How to upload files

You may transfer files to your Cal Poly Pomona web space using SFTP, FTP or through a network share (Dreamweaver MX 2004 provides all these methods).

Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) – When you use SFTP to upload web pages, your password, etc., all the information you upload is encrypted, so that someone "snooping" digitally on the network can't steal your information. You may use Dreamweaver, or either of the two SFTP programs (SSH Secure Shell or WinSCP) available on eHelp.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) – Unlike SFTP, FTP sends all information in unencrypted "cleartext", allowing digital snoopers to capture passwords and other sensitive information. Although FTP is still available for uploading web pages, it is neither recommended nor supported.

Both SFTP and FTP give you the option to transfer your files in "binary" or "text" (sometimes called ASCII) mode. For web pages, it doesn't matter, but images, sounds, animations and executable programs (such as Java .class files) should always be transferred in binary mode, and program script files, such as Perl CGI scripts, should always be transferred in text mode. Most programs have an "automatic" option that tries to determine which method to use by looking at the filename extension. Always use the automatic option unless you know a reason to do otherwise.

To establish a network share, follow the directions on eHelp, except you should enter //files/username (replacing username with your BroncoName, of course) for a user account, and //files/groupname for a group. In a program such as Dreamweaver, you can then specify the remote site by a drive letter (Windows) or a connection name (Mac). Transferring a file over a network share is always the equivalent of binary mode in SFTP.

Especially with a network share, there is the temptation to edit the files on the remote web site directly. Avoid this temptation. If you make a mistake, or are delayed in the middle of changing a site, the whole world will have to deal with the result. It is better to edit local copies of your web pages, test them and upload them to the server.