LVS Free Student Hosting File Manager Tutorial

Sign In :: File Manager overview :: Uploading single files
Uploading multiple files :: Preview files in File Manager :: View files in a browser
Post URLs to class boards :: Create a new directory :: Delete a file :: Print this page

LVS Free Hosting is provided as an added service for LVS students. This hosting is designed to accommodate those students that do not wish to purchase virtual hosting and only need a place to upload assignments or class material.

You should have received your confirmation message from freeaccount@lvshost.com. If you requested an account but have not received that , either the account is not yet set up, or the email went into a spam folder. If you or your ISP uses a spam blocking service, please check those spam folders. Please note: LVS does not submit email requests to be authorized. Be sure that lvshost.com is in your white list!

NOTE: The link below will open in a new browser window. This window will remain open so that you can refer back to it. You may want to print this page for easier reading.

Go to http://lvshost.com/cgi-bin/fileman/fileman.cgi to log into your account. You may want to bookmark this page to your favorites. Fill in your username and password.

NOTE: Those of you using the general Student Upload area will find the username and password on your classroom index page.

Overview

When you first log into your new account there will be no files listed unless you requested re-instatement of a previous hosting account.

Click thumbnail to see larger image in new window so you can look at it while reading the descriptions below.

Terminology

root: Your home directory
Search: Search for specific files or directories
Replace: Search for a specific string of text and replace it with a new string of text. Note: Only works on .txt files
Upload: Upload a file to the directory you are currently in
New File: Create a new file that will be saved in the directory you are currently in
New Dir: Create a new directory within the directory you are currently in
Prefs: Customize your FileMan settings
Password: Change the password used to login to FileMan
Sign Out: Log out of FileMan and return to the login menu **If you leave FileMan open for three hours without using it, you will be logged out automatically.**
Edit: After selecting a file, clicking the "Edit" link will open the file, allowing you to edit it
Download: Download selected files from the server to your computer
Copy: Copy selected files to another directory
Delete: Delete selected files and/or directories **This is permanent**
Move: Move files or directories
Compress: Zip a single file and save it
Print: Print files
Help: Display the File Manager Help file

Using the File Manager

Uploading

SEE A MOVIE showing how to create a new directory and upload files.

Single File Uploads

To upload a file click the "Upload" link near the top of the file manager page

After you've clicked on "Upload" look down at the bottom of the screen. If you only need to upload one file, click the Browse button and browse to the file's location on your hard drive.

NOTE: File Manager tells you that you're going to upload into your "root" directory. Always pay attention to the Status message.

After you locate the file and ok the selection, the path to that file will be automatically entered into the upload area in the file manager. (see below)

Now just click the "Upload" button and the file will be uploaded into your web space

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Get into the habit of naming your files with no spaces, all lowercase, and using only letters and numbers. This will help you to avoid headaches in the future. If you have illegal characters in your file name it will not upload. The File Manager will give you an error something like the image below:

2. If the "Overwrite" box is unchecked and you try to upload a file with the same as one that is already there, the new file will not upload. You will get an error message like the one in the image below:

If you are uploading a revised file with the same name as one already there and want to overwrite the original, be sure to put a check in the "Overwrite" box.

Multiple Uploads

If you have more than one file to upload, use the "Multiple Upload" option by clicking on the link to the right of the "Browse" and "Upload" buttons.

A new window will pop up. Choose the files to upload and then click the "Upload" button located at the bottom of that window.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

2. If the "Overwrite" box is unchecked and you try to upload a file with the same name as one that is already there, the new file will not upload. You will get an error message like the one in the image below:

If you are uploading a revised file with the same name as one already there and want to overwrite the original, be sure to put a check in the "Overwrite" box.

Prevewing your files in File Manager

Once you've uploaded a file you can preview it in the File Manager by clicking the little icon to the left of the file name. NOTE: This is preview only. Do not copy/paste the URL from this preview to your class board. To get the URL for pasting to the class board, please follow the instructions for Viewing your files in a browser

If you click on the file name of an .html, .txt or other text type document, it will open in the File Editor window. You can make changes here and then save the file to keep those changes.

NOTE: We do not want coding students to use this editor please. Follow the instructions in your classroom for creating/editing/revising your documents.

If you get into the File Editor by accident, just click the "root" link to get out of it and back to the file listing page without making any changes to your file.

Viewing your files in a browser

Breaking Down the "URI"
Thanks Deborah!

