Instead of selecting individual files in a web browser, you can copy entire directories up and move on to other things while the files are being uploaded.

FTP Programs

There are a wide variety of FTP programs available for use. For these instructions, I will use FileZilla, an FTP program available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.

The default interface for mozilla looks something like the following:

Status Information shows what is happening with your connection.

Your computer lets you browse the contents of your computer.

The files on your computer in your working directory displays your current working directory…which is the directory on your computer where files will be copied to if you download them from your server.

Your web server lets you browse the contents of your web server (or whatever computer you are connected to via FTP)

The files on your server in your working directory displays the files on your remote working directory. This is where files will be copied to when you upload them (unless you drag them into a displayed folder).

Status of File Uploads / Downloads displays status information related to file uploads and downloads.

Uploading files to your Webserver

For the purposes of this quick tutorial, we will cover uploading the Atahualpa theme to a WordPress site.

Step 1: Setup your site in the FileZilla Site Manager

The first thing you should do is to setup your site in the site manager.

• Select "File" → "Site Manager"
  This will open the FileZilla Site Manager.

Select "New Site"
This will bring up the new site dialogue.

• Enter a name for your new site
  This can be whatever you want.
  I recommend using the domain name.
• Enter your sites domain name in the "Host" box
  If you have a static IP, you could enter the IP address instead.
• Enter your sites ftp port
  Leave this empty unless you set ftp to a non default port.
• Select your ftp server type
  This should normally be FTP – File Transfer Protocol
  As noted in Blog LockDown, you might want to consider enabling and using SFTP for better security.
• Select your "Logintype"
  Use normal if you want Filezilla to store your password. (convenient)
  Use Ask for Password if you want to be prompted for the password. (safer)
• Enter your FTP username
  If you signed up with Host Gator, you received this in your welcome email. It is your account username.
• Enter your password
  This only applies if you selected "Normal" for Logintype.
• Select "OK" or "Connect" to save your new server entry
  Ok saves without connecting to your server.
  Connect saves and then connects to your server.

Step 2: Find the files you want to upload on your computer

Once you are connected to your web server, you will want to locate the files that you want to upload. To do so, use the left windows to find your files.

If you wanted to find "downloads/atahualpa" on your D: drive, you would:

1. Select D: in your top left window
   This would show it’s contents in the bottom left window
2. Select downloads in the top left window
   This would show its’ contents in the bottom left window.
3. Find atahualpa in the bottom left window
   This is the directory you want to upload.

Step 3: Find the location you want to upload your files to.

On the right side, use the two displayed windows to find the folder that you want to upload content to.

If you wanted to upload a new theme, you would upload it to "public_html/wp-content/themes"

1. Select public_html in the top right pane
   You would see subfolders below it in the top right pane.
   You would also see the contents of public_html in the bottom right pane.
2. Select wp-content in the top right pane
   You would see subfolders below it in the top right pane.
   You would also see the contents of wp-content in the bottom right pane.
3. Select themes in the top right pane
   You would see subfolders below it in the top right pane.
   You would also see the contents of themes in the bottom right pane.
   You would drag your new theme folders to the bottom right pane.

Step 4: Copy your files to your server.

To copy files to your server, drag them from the bottom left pane to the bottom right pane.

Continuing our example of uploading the atahualpa theme:

1. Click the atahualpa folder in the bottom left pane
2. Drag the atahualpa folder from the bottom left pane to the bottom right pane
   Be careful not to drop it into a folder on the bottom right as doing so would place the atahualpa folder into whatever folder you dropped it into instead of into the themes folder.

Your files will then start being copied up and you will see both the top and bottom windows displaying information related to the files being uploaded.

Copying files from your server to your computer

This is just like uploading files, but instead of dragging them from the bottom left to the bottom right, you drag them from the bottom right to the bottom left.