How to Update a Website using PSPad

If you have a website but you don't know how to update it and you don't have anyone else to manage it for you, then you might be interested in this article.



In this article you will learn how to access the source code to your website files, modify them, and save them back to your website.

Important Disclaimer: If you are not an experienced website programmer, there is a chance that you might mess up your website. This article teaches you how to access and modify your files, but I take no responsibility if your website gets messed up due to your own fault or any fault of the software you use to access and modify the files.

Connecting to Your Website

1. Download and install the freeware text editor called PSPad.


2. Once you have installed PSPad, you need to run it and setup a connection to your website.


3. In PSPad, on the left side, there are four small tabs. Click the tab that shows a folder icon that says "FTP". (It is right next to the tab with an icon of a heart on it.)


4. Once you have clicked on the "FTP" tab, click on the icon just down and all the way to the left.


5. A little "FTP" window should popup.


6. In the little window, click on "New Connection".


7. Fill out the form according to the following: (Leave the rest of the fields how they are.)
   
   
   
   1. Connection Name: The name of your website. This could be anything.
   
   
   2. Server: The FTP or IP address of your website. Example: ftp.mywebsite.com.
   
   
   3. Username: Your FTP account username.
      (If you don't have the username and password, you might be able to obtain them from either the company that is hosting your website or from the last person who worked on it.)
   
   
   4. Password: Your FTP acount password.
   
   
   5. Check the box next to "Keep Connection by Sending..."
   
   
   
   


8. Click "OK". The FTP connection to your website is now setup.


9. Click "Connect". Now PSPad will attempt to connect to your website.


10. If the connection is successful, you should see a list of the files in your website on the left.

Modifying Your Website Files

1. On the left side, browse to the file that you want to edit and double click it. (If you don't see anything that looks familiar, you might look for a folder called "public_html" or "wwwroot". If you see one of those folders, open it and see if your website files are in there.)


2. Once you double click a file, PSPad will download the file to a temporary location on your computer and then the contents will be shown in the text editor.


3. Make the modifications to your file.


4. Save the file by either clicking the Save icon at the top of PSPad or pushing CTRL+S which is the keyboard shortcut for Save.)


5. Once PSPad saves the file, it automatically uploads it back to your wesite.

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