Before we go any further, let's look at a URI and break it down to see what each piece means. http://www.lvshost.com/users/username/page1.html

ALL student URIs begin with http://www.lvshost.com/: This part of the web address names the lvshost.com domain. This dictates on which hosting server the browser needs to go in order to begin its search for your page.
ALL student URIs will contain users/: That is the container, if you will, set up by LVS to hold all free web hosting accounts. You, like all students at LVS, are part of a group named 'users'.
The next part, your username/ identifies you specifically: This is the username you selected when you signed up for your account.
And finally, the page1.html part is the name you gave your file.: Whether you're wanting to post a URI for a web page or an image, that file name is what you'll add here at the end of the URI.

Sooooo, what the whole URI tells a browser is:

Find the domain: http://www.lvshost.com/
Locate the directory named: users/
Search for: username/
Display a file named: page1.html

The forward slashes tell the browser it's not done looking yet; continue on to the next location. When it runs out of /s, it stops and the page is displayed.

Open a new browser window or tab (Normally File > New Window, or New Tab, or New Page) and type in your URL.
This will be http://www.lvshost.com/users/yourusername
For example mine is http://www.lvshost.com/users/vikki

TIP: It is likely a good idea to bookmark your URL to your Favorites so that you don't have to type it each time you need to visit your site. :)

If you have an index.html page in your account you will see that index page in your browser window. You will have to manually type the file name in your address bar to view it. For example, if your file name is page1.html, you would add that at the end of the url: http://www.lvshost.com/users/yourusername/page1.html

We recommend not having an index.html page in your account when you're first learning. It is much easier for us to help you if we can see all of your files and directories.

If you do not have an index.html page in your account you will see a list of all the files in your browser window. Just click on a file name to view it in your browser.

Posting your URLs to your class message board

(If you're on a Mac, use Command where this says Ctrl)

It is easiest for you do this with two browser windows open.

You already have your assignment file open in a browser window if you were following along with the instructions above. If you are coming here for the first time and don't already have that page/file open in your browser please read the Viewing your files in a browser section and then come back here.
Open another browser window (Normally File > New Window, or New Tab, or New Page) (AOL browser: File > New > Web Window) and go to your class message board.
Open a new post ready to edit:
Go back to the other browser window and highlight the assignment file's URL in the address bar (at the top of your browser).
Right click on the URL and choose "Copy" from the drop down menu
*OR*
Hold the Ctrl key down and type C. (Ctrl+C)
Either of these methods will COPY the URL to your clipboard.
Click on your other browser window to activate it.
Right click and in the message box and choose "Paste" from the drop down menu
*OR*
Click in the message box to place your cursor in it, then hold the Ctrl key down and type V (Ctrl+V).
Either of these methods will PASTE the contents of your clipboard into your message.
Hit the Enter key to drop down to the next line, and then go back to the other browser to find your next file if you have more than one.
Repeat 2 through 7 until you have all of the links in the message body.
Complete your message and post it for us to see. :)

Creating a new directory

Click the "New Dir" link.

Look at the bottom of the File Manager window...

You'll get a success message once you've created the new directory.

Your new directory appears in the listing.

To upload into your new directory, click on the directory name to open it. Then click the "Upload" button.

Notes:

File Manager tells you that you're in the images directory.
There is a link to "Parent Directory". This is what you'll click to get back to your "root".
The status message tells you that you're going to "Upload a file into /images directory"

Deleting a file

Put a tic in the little box to the left of the file name. This "selects" the file for action. Notice that the text on the selected line turns red (not the file name itself, but the size, file type, etc.

Click the "Delete" link. A little pop up box will appear. Double check that you have selected the file that you want to delete and click "OK". The file will be deleted.

Please be very careful. There is no Recycle Bin on a web server so once the file is gone, it is gone forever.

What you get with the LVS Free Hosting:

1 account with 5 MEG of web space
Online control panel for uploading/downloading files and creating new directories
Online HTML editors for use with non-HTML classes.

Why we offer this service:

We disagree with all of the banner advertising on the so called "free" sites and want to provide you with a hassle free place to post your assignments. We would also hope that you like our service and that in the event you want to move up to a virtual hosting account, you'll think of us first - http://hosting.lvsonline.com

Your restrictions:

Not much...all that we ask is that you be reasonable with your space and adhere to the terms of service agreement that applies to all LVS services.

There are a few limitations on these accounts. The following file types are not allowed: .exe, .cgi, .pl, .php, .vbs, .mp3
We would also like you to limit your use of these accounts for class purposes only.

You must be a registered student at LVS when you sign up for your free hosting account but do not lose it if you do not register for classes in subsequent sessions. Any account that is not used for 90 days is subject to deletion.

Each student is allowed to have one (1) free hosting account. If you need more space, please consider purchasing a larger account.

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