File Transfer Protocol (FTP) was the standard method of sending and retrieving files over the Internet without the need to use an email attachment or a browser to open the file. It has been replaced by the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) and the Secure Copy protocol (SCP) which encrypt your login and data, because old FTP operated insecurely (without encryption).
SFTP and SCP are particularly useful for transmitting or receiving large numbers of files (such as whole directory or a Web site) without having to click on each one individually.
This document explains how to use programs which run SFTP and/or SCP. It describes programs for the three most popular platforms: Microsoft Windows, Unix, and Apple Mac OS X. This document assumes you are completely familiar with using your computer and operating system, and that you know and understand files, folders (directories), Web sites, URIs, and usernames/passwords. If you are uncertain about any of these, please refer to the Training Centre pages for details of courses.
22 March 2009 (rev 4)
3. Command-line file transfer
The standard command-line form of SFTP and SCP programs is where you type commands line by line. This is not as pretty as a windowing system but it's faster and simpler. You can also install graphical systems such as FireFTP (in Firefox), gFTP, or FileZilla (see [reference to element type "" has not been provided for]).
3.1. Command-line access under Windows
[awaiting information]
3.2. Command-line access on Unix-like systems (Linux and Apple
Mac OS X)
3.2.1. Making a connection
Standard command-line SFTP needs no setting up: you just type at the command prompt
$ sftp username@host.site.domain
replacing username with your username on the remote system, and host.site.domain with the name of that system.
The first time you ever connect to a site, it will ask you if it is OK to accept the authenticity of the site. Answer yes (assuming that you are indeed certain that it's where you want to go!).
The program now connects to the remote site and will ask you to log in.
3.2.2. Logging in
Logging in means providing the password that goes with your username.
The remote site will prompt for your username: type it in and press Enter.
Connecting to www.ucc.ie... username@www.ucc.ie's password:
(It will not display anything, for security reasons.) You will be logged in and get the SFTP prompt which means the system is ready to accept your commands:
sftp>
3.2.3. Transferring files
To send a file from your current (local) directory to the server (into its current directory) type
put filename
To get a file from the server's current directory into your current local directory, type
get filename
More commonly, however, you first need to go to the right directory…
3.2.4. Finding your way around (navigating)
To see a list of files and folders in the current server directory, type ls -l , for example:
sftp> ls -l dr-xr-xr-x 2 ontology system 512 Nov 21 01:07 bin drwxr-xr-x 2 ontology webster 512 Nov 23 10:47 web sftp>
To change directory on the server, type
cd directoryname
Subdirectories (folders) are indicated with a letter
d in the first character position on the
line. If you lose track of where you are, type
pwd to show the current working directory
on the server. To go back up to the previous directory
level, type cd .. (that's two
dots).
To see a list of files in your local (PC) directory, use the lls -l command. To change local directory, use lcd directoryname , and to see what local directory you are in, use lpwd
3.2.5. Finishing up
You have to wait while the file transfer you have requested finish. When it is done, you will see the sftp> prompt again, and you can send or retrieve another file, change directory again, or log off. To log off, just type quit
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, Electronic Publishing Unit • 2009-03-22 • (other) |
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