Getting Started with your Unix Web Site

Getting Started with your Linux Plan Web Site

If you are using FrontPage, you should publish your files from FrontPage (see instructions further down the page). If you are not using FrontPage, and your web publishing software does not have a publishing function, you will need to upload your files with an FTP client. There are various FTP programs availble, and you probably have at least one on your computer right now. But it is very easy to find an FTP client at www.download.com.

Although we don't believe it is the best tool, you can use Internet Explorer as an FTP client. In the URL address bar, type in your web address as if you were going to your web site, EXCEPT replace http:// with ftp://. For example, if your domain name is mydomain.com, then you would type the address as ftp://www.mydomain.com You will then get a pop-up window for your username and password. Once logged in, go into the 'web' folder. You can drag and drop these files between your site and your desktop.

Uploading Your Site Via FTP/Fetch

If you are using a standard ftp client, follow these steps:

1. Log on to the Internet, then start your FTP or Fetch program.
2. Look for a field called Host Address / IP address and enter the IP
address we assigned you. Just use the number, do not place anything before or after it. If your domain name is active on ZyLink, you can enter your domain name (www.yourdomain.xxx)
3. Enter the USERID we assigned you in the "USERID" field, and enter your
PASSWORD in the "PASSWORD" field.
4. Most FTP programs will have a field for "remote directory." Although it isn't necessary, you can enter 'web' or '/web' (without the quotes). If you leave this blank, simply click to open the 'web' folder once you've logged in.
5. Each FTP client works a little differently, but generally you need to go to the directory on your local computer that contains your web files, highlight the files you want to upload. Then simply press an arrow key or an upload key or something similar to copy the file(s) onto the server's drive. Be sure to use the ASCII mode for text files, and Binary for graphic files. Once your files are transferred, you are finished. You can now look at your Web site with your web browser. (i.e. Firefox, Internet Explorer).

Note: To assure that your site comes up when you type in your domain
name please make sure that your main or home page is called index.html. or index.htm. If you using PHP then index.php or will also work if you want your home page to include PHP.

The path to Perl
#!/usr/bin/perl

The path to Sendmail
/usr/sbin/sendmail

Using Microsoft FrontPage to upload files
1. Log on to the Internet.
2. Click "File/Open FrontPage Web."
3. Open the FrontPage web you wish to publish.
4. From the "file" menu, choose "Publish FrontPage Web."
5. You will be shown a list of possible places to publish your web. You should click the button "more webs." You can then specify the server address we have assigned you. It is easist to simply list your IP number (you don't even have to include the http://) You can also use you web address (www.yourdomain.com). Do NOT, however, use "ftp" in front of your web address for FrontPage publishing as you would with ftp publishing. Pages might get published to the wrong directory.
6. You will probably have to rename your home page or main page. FrontPage normally names the home page as "default.htm." Our Unix servers only read "index.html" or "index.htm" as the home page. So you must rename the home page to index.html. The easiest way to do this is, prior to publishing, to click on the Navigation view in the FrontPage Explorer. Then point the mouse to the home page square, and press the right mouse button. Then click on "rename" item on the pop-up menu.

OPENING YOUR SITE ON OUR SERVER WITH FRONTPAGE.

1. Open a connection to the Internet and start Microsoft FrontPage
Explorer.
2. Click "File/Open FrontPage Web."
3. Once the dialog box opens select "Open an Existing FrontPage Web",
and click "More Webs". In the field asking for "Web server or Disk
Location", enter your domain name or your IP address. (For example:
www.yourdomain.xxx or 208.233.89.89 ). Click "List Webs".
4. Once "Root Web" appears in the second box, highlight it and Click "OK". FrontPage will now load your files into the Explorer.
5. Once your files appear in the Explorer you can begin your work. When
you save your work, it will be automatically saved on our server and
updated instantly .
Note: To assure your site comes up when you type in your domain
name please make sure your main or home page is called index.html. or index.htm

To change your password and perform other site administration

Your site has its own control panel. You can reach it by going to <yourdomainname>/siteadmin/ (Your domain name must be fully functional in order to access your control panel this way. Check your new account e-mail for accessing your control panel prior to domain registration or transfer)

To change file permissions

The CHMOD command exists on newer FTP client programs. Read the documentation for instructions. In most cases, you first highlight the file or directory on the remote server that you want to modify. Once it is highlighted, you then right-click your mouse to get a drop-down menu. Then you select CHMOD. You will normally be doing this only if you are using CGI scripts. Most cgi scripts require a 755 permission.

Other scripting information

On all Linux servers, we have installed a special file in the CGI-BIN directory. It can be accessed by going to http://<your domain name>/cgi-bin/environment.cgi. This will list the various enviroment information for your server, including scripting paths.

PHP

For servers with PHP, there is an additional file in the root web directory titled lookatme.php. If you view this file in your browser, it will list information about the PHP module installed on the server which will be helpful to your PHP scripting.