File Sharing Documentation Prepared by Alan Halter Created: 1/7/2016 Modified: 1/7/2016

City of Austin, Community Tree Division

File Sharing Documentation

Prepared by Alan Halter

Created: 1/7/2016

Modified: 1/7/2016

**Instructions are for use with FileZilla 3.3.2**

This document describes common best practices for sharing digital files at the City of Austin.

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1. 
   Sharing files through the City of Austin File Transfer Network
   
   1. 
      Go to My Computer
      
   2. 
      At the top of the window, click “Map network drive”
      
   3. 
      Select a drive letter. It does not matter which letter you use as long as you do not use a drive that is already mapped on your computer.
      
   4. 
      In the Folder field, copy and paste the following: \\coacd.org\dfs
      
   5. 
      Double check that your screen matches the first image below and click Finish.
      
   6. 
      Open up a File Explorer window and notice the new mapped network drive on the left under your “Computer” connection. (See second image below)
      
   7. 
      Copying/pasting and deleting files on this drive is the same process as on your G: drive. Upload the appropriate files to the File Transfer drive and share a hyperlink to the location where your files are saved. This link can be accessed by anyone at the City of Austin. It is good practice to delete your files once the recipient has accessed them.
      

2. 
   Sharing files through the City of Austin File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server (Homepage: http://vftp.ci.austin.tx.us/)
   

1. 
   Download and install the FileZilla client here: https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=client
   
   1. 
      Detailed instructions for installation and setup may be found here: http://vftp.ci.austin.tx.us/tutorials.html
      
   2. 
      If you don’t have admin rights to your computer, you may need to contact CTM to gain admin rights for the day. Just notify them that you are trying to download FileZilla to get access to the FTP.
      
2. 
   Request an FTP account here: http://vftp.ci.austin.tx.us/request_login.php
   
   1. 
      Unless you are creating an account to share files with a vendor, choose to create a private FTP account.
      
   2. 
      Fill out the required information.
      
   3. 
      For “service area name” use first name_last name (e.g. alan_halter).
      
   4. 
      Click create account
      
3. 
   Login in to FileZilla
   
   1. 
      Once your FTP account is created, open the FileZilla client.
      
   2. 
      You’ll see a toolbar at the top left of the client which requires information to link to the City’s FTP. Enter the following information.
      
      1. 
         Host: ftp.austintexas.gov
         
      2. 
         Username: (your username)
         
      3. 
         Password: (your password provided to you via email)
         
   3. 
      Click the Quickconnect button
      
4. 
   Copy files to the FTP
   
   1. 
      The “local site” window at the top left allows you to navigate to your files on the server. Browse to the folder containing the files you’d like to host on the FTP. Notice the “local site” window only displays folders. It does not display files.
      
   2. 
      Once you’ve browsed to the appropriate folder, look in the “filename” window below the “local site” window. Locate the files you’d like to host on the FTP and drag them into your FTP folder displayed in the “remote site” window to the right of your screen. (See image below)
      
      1. 
         Note: If you will be hosting multiple files on the FTP and sharing them with others, it is good practice to compress the folder on the server before copying it over to the remote FTP site. Compressing the folder will allow the user to download all files at once and reduces download time for large file sizes.
         

5. 
   Double check that your file(s) were uploaded.
   
   1. 
      Go to ftp://ftp.austintexas.gov/GIS-Data/Community_Forestry
      
   2. 
      Navigate to where you hosted your files
      
   3. 
      Verify they were uploaded