stuck with ftp

[#1]

I'm sorry if this is obvious to everyone else but I've been struggling to upload files to my website. I used to use a free prog. called ftpexplorer but it seems to want to charge me now. I also used to use Internet Explorer but I cannot get IE8 to work (I use Windows XP). I can load files to what looks like an ftp site but they don't seem to appear on my website when I type the appropriate URL in. I'm reluctant to pay for an ftp programme as I don't run an active website. I just occasionally post photos so that I can let my friends see them.
Thanks if anyone can help.

[#2]

I use Firefox with the FireFTP add-on....all free.

[#3]

or FileZilla http://filezilla-project.org/ if you want a standalone free ftp application.

[#4]

Thanks for the info. I use Firefox so I will start by trying the add-on.
Ken

[#5]

Either ones alright for what you need, i use filezilla have been for years its very good.

[#6]

You can also access ftp using windows explorer in xp. Just type the ftp address into the address bar & it should ask you for your authentication details. You used to be able to do it from IE6 as well as far as I can remember, but that feature's been wonderfully removed in its current incarnations.

[#7]

That was the point I made in my opening post... it just doesn't seem to work in IE8. But I prefer Firefox to IE - I'll persist until I get it working. (Not quite managed it yet    )
dick:quote

[#8]

=( there is a read only version on firefox as far as I can recall, I have to admit that Im a chrome user myself! As for ftp, if you can't use the inbuilt windows ftp client, then I would go for cute ftp. Thats a personal recommendation only mind you!

[#9]

I'm getting nowhere fast with Firefox ftp add-on.
I'll try a stand-alone programme. Preferably one that is idiot proof!
These things probably all seem very simple to the average forum member but I seem to be slow. (I've got another issue with my daughter's laptop failing to log on to my network despite my best efforts... Must be something to do with those WEP codes, I guess). If only life was a simple as in the dawn of time when a 'calculator' was about the size of my desktop tower!!

[#10]

OK, I've installed Filezilla and it's working fine. I've uploaded a file to my website. The only prob is that I cannot see it in Firefox.
E.g. http://www.kennethnoble.co.uk/htdocs/temp/moths/micro9.jpg just returns a 404 error. So perhaps the problem is nothing to do with the ftp programme at all. (I can see the home page OK at http://www.kennethnoble.co.uk/ ; )

[#11]

Are you sure you're uploading to the Htdocs folder Albert? If you are and still seem to be having little joy I would be more than happy to have a quick look at the site configuration when I get to work tomorrow morning.

[#12]

Ahhhh I've just cracked it. It would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for those meddling kids (or the way the community forums compress links)
When you upload to the htdocs folder; you're telling the webserver that you want that content to be visible to the public, I believe htdocs is an abbreviation for http documents (could be wrong there).
When you're trying to find the files that you've uploaded to the folder, you don't need to include /htdocs/ in the external url; which is why it wasn't finding the file. The htdocs folder when youre viewing it in ftp essentially is "www.kennethnoble.co.uk". Geeks like myself refer to this as the "Root Directory".
So... if you remove the /htdocs/ from the url below... http://www.kennethnoble.co.uk/temp/moths/micro%209.jpg
tada 😃
Hope I explained that in a way that makes sense! If not just let me know and I'll try and reword it so it does!
Also just a little word of advice; some web browsers don't like spaces in web file names, so its usually best to get rid of any gaps before uploading.
Good luck!

[#13]

Just in case it isn't clear the URL link posted by Keith actually reads
http://www.kennethnoble.co.uk/temp/moths/micro%209.jpg
That %20 is the URL encoded value for a space; the filename of the photograph is "micro 9.jpg", ie it includes a space. Avoiding these is sound advice. Also be careful with case, Windows ignores case, Linux (the operating system on the web server) does not.

[#14]

Thanks for all your help, especially, Keith. Aren't I the dumb one! Anyway, very grateful to have got it working at last.