Operations with Files

Copying Files

Copying files duplicates selected files to another file system. You can copy local files to a remote system, or remote files to your PC. Copying can be carried out by using the Copy button, which assumes that you want to use the same file name, or the Copy As button, which will prompt you for a new name for the file.

Use Copy As to transfer UNIX files with a file name not conforming to DOS file naming conventions. When you have to operate with such 'specific' UNIX names, then choose NONE as the server type in the Server Type list box.

Note: Copy and Copy As can only be used with files, not directories.

To copy a file:

1. Connect to a server, using a valid server profile.
   
   
2. Navigate through either the local or remote directories to locate a file of your interest in the file list.
   
   
3. Select the file by clicking on it. A status bar letter will appear to indicate the currently active panel.
   
   Note that Copy As can only be used with one file at a time.
   
   If more than one file is to be selected, you can use standard Microsoft Windows' techniques to make multiple selections (with the Ctrl key for individual files, or with the Shift key for adjacent files).
   
   
4. Display a destination directory to place the files.
   
   
5. Verify that the transfer options be configured appropriately.
   
   
6. Choose the Copy selected file(s) or Copy file with another name button from the toolbar, or choose the Copy or Copy As item from within the Server/File Functions menu.
   
   
7. If the Copy confirmation is turned on, you will be prompted to confirm the operation.
   
   If you are doing Copy As, you are always prompted for a new name and the Copy As dialog brings up.
   
   
8. If files exist with the same names as the selected source files in the destination directory and the Overwrite confirmation is on, the Overwrite dialog will bring up.
   
   You can choose Yes to overwrite the file, or choose NO to skip copying the file.
   
   You can choose Yes to All to overwrite the rest of selected files.
   
   
9. While the transfer is in progress, the transfer status is displayed.
   
   If you press the Cancel button, the Copy operation will be cancelled, but any files that have already been copied will exist on the target file system.

You can Copy, not Copy As, by just dragging the selected files and dropping them onto the target panel to begin the operation.

Appending One File to Another

Appending a file concatenates it to another file. You may append a local file to a remote one.

Note: appending can only be used with files, not directories.

To append a file:

1. Navigate through your local directories tree and a file list to locate a file of your interest.
   
   
2. Select the local file by clicking on it.
   
   
3. Display a destination directory where to append the file.
   
   
4. Verify that the transfer options be configured appropriately.
   
   
5. Press the Append file to another button on the toolbar, or choose the Append item from within the Server/File Functions menu.
   
   
6. If the Append confirmation is turned on, you will be prompted to confirm the operation.

You can choose NO to skip appending a selected file.

The default is to use the same file name in the current directory on the remote file system (to which you are moving the file).

Note: if you press the Cancel button on the transfer progress dialog, your destination file will be invalid!

Renaming Files

Renaming a file changes the name of the file. Rename does not support simultaneous moving that file. You may rename both local and remote files. Rename will prompt for a new name for the highlighted file. The new name will replace the old one, providing your login grants you permission to rename files on the server to which FTP is attached.

Note: rename can only be used for files, not directories.

To rename a file:

1. Select a file of your interest in the local or remote file list. You may not select multiple files to be renamed.
   
   
2. Press the Rename selected file button on the toolbar, or choose the Rename item from within the Server/File Functions menu. The file name will turn into edit field with the file name highlighted.
   
   
3. Enter a new name for the file in the field, using standard Microsoft Windows' techniques.
   
   
4. Press the Enter key to complete renaming, or ESC to cancel it.

Deleting Files

Deleting a file removes it from its file system. You can delete local and remote files. This option will delete the currently highlighted remote files, provided that your account on the server to which the FTP program is connected permits deletion.

To delete files:

1. Navigate through either the local or remote directories to locate files of your interest in the file list.
   
   
2. Select one or several files.
   
   If more than one file is to be selected, you can use standard Microsoft Windows' techniques to make multiple selections.
   
   
3. Press the Delete selected files button on the toolbar, or choose the Delete item from within the Server/File Functions menu. Alternatively, you can simply press the Delete key on your keyboard.
   
   
4. If the Delete confirmation is turned on, you will be asked to confirm the operation.

You can choose Yes to remove the current file.

You can choose No to skip removing the current file.

You can choose Yes to All to remove the rest of selected files.

If you press the Cancel button, the removal will be cancelled, but any files that have already been deleted cannot be restored.

Re-getting or Re-putting Files Transferred Partially

Retransfer acts like Copy except that if a selected file exists and is smaller than the file on another side, the file is presumed to be a partially transferred copy of the file from another side and the transfer is continued from the apparent point of failure. This option is useful when transferring very large files over networks that are prone to dropping connections.

To retransfer a file:

1. Select a file of your interest as for Copy. A status bar letter will indicate the currently active panel.
   
   
2. Choose the reTransfer item from within the Server/File Functions menu, or press the Reget or Reput selected file button on the toolbar.

Previewing Files

FTP allows you to display a portion (up to the first 32Kb) of specified client or server files in the Preview window.

To preview a file, select it from a file list box and click the View selected file to Notepad button on the toolbar, or choose the Preview item from within the Server/File Functions menu.

If you are previewing a server file, FTP transfers data from the server file to a temporary file on your PC, cancels the transfer after receiving 32K bytes, and then calls the Notepad program to display the contents of the temporary file. When you close the window, temporary files are removed.

FTP always uses the ASCII file transfer method for previewing server files. Non-displayable characters in a binary file are changed to a period.