IAGenWeb

Filezilla is a great FTP Client Server. There are two things you can do, however, to make it work especially well.

1. Use synchronized browsing.

You really should have a copy of your web site on your own disk and it should look the same as what you uploaded (unless you have since made changes). When you synchronize your directories you can select the directory you want to work with (in the Local site panel) and it will automatically go to the same directory on the Remote site panel. No more accidentally uploading file into the wrong directory! (We've all done it.)

To do this:

a. In Site Manager select your site (or set it up if this is the first time) and under the Advanced tab set the Default local directory to the directory of the site on your PC. (Usually the Default remote directory will not require a directory setting.)
b. Still under the Advanced tab check "Use synchronized browsing".

Now try it and see how easy it is to work with files in the filename panels when you have selected the directory in the Local site panel. Note that you have to set up synchronized browsing for each site.

2. Disable drag and drop.

Filezilla by default supports dragging and dropping files and directories. While that may seem like a neat feature, in practice many, many web sites have been brought down by the inadvertent movement of files. The slightest twitch of the mouse may make folders seem to disappear. It is strongly recommended that you disable drag and drop.

Here's how.

a. Start an editor in administrator mode. (In Windows/7, right click on the editor icon and select "Run as administrator".}

b. Copy and paste the five lines below into the editor.

<FileZilla3>
<Settings>
<Setting name="Drag and Drop disabled">1</Setting>
</Settings>
</FileZilla3>

c. Save the file as fzdefaults.xml in the "FileZilla FTP Client" directory (either in "Program Files" or "Program Files (x86)", whichever it is installed in). The next time you start Filezilla drag and drop should be disabled.

d. Test to make sure you did get it disabled. Do it with non-critical files. You should be unable to drag and drop and file or directory. Note this change affects all of the sites you have set up in Filezilla.

Those simple changes will greatly enhance your Filezilla experience.

Mak,

Thanks for the information on improving the Filezilla user experience by using synchronized browsing. In trying to set this up, though, when I go into my site manager, select the advanced tab, it is requiring that I put in my default remote directory. I can't figure out what to use in this field. I am the CC for Montgomery county. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Debbie, for the remote directory just put a forward slash (/). The local directory should be the folder in which your index file resides. If this doesn't work please email support@iagenweb.org for further help.