slightly different locations for the commands to do it.

Fortunately, if you can understand the basics of what happens during an FTP session, the commands or steps -- no matter what client you are using -- are pretty easy and you will be able to find them on your dropdown menus.

The basic steps in an FTP session are:

1. Start-up your FTP client 2. Give your FTP client an address to connect to 3. Identify yourself to the remote site 4. Give the remote site your password 5. Look around the directory for files 6. Change Directories 7. Set the transfer mode (optional) 8. Get/send the file(s) you want 9. Quit

The best way to understand what is going on is to look at a sample FTP session. I'm going to FTP The University of Vermont's connection to the Internet.

Before I do that, though, there are three things that I need to emphasize:

1. FTP requires a heck of a lot of resources, both on your system and on the remote system that you are accessing. Because of this, lengthy FTP sessions should only be run during non-working hours (usually 6 PM to 6 AM local).

2. In light of what was said in #1, please do not flood UVM.

Later this week I will post a list of FTP sites (FTP - Part 2) that you can visit (much like the TELNET list I posted). Until I post that list, just sit back and enjoy the show :)

Starting an FTP session is pretty easy. For most of you, all you have to do to start your FTP client is Click on its ICON.

I will be using the directions for WS_FTP. This is a free software program and will be the one the Vermont Department of Taxes will be using. I find it one of the easiest to use. If you do not have it, you can download it from www.shareware.com, www.tucows.com, etc.  To install, just keep track of where you downloaded the file, browse to it using Windows Explorer and open the installer (double click).  It will self-install with some prompts.  Be sure to indicate government usage in the installer menu.

When the program window pops up, there will be a profile window that will have the following boxes in it:

Drop down list with profile names Row of command boxes; DELETE, SAVE, NEW Host Name Host Type User ID Password And check boxes for anonymous login, save password and auto save configuration

Click on the NEW button and it should clear the names and settings.

Type UVM in the name box.

From there, you would give the client an FTP address to connect to.

Click in the HOST NAME box and type in ftp.uvm.edu

If I had an account on the UVM system, I would enter my user ID and password. But, since I don't have an account on this system, I have to find another way to access the system. ;)

This is where the "anonymous" FTP I mentioned earlier comes in :) The other way to access some FTP sites -- at least those FTP sites that allow outside access -- is to use the userid "anonymous". By using the name "anonymous", you are telling that FTP site that you aren't a regular user of that site, but you would still like to access that FTP site, look around, and retrieve files.

The easy way with WS_FTP is click in the Anonymous box and it will automatically put 'anonymous' in the User ID and 'Guest' in Password.

Click on the SAVE button near the top of the FTP screen.

You have now saved the settings for the FTP Server at UVM to use anytime you want, without having to reenter the information. If you click on the drop down arrow next to the PROFILE NAME box, you will see a list of ftp sites that are pre-programmed that you can visit.

Once you hit the Connect Button key, the following appears on your screen:

A really nice box that looks very similar to your file manager. The left side is your computers filing structure and the right hand side is the remote computer - UVM. COOL!!!!

Just before you see anything in the remote structure box, you will see some text lines appearing in the very bottom of your program window. These are login in directions between your computer/ISP/remote computer. In this case, you are asking and receiving permission to access UVM as a guest. The last line should be '226 Transfer Complete'. You can use the scroll arrows on the left of that little box to scroll up to see all the back-and-forth requests and permissions. These are only important if you get an 'access denied' as the last line. That means that either you typed in something wrong or the system is loaded to capacity. Double check the info in the UVM boxes. If you changed anything, remember to SAVE it again.

Notice the line "Guest login ok, access restrictions apply." This means that the site has given you access, but you only have access to the files that are available to the general public. This access is restricted to downloading only, unless you have account permission (login and password)

Okay ... now what? I've started-up my FTP client, I've given the client an FTP address to connect to, I've identified myself to the remote site (I told it that I am anonymous), and I've given the site my password.

Now it's time to see what sort of files and directories are around, and to get those files .....

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FTP (PART TWO)

In Part 1, I told you that the basic steps in an FTP session are:

1. Start-up your FTP client 2. Give your FTP client an address to connect to 3. Identify yourself to the remote site 4. Give the remote site your password 5. Look around the directory for files 6. Change Directories 7. Set the transfer mode (optional) 8. Get the file(s) you want 9. Quit

I've accessed UVM's FTP site (ftp.uvm.edu), told the site that I am "anonymous", and given the site my full Internet address as my password (or GUEST).

Now that I'm in, I'm going to look around and see what the UVM FTP site has to offer.

In the REMOTE side of your program (Right) is a listing of all of the stuff in the current directory. This is essentially the C: drive of the UVM computer.

Whoa! That file -- README -- looks pretty important. I bet it contains some important information that will make my life a whole bunch easier (Good rule of thumb: if you see a file that contains the words README or INDEX, it is an important file).

I need to get this README file.

To get a file using FTP, you click on the file name to highlight it and then click on the arrow in between the two file structure columns that points back to your file structure.

Presto...you have just retrieved that file from UVM and saved it on your computer.

Now what?!?

There may be a problem that some of you may have when you try to find the file once it is on your machine. The file you just retrieved will be in the directory that is in the top of your computer file structure window....if you want to have the file transferred directly to a different directory, use the up arrow on the top of the directory list in your computers side of the program. Keep clicking it until you get to your primary directories and then scroll down and double click on the directory you want to import to. I use C:\TEMP so that I know where to find it, and can then move it to where it belongs when I am sure that I will not overwrite a file by the same name. It gives me a sense of security and MAKES me think before I do something stupid....and I have done that before, several times, so I use this step to remind myself.

This isn't so bad is it?

To transfer files from your computer to a remote computer, the process is identical except for the last two steps.

Highlight the file(s) you want to send in the panel on the left side of the screen (your computers files) and click the arrow pointing toward the right side (to the remote machine).

You will always need an 'account' with the remote computer to send files and/or change files on the remote computer. For this you will need a logon and password that are unique.

On second thought, I will not send that list of FTP sites to you through e-mail, but will .....Well, you can also get Yanoff's FTP list through FTP (imagine that -- using FTP to get a list of sites that you can FTP to!). The anonymous FTP site for Yanoff's List is

ftp.csd.uwm.edu

and the file that you want to download is

/pub/inet.services.txt

It is prettttty long.  And it is pretty old at this point (1997), but it does show a significant listing of resources.

Homework:

Did you actually go to the UVM ftp server as described above? If not, perform the steps above to download the readme file, and then open the file on your computer. If you don't have a copy of ws_ftp, try installing a copy on your computer using tucows.com or shareware. Download the installer file following the instructions, and save the file to your c:\temp folder. Most software these days installs itself, by clicking on the file you downloaded while in Windows File Manager or Explorer.  In the Mac environment, the stuff-it expander will automatically launch and decompress the file.

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ROADMAP: Copyright Patrick Crispen 1994, 1995. All rights reserved. Modified by permission by UVM Extension, 2001.