uploading your files

Ok now you have a host, a domain pointing to your server name and a bunch of html pages you've created for your website now all you need to do is upload your files.

We've all heard of downloading. Most people think of downloading as only being specific thing that you intentionally download such as music files, software etc.... In truth though, everytime you visit a webpage, you are downloading the content that is displayed on that webpage, the layout, the text and any images on tge page. In order for you to see those things on your computer, your computer has to dowload them from the server.

Before anybody can download and view the content of your website, you first need to upload your content to your server or host.

There are a few ways to do this. One of them is known as ftp or "file transfer protocol". Some people prefer this method, I'm not one of them.

Ftp usually involves needing an extra piece of software known as an "ftp client". There's many available for download if you really want to go that way.

Once downloaded and installed, the ftp software ten needs to set up with details from your host including ftp addresses and passwords. If your host supports ftp, you can get that information from them.

I'm not going to go into detail about ftp as personally I think it's a pain in the bum and who needs to download and pay for more software when there's no need for it??

If you've followed my advice, you've got yourself setup with a decent host like hostingbay. This tutorial is based on hostingbay, some other hosts may vary slightly.

Now all you need to do is login to the members area of hostingbay, from there if you scroll down about half way you'll see a link to access your Web Site Control Panel. When you click on that, a new page will come up, pormpting for your username and password.

Type in those details and hit enter. You should now be logged into your control panel. before doing anything else, I would highly reccomend bookmarking that page so that you can go straight there in future without having to login to the memebers area of hostingbay first.

Now what you should see is a page with a whole bunch of stuff on it. Most of it you don't need to worry about, look for a link that says "file manager", it will look something like this:

Now when you click on that link, you will see a whole bunch of folders. I'd advise against mesing with any of them, look for one called public_html looking like

Clicking on the text link will give some options that we don't really want, instead click on the little yellow folder icon. You should then get something that looks like :

This is the root directory of your website online.

Now just click on "Upload file(s)" then click on the browse buttons to find all of the files in your root directory and then clck on upload.

As for your sub directories, you will need to click on "Create New Folder" at which point a small box will appear in the top right hand corner of the page, type in the name of subdirectory, making sure that you spell it correctly and that all upppercase and lowercase letters match.

Once that is done, you should see your subdirectory as a new folder in public_html, click the little yellow folder icon next to it, then click on "Upload file(s), browse for and uplaod all the files for that subdirectory and you are done.

Now providing you have done everything right, your domain name propigated and is pointed to your web site, if you type in your website address, you should see your website!!

Congratulations, you've built and published a website, now you can email your web address to your friends and family so that they can browse your website too.

other control panel functions

In this control panel, you can also create a new file online istead of creating in on your home computer, and you can also edit your existing files by clicking the text link of the file and choosing the edit option.

Personally I prefer to do all my file creating/editing on my own computer, allowing me to test my pages and make sure there's no embarrassing mistakes before uploading them and it's always handy to have a copy of your work saved on your own computer. If you update your pages on your own pc, you can simply upload them again ticking the box to overwrite existing fies.

There are many other functions available in the control panel, but my tutorial is not about them. Hostingbay's customer service is pretty good and the peple there are quite helpful if you are interested in using those extra functions.

hosting vatiations

While this tutorial is based on the control panel provided with a hostigbay hosting package, most decent hosts will have a similar control panel, and usually a similar sort of file upload manager, some hosts may vary with the name of the folder used as your root directory, if in doubt, contact your hosting company and ask them.

Well that conludes my basic tutorials about designing and publishing a basic website.

I hope you found this helpful, if you are looking to learn some more advanced stuff, please check out my php tutorials.

Lesson added Friday 1st May 2009