COFFEE CUP FTP - FREE

If you need a Free FTP program then Coffee Cup is one to try. You can download this free FTP program at http://www.coffeecup.com/free-ftp/. Or you can go to their main page and scroll down to their "OUR FREE SOFTWARE" section (shown in graphic below).

The download file size is 3.655MB so the download time will vary according to your connection speed. I have tried this free program and I recommend it.

After you install the program I recommend that you put an icon on your desktop so you can easily use it when you wish to upload files to your site. If you don't know how to make a desktop short cut you can use the method I use.

IMPORTANT NOTE: - You cannot use FTP to upload to a free GeoCities home page!

Please read the HELP before you start to set up Coffee Cup to access your site. The instructions are very clear and show graphics of all the 5 set up steps. Note that the explanation for each graphic is below the graphic.

You start the set up process by (a) start up Coffee Cup, (b) Click on the FILE > SERVERS. This will bring up the screen below. Here, since you have not set up your host's server yet, click on the ADD BUTTON.

It may take a bit of work on your part to correctly fill in the required spaces but you can look at my host's server below to see how I did it. There are six pieces of information you need:

  1. Profile Name - this is just a name, any name. Click on this name to show your site's set up information.
  2. User Name - your ID given to you by your host.
  3. Password - originally given to you by your host but you can change.
  4. Host Name - normally will be something like "ftp.yourdomainame.com".
  5. Default Folder On Host - the folder where you files are on your host.
  6. Initial Local Folder - the folder on your PC where you web files are stored.
  7. Connect Button - Click on this button when you wish to connect to your site's file manager.

In the graphic below, the completed set up for my ftp server, I have placed a number next to the information that is required in each of the set up steps. Actually, you need only fill out the first 3 set up steps. The 4th step, Proxy Server click on No, I don't know what that is button.

When you have the set up done you will see the graphic below with your information rather than mine. Then fill in the Initial Local Folder, i.e. the folder where you are storing your web files.

Some curious people may try to use the above to log into my ftp server by trying various combinatons of letters and number. I should remind these people that my password is one of over 3612 possible combination of letters, both upper and lower case, and numbers. This is a 1 followed by 18 zeros possible combinations!

CONNECTING TO YOUR HOST

Once you have the set up boxes filled in your should try to connect to your server. If you can not connect then carefully check the entries in your set up to mine above.

Connect to your host (which you just set up) by clicking on the little down arrow just to the right of the SERVER graphic. This will show all the connections you can make. I just have one right now, mine own host. So, I click on the "wise old man" to connect.

When you run Coffee Cup the main screen will look like this. Note the ad at the bottom of the screen. You can use the bar (in the red box) to "pull down" the screen until the ad disappears. However, the ad will appear each time Coffee Cup is launched.

The graphic above shows my PC folder (on the left) and file names that I want to use, which I named in the setup, and my file manager, with all its files and folders (on the right).

Once you have connected to your host you should modify the column widths on your side, the left side, so you can see the last DATE that each file was modified. Position your cursor over the samll dividing lines (shown below) to decrease/enlarge each column until you have the DATE showing. This will allow you to see the last files that you worked with, the latest date. Then just select those and upload.

UPLOADING FILES

To upload files from your PC to your site:

  1. Select the folder/file (on your PC - left side) by holding down the CTRL KEY and clicking on the folder/file name. Using the CTRL KEY you can select as many folders/files as you wish. Each selected will change to a dark background with white letters.

  2. Right Click on any of the select files and select UPLOAD from the list shown.

  3. You will see the progress of the uploading as shown below.

DOWNLOADING FILES

  1. Select the folder on your PC (left side) that your files are to be downloaded to.

  2. Select the folder/file on your site (right side) by holding down the CTRL KEY and clicking on the folder/file name. Using the CTRL KEY you can select as many folders/files as you wish. Each selected will change to a dark background with white letters.

  3. Right Click on any of the select files and select DOWNLOAD from the list shown.
IMPORTANT NOTE: - While testing CoffeeCup Free FTP I found that it gave me several error messages on my screen. But I simply cleared them (clicked on OK) and they disappeared and I didn't seem to have any problems. I did notice that after any transfer of files CoffeeCup seem to disconnect and if I wanted to do more transferring I have to shut it down and re-start it. But HEY! IT IS FREE :O)

One last thing is that Coffee Cup will put a small icon on your desktop. This is just a link to their tools so you can safely remove this icon from your desktop.