Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

ghporter · Mar 4, 2007, 03:35 PM

I have a domain, and I set it up while using my desktop PC. All was fine and dandy because I simply put up a "work in progress" page and expected to get back to it later. Today was "later" and I logged into the domain by FTP on my MacBook Pro to add some stuff. But I couldn't-the directory structure was read-only. I couldn't even open my one and only page's source file to edit the HTML. Back to my PC, and lo and behold-I could do whatever I wanted to the directory structure and everything in it. I even was able to edit the site through XP running in Parallels on my MBP.

What the flip is going on? Is there some "you can't FTP from a Mac without..." setting that I don't know about? This is VERY frustrating!

There's a prize in this: once someone helps me get this figured out and working, I'll provide the URL for my site so you can see the cutest kittens in the universe!

Chuckit · Mar 4, 2007, 03:39 PM

Have you tried a different FTP client?

ghporter · Mar 4, 2007, 04:32 PM

I've tried it from "Connect to Server" because I didn't think I'd need a client to just upload my files.

What's your favorite client?

kick52 · Mar 4, 2007, 04:49 PM

Finder ftp is read only. Cyberduck will work fine.

ghporter · Mar 4, 2007, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by kick52

Finder ftp is read only.

Ohhhhhhhh. I never knew that. Thanks; it would have been good to know this earlier.

I'm looking into Cyberduck NOW.

ghporter · Mar 4, 2007, 05:13 PM

Just downloaded and used Cyberduck. It's GREAT. Thanks, kick52.

Now for the prize: my site! and of course the cutest kittens in the universe!

angelmb · Mar 4, 2007, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

What's your favorite client?

Panic - Transmit 3 - The next-generation Mac OS X FTP client!

Simon · Mar 5, 2007, 04:54 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Ohhhhhhhh. I never knew that. Thanks; it would have been good to know this earlier.

Indeed it's a shame Finder ftp is so limited.

I never found an OS X ftp client I really liked. However, if you open up a shell and do
% ftp [email protected]
it's pretty easy to get work done.

ftp> ?
will give you a list of commands

ftp> ? cmd
will tell you what cmd does

Most of the time you'll just need
ftp> put filesToUpload
to upload things or
ftp> get filesToDownload
to download stuff.

CaptainHaddock · Mar 5, 2007, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Indeed it's a shame Finder ftp is so limited.

There've been plenty of threads on the various reasons Finder does not and should not treat FTP addresses as mountable r/w file systems.

Personally, I think Transmit is a pretty good FTP application.

Sherman Homan · Mar 5, 2007, 09:02 AM

I have seen the threads about the Finder and its limited FTP ability, but the question remains. The Finder does allow you to at least establish an FTP connection, but it won't work because of its read/write permissions limitation. So then you have to go out and download an FTP client which can read/write. Makes no sense!
Transmit, Cyberduck and Fetch are great.

Big Mac · Mar 5, 2007, 09:24 AM

The Finder's UI is too general purpose to ever make for a good FTP client, so Apple should just strip the functionality out completely.

SMacTech · Mar 5, 2007, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by angelmb

Panic - Transmit 3 - The next-generation Mac OS X FTP client!

Another vote for Transmit !