Tech Guides :: Web Publishing :: User Web :: Getting Started
Getting Started
File Names & Locations
Name your home page index.html. This is the name that a web browser will look for when pointed to your web site. The Unix operating system on sorrel is case sensitive. You will find it easier to name all your web files in lower case letters.
Your Personal Web Page URL - users.humboldt.edu/alias
The tilde (~) is no longer available on the new Web servers. Visitors to old addresses (with tildes) will be redirected until August 1, 2011. Please update any documents (printed and/or electronic) that may have your old address listed.
Managing Disk Space
Your web account shares storage space with your other files on your Network Folder. Read more about the amount of disk space that you are allocated on HSU's Network Folders page.
File Permissions
By default, files in your public_html folder will be visible to anyone on the Internet. You can change the permission of your files to hide them on the Internet.
****It is especially important that you do not make any file that contains a password (such as a config file) to a database "world readable".****
If you experience problems viewing your page - e.g. receive a "Forbidden" error message - you will need to change the permission settings on your directories and files.
Typical "World Readable" Permissions
- For world-readable folders, select 755 (Owner: Read/Write/Execute, Group: Read/Execute, and Other: Read/Execute).
- For world-readable files, select 644 (Owner: Read/Write, Group: Read, Other: Read).
You should NEVER give "Other" or "Everyone" permission to Write unless you have a specific reason to do so and you understand what the implications of this can be.
Note: Setting permissions can be a complex task. If you experience problems, contact the Help Desk.
Changing permissions via SFTP
You can set permissions using via SFTP (Secure FTP). Recommended SFTP applications include Cyberduck (Mac), FUGU (Mac), and SSH (Windows).
To change permissions, launch your SFTP software, log into the web server.
- SSH (Windows), right-click your file(s) and folder(s) and select Properties.
- FUGU (Mac), right-click and select Get Info.
- CyberDuck, right click and select Get Info.
Changing permissions via Network Folders
You can also upload files and folders and set permissions (Windows only) using Network Folders. To upload files and folders, connect to your HSU Network Folder and simply drag them into the public_html directory. By default, these documents should be world-readable. In the event permissions need to be changed to world-readable:
- right-click your file(s) or folder(s),
- click the Security tab and assign them with the following sets of permissions:
- Your user name: check Allow for everything in the left-hand column. For Everyone, click the Allow Read box.
