This article summarizes basic file management using an FTP client and Customer Administration tools. To find FTP login details, change a password or create a new FTP account, follow the guide in the article Webhosting – FTP Accounts.
This article covers:
- When to use this guide
- How files and directories work
- The Webhosting directory structure
- How to manage files via FTP
- How to repair file permissions
- Common issues
- Frequently asked questions
When to use this guide
- You uploaded your website via FTP, but nothing appears in the browser, or the “Webhosting is active” page is still displayed. You will find the solution in the chapter Nothing is displayed after uploading the website.
- WordPress reports “unable to create a temporary file” or “The temporary directory does not exist” when uploading images or themes. You will find the solution in the chapter File uploads fail because of a missing tmp folder.
- You cannot delete or rename a folder on FTP. You will find the solution in the chapter Cannot delete or rename a folder.
- The Application Installer reports success, but you don’t know where to find the application on FTP, or you want to delete the old website and start over. You will find the solution in the chapter Frequently asked questions.
- Your website or application installation ends with a 403 error. You will find the solution in the chapter Repairing file permissions.
Files and directories
Files are the basic building blocks of your website. Most contain code or code components that form the web application, along with various media – images, videos, documents, etc.
For the website to work correctly, all its components should ideally be on the same hosting service. To move files from your computer to Webhosting, upload them via FTP. This transfer has no file size limit; only connection speed limits it.
Applications can also upload images and other media via PHP. In this case, the file size is limited to 128 MB on LowCost hosting, 256 MB on NoLimit and 512 MB on NoLimit Extra. Larger files can be uploaded only via FTP.
If you want to use a content management system, such as WordPress, you can install it using Application Installer.
Webhosting directory structure
Webhosting has a fixed basic directory structure. Make sure it always contains these directories:
- session – storage for PHP session data files
- tmp – a directory for temporary files (important for file uploads)
- www – the website directory itself
These directories are accessible only to a user logged in with the main FTP account.
The following directories are part of the basic structure, but the website can work without them:
- www/domains – a directory for creating separate content for aliases (more about aliases)
- www/subdom – a directory for creating subdomains (more about subdomains)
For more information, see the article Webhosting – Restoring the Basic FTP Structure.
Managing files via FTP
FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is the standard method of transferring data between a user’s computer and Webhosting. To use it, the computer needs an FTP client: a program that communicates over FTP and provides an interface for moving files. We recommend one of the following:
- WebFTP – a browser-based FTP client (interface ⧉ || guide)
- FileZilla – a cross-platform FTP client
Establishing an FTP connection
To connect your computer to Webhosting via FTP, you need:
- The FTP server address
- Username
- Password
If you do not know your FTP access details, find them using the article FTP – Login.
For more information about FTP accounts and their configuration, see the article Webhosting – FTP Accounts.
Uploading files via FTP
The specific process for uploading, editing and deleting Webhosting files via FTP depends on the client. Consult its user guide for instructions.
When working with files, follow these precautions:
- Avoid deleting files that form the Webhosting directory structure.
- Make sure you upload data to the correct folder: the website belongs in www (or its subfolders).
- Be careful when deleting files directly on Webhosting – there is no recycle bin from which to restore them later. If in doubt, create a backup.
Repairing file permissions
Files may have permissions that prevent the server from working with them effectively. This results in Error 403. Repair file permissions as follows:
- Log in to Customer Administration ⧉.
- In the top menu, select Hosting services Webhosting.
- Select the required service from the Webhosting list.
- In the left menu, select Tools.
- In the box Repairing file permissions click the button Repair file permissions.
This repair allows the server and users to access files that might otherwise be blocked.
Common issues
Problems connecting to FTP are covered in the article FTP – Troubleshooting. The most common problems you encounter with files on Webhosting are:
- Nothing is displayed after uploading the website
- File uploads fail because of a missing tmp folder
- Cannot delete or rename a folder
Nothing is displayed after uploading the website
Problem: You uploaded the website via FTP, but it does not appear in the browser, or the “Webhosting is active” page is displayed.
Cause: The index.html or index.php file is not in the correct folder, or the website has inappropriate file permissions set. If both files are in the folder, the server displays index.html first.
Solution: Verify that the index.html or index.php file is in the www folder (or www/domains/wds-test.cz, where wds-test.cz is your domain). Then fix the file permissions and clear the cache in your browser. If that does not help, follow the article Webhosting – Website Troubleshooting.
File uploads fail because of a missing tmp folder
Problem: When uploading images, themes or other files via WordPress, the following error appears File upload error – unable to create a temporary file or The temporary directory does not exist. When logging in to the WordPress administration, you may see the warning session_start(): open(…) failed: No such file or directory.
Cause: The tmp folder, or possibly the session folder, is missing from the FTP root directory (often after being deleted by mistake).
Solution: Check the directory structure. The FTP root directory must contain the folders tmp, session and www. If tmp or session is missing, create it. Does the tmp folder exist and the error persists? Fix the file permissions. If that does not help, set up temporary FTP access for Support and send a request authorized via the contact form.
Cannot delete or rename a folder
Problem: You cannot delete or rename a folder on FTP (for example after uninstalling WordPress), or it still appears empty after deletion.
Solution: Fix the file permissions and try again. If the problem persists, see the procedure in the article Webhosting – Separate Websites for Aliases (Multihosting), chapter Blocking FTP Modifications.
Frequently asked questions
We accidentally deleted all FTP contents. Can you restore them?
You must restore the Webhosting directory structure manually using this guide. If you accidentally deleted website files and have no backup of your own, you can request restoration of our backup (for a fee).
Where on FTP do I find WordPress or PrestaShop installed with the Application Installer?
In the folder www/domains/wds-test.cz, where wds-test.cz is the domain you installed the application on. An installation in a subfolder is inside it, for example PrestaShop in www/domains/wds-test.cz/prestashop and in the browser at wds-test.cz/prestashop/. More in the article Webhosting – Application Installer.
I want to delete the old website and install a new one from scratch. What should I delete on FTP?
Delete the contents of the session and tmp folders and the website folder (www or www/domains/wds-test.cz); leave the folders themselves. Then restore the default .htaccess file and fix the file permissions. You do not need to delete the original database; the new website will connect to a different one. Before deleting, make a backup, as there is no recycle bin.