Preferences

Setting General Preferences

Click on the picture below for more information on specific features.

Transfer File Type

Transfer files in ASCII, binary, or automatic mode. Automatic mode discovers what type a file is, and changes between ASCII and binary automatically for you. It is customizable by adding file types to the ASCII File Types listing.
(Default ASCII file types include: C, CGI, CPP, CAP, H, HTM, HTML, INI, NFO, PAS, TXT)
Binary, ASCII, or auto file transfer

Delete local files to the Recycle Bin

When deleting local files, choose whether ALFTP simply deletes them or sends them to the Recycle Bin. This does not apply to the ALFTP Server.
Files that are deleted on an FTP server (including ALFTP Server) are not recoverable. This is by design.
Delete local files to the recycle bin

Show Site Map on startup

This displays the ALFTP Site Map when you start ALFTP, making it easier to quickly open your favorite FTP sites.
Check to display the site map when ALFTP starts

Show message window on connect

This displays the default welcome message from the FTP server you connect to. Not all FTP servers have welcome messages. Welcome messages often contain information specific to a site.
Show the FTP server message when you first connect
Click here for more info on the FTP message window in ALFTP.

Show hidden files

This allows local hidden files to be visible in ALFTP. Generally, most users should leave this unchecked.
Show hidden and system files

Record log files

This logs all transfers into a plain text file. Log files are named with a date and time stamp.
e.g. The log file '2525-04-01 11_58_01pm.txt' was saved on April 1st, 2525 at 11:58 pm and 1 second.
Create log files locally
Note: Log files are saved periodically to keep resource usage low and performance high. If you need to read a log file entry immediately, you can save the current folders for the site, then exit ALFTP. This will force ALFTP to write the complete log file before it exits. Next, open ALFTP and log back into the site at the same position as you left.

Retries for connection failures

If you cannot connect to an FTP server, ALFTP will try again this many times. Adjust this number as appropriate.
Retry connection attemps

Retries for transfer failures

If a file transfer fails, ALFTP can automatically try to transfer the file again. Set this number to limit the number of times ALFTP retries.
Retry transfer failures

When file exists

If a file with the same name exists: "Skip", "Overwrite", "Resume", or "Ask".
When file exists do this
Skip automatically ignores the file to be transferred.
Overwrite automatically replaces the existing file with the file being transferred.
Resume automatically continues the transfer from the point it was interrupted.
Ask prompts you for 1 of the previous 3 actions.

Password for anonymous connections

This saves a default password for all anonymous connections. This is generally an email address. (Many FTP servers accept anonymous connections.)
Default anonymous FTP password

Minimize ALFTP to System Tray on exit (X)

This sends ALFTP to the System Tray when you click the (X) close button in the upper right of the program windows.
Minimize on exit
The Exit X in the upper right

Preferences: Advanced Tab

Click anywhere on the picture below for more information on that part.
Advanced FTP preferences

Keep Alive

Check this option to keep FTP connections open. Set a time interval to poll the server and renew connections.
Keep alive poll time

After transfers

When transfers complete, ALFTP can do one of the following actions for you automatically:

Do nothing

Exit ALFTP

Shutdown Windows

Select which you wish ALFTP to do.

Action for after transfers
This is particularly useful for downloading very large files that can take hours, days, or longer to complete.

Double Click

Double click any file in ALFTP to:

Do nothing

Transfer

Edit

Execute

This does not apply to folders.

Double clicking a file does this

Upload file name case

Some FTP servers are cAsE sEnsiTive. Using all lower case or all upper case file names can make file managment much easier. Select one of the following options as appropriate for you:

Do not change

Always UPPER case

Always lower case

File cAsE options

Layout

The ALFTP user interface is customizable to suit your preferences. Choose from the following layout options:

Left/Right

Top/Bottom

By default, ALFTP is setup in Top/Bottom mode, with the client on the bottom and the server on top.

For for information and details on layout options, please refer to Changing the ALFTP Client Interface.
FTP client layout

Editing programs

You can edit any file directly on an FTP server with Direct Edit.

Register the file extension for a file type by typing a period and then the alpha-numeric file extension in the "File Extension" input box (you can omit the period if you wish). Browse to the executable file (EXE file) of the program you want to open that type of file with, then click the Add button.

Open files off of FTP servers with this program for this file extension
To edit a file directly on an FTP server, select a file and choose "Direct Edit" either from your right-click context menu or the Edit menu.
The file opens with the program you specified for that file type. Make your edits, save them (not "Save As"), exit the program, and click "Yes" in the ALFTP dialog that prompts you to confirm saving the changes to the FTP Server.

Related Topics

[ Table of Contents ] - [ Index ] - [ Introduction to ALFTP ] Interface, Response Codes (RFC 959), Site Map, Configure ALFTP FTP Server, Start ALFTP FTP Server