The concept of maintaining a web site using ftp is fairly simple. The creator/maintainer keeps a mirror image of the web site at his location, and as changes are made, updates the version on the web server. In other words, when changes need to made, he makes them and then uploads the newly changed file to the web server using a file transfer program called ftp (the internet standard for transferring files).
The FTP program discusses in this document is ws_ftp, as it is an excellent utility, widely available, made for both Windows 3.1 and Windows 95, and (as of this writing) is free to government organizations, non-profit organizations, and academic personnel.

Pre-requisites

The reader is expected to have a full understanding of the Microsoft Windows environment, files and directories in the dos/windows environment, html development, and how to make a ppp connection.

On the local computer

The entire web site (or part of the web site you are responsible for) is kept on your local computer

After the site is on your local computer and works when opened with your web browser using FILE|OPEN FILE, then you are ready to transfer the files to the web server.
The following image is a screen capture from an "explorer" session where a small web site is pictured.
Get WS_FTP.ZIP or WS_FTP32.ZIP and install it on your computer using an unzip utility (either pkzip204g.exe for Windows 3.1 or Winzip for Windows 95).

Connecting to the web server

To connect to the web server, it is convenient to create a session profile of your web site.

Do this by running FTP, and clicking on the OPEN button in the lower left corner. You will be presented with a window like the one below. To create a new session profile for your web site,

Click NEW
Fill out the Profile name (For example: Web Site Maint)
Enter the host name of www.seva.net
Enter your userid or login name (the part of your email address before the @ or the username assigned to manage the web site)
Enter the name of the remote directory which contains the web site (For example: /home/user1/website/public_html).
Enter the name of the local directory that contains the web site (For example: C:\WEBSITE)
Click the SAVE button at the top.

To connect to the site from then on, click CONNECT, fond the profile name "Web Maint" and then click OK.

Transferring files

After you connect, your screen should look like the image below.

WS_FTP breaks the screen into two sections: Local files are on the left, and remote files are on the right.

The sections are divided by two arrows, one pointing left, one pointing right.

To move a file between the remote and local computers, simply highlight the file by clicking on it once, then click on the arrow that points to where you want the file to be transferred.

After you update a file locally, establish the ftp session and transfer it to the web server.

Caveat

Remember to keep more than one copy of your web site: one to work on and one as a backup. Chances are if you have control of your web site and make a mistake that deletes some or all of your files, the System Administrator probably cannot help you to recover your files. This is part of the added responsibility of maintaining your own web site.

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