- 1) What methods are available to upload files to your website?
You may upload files using some of the following methods:
- Directly edit & upload in your browser using the configpanel file manager
- FTP. If you don't already have an FTP program, try the free FileZilla FTP Client
- Microsoft FrontPage, Microsoft FrontPage Express, Microsoft Interdev. (for windows based accounts)
- Netscape composer
- Dreamweaver (uses ftp).
Some other tools may also be able to upload. Check with us and if possible we will help with the configuration.
- 2)Can I upload and view my website even before I have a domain name registered or before I point my domainname to Precisium?
Yes. You can upload using FTP - and your site will be visible at an address like: http://accountid.junctionworld.com
- 3) I uploaded some files, but can't see my changes. What's going on?
Check that you can see your changes ok when you type 'author' in place of 'www' in your browser address bar.
If you can see your changes at http://author.<yourdomain>.com but not at http://www.<yourdomain>.com then you have uploaded successfully but perhaps the files have not yet been mirrored to the 'Live' server.
This should generally take only a few minutes (approx 10) if your account is set to 'auto' mirroring.
If it is taking longer, then perhaps there is a 'caching' problem somewhere. Make sure you hit 'refresh' in your browser. For Internet Explorer users; try holding down the 'Ctrl' & 'Alt' buttons whilst clicking the refresh button.
Alternatively - there may be a delay in the mirroring process - feel free to contact us to confirm and/or push it along.
If your account is set to 'manual mirroring' - you will need to trigger mirroring for your site here: http://configpanel.com.
- 4) What is this "separate authoring server" all about?
This is an option to allow further site development independent of the main website.
The Virtual Web Site is actually created on 2 separate physical servers.
First there is the "Author" (or "Authoring") server, which is where the web files are uploaded to.
Sometimes people refer to this sort of server as a "Staging" server. When you upload your files, they are then "Mirrored" (copied)
accross to the "Live" webserver(s).
- 5) So what is the point of the "Author" server?
There are some slight configuration differences between the Author and Live servers
- e.g PHP will display more error information if you run a defective script on the Author server.
The author server takes some of the load off the live system, and also allows you to test your site prior to releasing it to the live servers
BUT, by default your site will be set to AUTOMATICALLY Mirror across to the live system, usually within 15 minutes of upload.
If you want to use the Author server to test prior to release, you will need to ask us to set your site to MANUAL MIRRORING.
This will allow you to decide when the files get Mirrored across to the main webservers.
If you already have your site set for manual Mirroring - you can trigger mirroring using your <accountid>.admin username, here:http://configpanel.com
You can view your website on the author server by going to the address "author.yourdomainname" instead of "www.yourdomainname".
The "author.yourdomainname" address can be given to your associates/clients for testing, but we request that you do not publish this
address as if it were your main site, or submit it to search engines. It is for test/prototype use only.
- 6) Will Microsoft FrontPage work immediately, or do I have to have it enabled on my site?
We only support Frontpage on Windows servers running IIS.
If you wish to use Frontpage with your site, you will need to contact support@precisium.com.au and ask to have it activated.
Frontpage Extensions are available without extra charge on all Light and Standard hosting plans.
Some of the FrontPage components may not work immediately. Contact support and we will perform any necessary configuration.
- 7) When I upload my files using MS Frontpage or FTP, is it actually secure?
Standard FTP is not an ultra-secure protocol. When we mention "Secure FTP" we mean that a username and password
are used as opposed to "anonymous" FTP. The Username and Password will keep most would-be intruders out, but
the VERY-DETERMINED could get hold of the username and password whilst it is in transit, because they are not Encrypted.
Nor are the files encrypted whilst they are uploaded. This situation is basically the same for every web-host.
It is the nature of the FTP protocol. Similarly with FrontPage, the data is not encrypted.
This is of concern to some people. Luckily, if it is important to you, there is a way around it.
We can disable FTP and implement SSL (Secure Socket Layer) for your uploads. Your uploads will then be ocurring by HTTP, the same
protocol visitors use to view your site. Frontpage can be used to upload in this fashion, and indeed the username,
password and the data will all be encrypted during upload.
For those who don't have Frontpage, or don't want to use frontpage, we will be implementing other methods of secure (SSL) upload.
- 8) Why do I just see a blank folder when connecting using ftp?
If you connect to the ftp server using an ftp client (e.g filezilla, wsftp, cuteftp, smartftp) and see either just a blank folder or only a 'pub' folder then the problem is you haven't set the initial directory.
Your ftp program may have another name for this setting such as "initial remote folder".
For example, if your accountid was 'companyx' you may find it convenient to configure this setting with: companyx/www
Alternatively - the ftp program may have a CD command to 'change directory'. Even though the folder is hidden - you should be able to enter the foldername (e.g companyx) for your FTP program to CD to.
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