AceFTP Tutorial

AceFTP Freeware is a fully functioning FTP program with added attractions that you may not have seen in other FTP programs. Because it is Freeware you will have to put up with ads but they are not very intrusive. You will need to Register in order to get the code to unlock the program, but this is also free. The registration code should come to you within 24 hours. (I actually got my Registration Code within minutes.)

To download AceFTP 3 Freeware, go to this link:
http://freeware.aceftp.com/

You will be downloading an .exe file so no unzipping is necessary. Save the file to a location that you can find and then just click on it to install. The name of the file you download will be aceftp3free.exe. Click on the file to begin the installation process. You will be prompted to specify a location to install the program or you can let it default to C:\Program Files/Visicom Media\AceFTP 3 Freeware. You will also be given the choice of having the program make a Desktop Icon and whether to have AceFTP start immediately after installation.

This tutorial will take you through the basics - plus a few tips - of how to configure AceFTP Freeware to upload to your site. Once you have become familiar with the program it is recommended that you explore the other features. You will need a Host for your site in order to complete this tutorial.

When you start the program you will see three panels. The screen shot below shows the top of the program window and the first panel.

The lower portion of the program screen is shown below. The left panel will list the files on your own hard drive and you can navigate to any folder or file. The right panel will list the files on the site that you will FTP to.

When you signed up with a Host for your site you would have been sent FTP information including a log-in and password to use. Have this information handy for going through the FTP configuration. If you did not get this information, contact them and ask for it.
The information you will need are:

• Server Identification and Port number
  • This may look something like host40.yourhost.com and a Port number. Often the Port number is 21.
• Your User ID:
• Password

Configuring AceFTP to enable you to upload files to your site is easy. First click on the small icon that looks like a computer shown below:

Step 1 You will see a list of folders in the next window that appears. The folders may be opened showing you FTP sites that have come pre-configured with AceFTP. If you feel you have no use for these sites they can be deleted. You can also add your own folder to the list by clicking on the folder named "Sites" ("A" in screen shot) and go to File/Create/Folder. The example shows that I have added a new folder named "Mine". Note the file at "B" named "New Site Profile". This file is created automatically each time you add a folder and is used to set up the Profile of any new FTP site you configure. Step 2 Double-Click on the file marked "New Site Profile", either in the "Sites" folder or a new folder that you have created.

You will now see a New Site Profile Wizard similar to the sample on the right with information that you need to fill in. The information to complete includes: A name for your site that you will recognize. This name will be the name of the profile and is for your purposes only. This name is not transferred to your site. Server, User ID:, Password that was sent to you by your host. Change the Port number if it is not 21. It is a good idea to leave the "Save Password" box checked so that you do not have to look it up each time. Only you will have access to this password and it will show as ******* when typed, rather than the actual password.

Step 3 When you have completed the information, you have a choice of Next or Finish. The Finish button will save the information you have completed and you will be able to connect to your site. The Next button will take you to a screen which will enable you to specify a folder on your hard drive that will automatically open in the bottom left panel (marked "Your Hard Drive" shown in the illustration toward the top of this lesson). It will also enable you to specify a folder on your site which will also open automatically in the bottom right panel (marked "Remote Site" shown in the same illustration). This will not be used in this tutorial. For the purposes of this lesson, click on the Finish button and next we will contact your site. Your newly configured site information will now show up in the list of files in the screen shown below. The blue arrow indicates where the name of your site will be and your host information will show where the red arrow indicates.

If you have entered all of the correct information in the previous sets you should now have no problems connecting to your site. To do this, double click on the name of your newly created file and you should see the progress of the AceFTP connecting to your site. You will know if it is successful when it stops and you see something similar to the screen shot below.

When you have connected successfully, look at the bottom right panel in AceFTP and you will see a listing of files on your site. The next thing you need to know is where to put your files. Your host will specify in your instructions which file you should upload to. On my site, the folder used for all of my files is public_html (highlighted in the sample to the right). Some hosts use htdocs. If your host hasn't informed you, you will need to contact them and ask. A tab at the bottom of this panel (shown as mysite in the sample) will also identify that you have correctly connected to your site. Double click on the correct folder and it will open and you can begin to upload files.

Uploading to your site is as easy as copying files and folders to your own hard drive. Navigate to the file or folder that you wish to upload using the small drop down arrow on the lower right panel. Then navigate to the folder you wish to upload to on the left panel again using the drop down arrow. When you have located the file/folder you wish to upload and the destination location on your site, simply click the upper blue button shown in the illustration below and the transfer will begin. You can watch the progress of the upload in the large panel at the top of the window.

1. You can upload either files or entire folders. If you are uploading something with the same name, possibly because you have altered a file and wish to upload the latest change, you will see an alert message asking if you wish to overwrite the file/folder. You will have the option to choose if you wish to overwrite what is already there.
2. The buttons that I find most helpful are the two marked with red arrows in the example above - the "Create New Folder" button and the "Delete File/Folder" button. These buttons are available on both sides of the panels so you can use them either for altering your hard drive files or the ones on your site.
3. Once you have successfully configured AceFTP to connect to you site, you will only need to click on the Connect Icon shown in the example on "Configure for FTP", and locate your site in the list that appears. No further configuration is necessary.

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