Download
and install WS-FTP LEPublishing is the final step in the development process. Usually your VRML content will be published on the Internet but there is no reason why you can't also distribute it on CD-ROM, Zip or floppy disk. The choice is yours.
If you are distributing your content via portable media (CD etc) then it's a simple matter of copying all your packaged VRML files and website to the disk, ensuring that you retain exactly the same directory structure.
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Publishing your files to the Internet requires the use of an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) utility. Many FTP utilities are available for download at the TUCOWS software archive. I recommend the totally free WS-FTP LE. File transfer capability is also built into many of the popular commercial web page editors such as Macromedia Dreamweaver and Microsoft FrontPage (with Dreamweaver you define a site and transfer files in the Site window whereas with FrontPage you use the File > Publish Web option).
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When you setup an account with an Internet Service Provider you usually get some space for your own website. To upload to this space you will need to know a few things
Contact your ISP for these details then consult the documentation of your favourite FTP program to upload your site.
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1. Download
and install WS-FTP LE
2. Run WS-FTP LE and using the details provided by your ISP, fill in the Session Properties window that you are presented with upon startup.
3. Go to the Startup tab and enter the initial Remote Site and Local folders. Your ISP can tell you the Remote Site folder address and the Local folder will be the full drive and path of your final packaged project. Ignore the remaining tabs and click OK when done.
4. Next you will be presented with the file transfer window. Your local project files are on the left and your remote website is on the right. Simply select all the files on the left that you want to transfer (SHIFT or CTRL to multi select) and click on the right facing arrow (-->) to begin the transfer.
5. If all goes well your files should be copied to the remote folder.
6. To test your files, open your web browser and type in the full web address of one of your files. Check with your ISP as your website address won't necessarily be the same as your FTP address (as the example below illustrates).
Note: Most web servers deliver a default page if none is specified. This page is normally called index.htm or default.htm but could be anything. If you want your home page to appear when people type in your address (eg. www.powerup.com.au/~brianhay) then you must rename that page to the server default. Check with your ISP. If you do rename your home page make sure you also update any links to that page!
Congratulations! You have completed the tutorial.
For further information on VRML, Web3D or Virtual Reality development please refer to the Links and Resources section.