INTERNET TRANSFER: FTP

Using the Internet can be a great way to send missing elements, corrections or even an entire job to Webcom.

FTP

FTP stands for “File Transfer Protocol” and is a very reliable method for sending files to Webcom. In order to be able to send files by FTP, you must have software that supports this type of information exchange. You may opt for specific FTP software, such as Fetch^® for the Macintosh or WS_FTP, for the PC but there are other utilities that can also be used. Using web browsers is not recommended because some versions do not support file uploading to an FTP server and those that do can be cumbersome to use.

If you’re familiar with FTP, you know that some FTP sites like Apple, and Microsoft, support anonymous FTP logins. To ensure the security of your files, Webcom requires the use of a secure login ID and password. We have different methods of accessing our FTP server depending on the volume of files you will be submitting. If you are going to send only one file per year, we have a generic login and password that will allow you to access the site. If you will be sending a higher volume of files more frequently, we will set up a specific account for you.

Because our FTP site is not checked on a regular basis, please call and let us know when you are sending files. Remember that sending your files by e-mail or FTP does not eliminate the need to send hardcopy to Webcom. A full set of accurate hardcopy is still required to image your job. For login and password details, please contact your Webcom Sales Representative.

The files must be compressed using some form of file compression software. This compression acts as a protective wrapper that shields your file as it traverses the vast regions of cyberspace, and helps ensure that it will arrive safely on our end. For Macintosh files, the attachment must be stuffed using StuffIt (DropStuff^®, StuffIt Lite^®, StuffIt Deluxe^®) or be encoded using a “BinHex” encoding utility program. Otherwise, the files will likely loose their resource forks making them unusable. On the PC, the file should be zipped using either PKZip^® or WinZip^®.

Files must be compressed using some form of file compression software such as StuffIt Deluxe^®, PKZip^® or WinZip^® E-mail is acceptable for small files but It cannot be used for files larger than 1 MB.

Please see Webcom's "File Submission Checklist" for a listing of the most common file problems that cause production delays and add cost to your project.