i have taken over a website but cannot get my head around how to open the ftp files and edit them.

please help!

FTP is a file transfer protocol so is used to move files from one place to another. There are no such things as “ftp files”.

You need to FTP the files from the server hosting the website to your PC, perform the necessary editing on your PC and then FTP the amended files back to the webserver.

I use the Filezilla FTP Client.

Some FTP clients will let you edit the files in-situ on the remote server but I’m old skool and prefer to perform the editing on my local PC.

Always backup files before you start editing them BTW.

filezilla for PC, Cyberduck for Mac for me

I would be using a remote login to edit files though, i use windows remote desktop connection to log into my work server / ftp from both Mac & PC

dur?

dur?

Pretty much.

i think i need more help!

Use the FTP to download the files from the webserver to your PC and then edit them using a text editor such as Notepad while they are on your PC, once your happy with your changes FTP them back onto the server and you’re away.

What is supposed to be in these files?

Do you actually need to change the contents of them, or replace them with new ones?

i need to add/remove dates and add customer feedback

Do you know what the file extension is – like xxxx.doc, or xxxx.txt, or xxxx.htm ?

your website is a collection of files on a server somewhere. when someone accesses your website, they’re looking at those files on the server.

you use FTP to move those files to and from your computer.

so for example, to modify the website, you’d use FTP to copy the files from the server to your computer, you’d then edit them on your computer and then use FTP to copy them back to the server.

there are loads of programs that will do the FTP bit (eg copy the files between your computer and the server) – I’d recommend filezilla which is free.

Telling us the website and what in particular you’re trying to update would help us suggest how to actually update it.

[/url] ftp by bobbyspangles, on Flickr[/img]

this is where the link takes me

*fetches binoculars*

You will need an FTP client so you c….

…ah, what’s the point.

I don’t mean to be rude, but who offloaded this onto you? As if it’s a commercial concern, you really need to have someone who knows what they are doing.

Crap image, but that looks like lots of html files.

You are going to have to edit which ever file it is you need (e.g. holidays.html).

To do that, you’ll ftp (i.e. transfer) it to the computer you are on.
Edit it using an html editor (do you have one?)
Then ftp it (transfer it) back to where it is at the moment.

The transferring can be done through filezilla, which is the FTP client you are using.

Note – there is every chance that you will cock this up.

thought as much.
so best outsourced then?

Given the level of questions you are asking…

…. yes.

depends. If it all went wrong how much would it matter?

it would matter.

am hoping to have the site rebuilt using more simpleton friendly program, thank you for stopping me just press all the buttons in some vain hope of getting it right

TBH, it doesn’t get much simpler.

so best outsourced then?

Depends, as clubber says, if there is a chance you could knacker the website then probably. Do you have backups in case this happens?

If all you want to do is pull down some html files, and do some basic editing, then re-upload them, then you might be ok.

Have a read of this for the FTP stuff, and you could do the HTML editing with something like CoffeeCup*.

I will reiterate, is this a commercial website? I assume so as you mention customers, so surely there must be someone IT literate involved who can help?

*There might be better options out there for Windows. on a Mac so wouldn’t know.

if you only need to do minor changes, you’ll get there in the end with a bit of help from google & youtube.

outsourcing can be pricey, in the region of £50/hr

ok, i have used joomla previously to good effect and that seemed easier-am i wrong?

ok, i have used joomla previously to good effect and that seemed easier-am i wrong?

.. it depends, some admin areas are better at certain things than others, what kind of site is it?

personally – I don’t like Joomla