Guide

Transfer files between systems

A transfer copies bytes to a path. The path is the part to get right.

DemonstrationOne file, one destination. No transfer is started.

LocalC:\Projects\site

index.html · selected
styles.css

ModeBinary

Text only for plain text
Read the replace prompt

Remote/var/www/html

index.html · target

The path in the middle panel is the risk. A finished copy in the wrong directory still counts as a successful transfer.

The situation

The session is open and you need one upload or download. If the job is “make these folders match, including deletions,” use the synchronization guide.

Prerequisites

A listing Test one directory before a large queue.
Permission Write access on the destination, or read access on the source.
A local folder Only the files you mean to send.
The remote path Written down, not remembered.

Transfer a file

Commander Local folder on the left, remote folder on the right. Read the destination in the prompt. It can differ from the panel.
Explorer You see the remote side. Drop from Windows File Explorer or type the local destination.
Mode Binary for images, archives, and application files. Text, also called ASCII in scripts, converts line endings. Automatic applies text only to listed extensions.
Replace Read the prompt. Scripts can turn that question off.
Finish Background transfer keeps the panels usable. Keep the local original until the queue says the file finished.

Resume is not universal. This client can resume SFTP from protocol version 2, and FTP. It does not resume WebDAV or SCP. Canceling an SCP transfer ends the session.

Example paths

Local:  C:\Projects\site\index.html
Remote: /var/www/html/index.html

A host might use /home/example-user/public_html. On S3, check the bucket and prefix. A WebDAV collection may not be the public site root.

Expected result

The destination shows the file at the source size. For a website, load the URL that reads that path. A file in the home directory does not change a site that reads a different folder.

Common mistakes

Dropping a folder one level too high.
Using text mode on an image or a zip file.
Replacing a live file before saving the previous copy.
Expecting resume on SCP or WebDAV.

Security

Plain FTP and HTTP WebDAV expose the file. Confirm the directory before uploading a config that contains a database password. Permission denied is often the correct server response. Do not make a directory writable by every account to get past it.

Troubleshooting

Permission denied or “no such file” means the session is fine and the path is not. Use forward slashes on remote paths. If the connection drops mid-file, retry one small file and ask about quota. Leave synchronize-with-delete off until a single file succeeds.

Winsaip is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the developers of WinSCP.