Uploading Issues - A Troubleshooting Guide (FTP)

For the majority of the time, uploading your site to the web is as simple as going to File>Upload, entering the server name, directory (if used), user name and password and clicking OK. However, there may be the odd occasion when the upload doesn't start or it stalls before completion. This article offers a step-by-step guide to troubleshooting any upload problems you might experience.

The upload function built into Freeway is very reliable and, although we receive some reported problems in Software Support, it is rarely a Freeway issue at all. If you have problems, work through the following in order:

1. Make sure you're using the correct upload details

The details you need to enter in the relevant fields of the Upload dialog should have been sent to you by your host (probably in an email).
  • Server: The name of the server space where you need to upload the files. It is quite common for this to be your domain name (such as www.mydomain.com), but you should check with the details sent to you by your host.
  • Directory: The location on the server where your files need to be uploaded. This may be at the base level of the web domain’s folder/directory (so it can be left blank), or it may be located one or more levels down (in which case you will have been given a "path" name which consists of different folders separated by a forward slash symbol ("/") for each level. Your web host may refer to this as the “Path” in your supplied uploading details. It is quite common for servers to use a specific folder called something like "htmldocs", "html" or "www" (without the quotes).
  • User name: This is the User name given to you by the web host (not your computer’s user name). This is usually case-sensitive, so take care to enter the information exactly as it’s supplied with capital and lower case characters as appropriate. Your web host may refer to this as “User ID” or “Login Name”.
  • Password: As with your User name this is specific to your hosting account and will normally be case-sensitive.
If all the details appear to be correct, it might be that you entered them by copying and pasting from elsewhere (such as the email sent to you by your host) which might have also entered some unnecessary characters, such as a space. Because Freeway will remember these details after the first time you upload, you only need to enter the details once - so perhaps it is best to enter the details manually by typing them in.

Entering incorrect details in the Upload dialog will prevent the upload process from starting.

2. Use the Passive FTP Mode (PASV) option

Some web servers require that you use "passive mode" for uploading. If you find that the upload process started but then stalled, it might be that you need to use passive mode. Try uploading again, but this time switch on the option for "Passive FTP Mode (PASV)" in the Upload dialog - or switch it on if it was off previously.

3. Check to see if it's a Freeway issue

If you have followed the first two steps but the upload still doesn't work correctly, it's tempting to believe that it is a Freeway problem - but it very seldom is. There are many reasons why the upload doesn't work - perhaps the server is undergoing routine maintenance or there is a problem which your host is not aware of.

You can check to see if it is a problem with your server and not Freeway by attempting to connect to your server using a standalone FTP application, such as Cyberduck http://cyberduck.ch or Transmit http://www.panic.com/transmit (Cyberduck is Freeware, Transmit is Shareware with a free trial version). Download and then launch the FTP application of your choice. In Cyberduck click on "Open Connection", enter your details and click on Connect. In Transmit, enter your details and click "Connect". Note that you need to use the same details as you used in Freeway's upload dialog.

If you can't connect with the FTP application, then it is almost certainly a server issue - in which case you need to contact your host to see if there is a problem at their end (it's also worth sending them the details you used to connect, so they can check that it is correct).

If you can connect successfully, then you should try uploading your files with the FTP application. You can do this by opening your Freeway file's Site Folder (this is the folder specified in the dialog if you go to File>Document Setup in Freeway) and then dragging and dropping the entire contents into the FTP application's window (in Transmit, this is the "Their Stuff" pane). After you have dropped the files into the window you should see the progress of the upload.

If the upload process stalls or you receive an error message, it might be because the server has "timed out". If you are uploading very large files (such as QuickTime or MP3 files), a server connection may drop, so you may need to edit the files by resampling or compressing the files to make them smaller. Those using a dial-up connection need to realistic about the size of the files for upload if the server repeatedly times out.

It is possible that there is a problem with the connection itself - perhaps the Broadband connection is very slow or unreliable. If this is the case, you need to report the problem to your telecoms provider.

If the problem persists, you should contact your host to see if there is a reason for the server connection to drop.

In the unlikely event that you can complete an upload with an FTP application but you still can't by using Freeway's Upload function, please get in contact with our Support department at support@softpress.com.

4. The upload was successful but the site can't be found on the web

If the upload process appears to have been successful but you can't find the site on the web, it's quite likely that you are uploading your files to the wrong location on the server. Check the details from your host again to see if they instruct you to use a specific folder (directory) on the server - if one is specified, enter the name of that folder in the Directory field of the Upload dialog.

You can use an FTP application to connect to the server to see if there is a particular folder in which you should be uploading your files to.

Another reason for your site not being accessible on the web is if your Home page doesn't have the file name of "index.html". Freeway by default should give your Home page (ie, the page which you see when you type in just your domain name in the URL address field of a browser) the file name of "index.html" - however, if you have been moving pages around in the Freeway file this might not be the case. Open up your Freeway file to see if your Home page has "index.html" in the File field in the Page Inspector - if it doesn't, you need to change it to "index.html" (without the quotes) and then Upload again.