Using FileZilla

A brief introduction to transferring files using FileZilla.

What is FileZilla? #

The FileZilla Client Client is a free solution for transferring files between computers via FTP/SFTP/FTPS protocols.

Most commonly, the FileZilla Client is used to transfer files between a local computer – where the FileZilla Client is installed – and a remote computer (e.g., the CCB cluster).

While connected to a remote computer, the main window of the FileZilla typically looks as follows:

Create site profiles #

We encourage users to create a profile for each remote computer that they regularly connect to using FileZilla.

A profile stores all the information necessary to connect to a remote computer. When a profile is correctly set up, users can select a profile and click the Connect button – instead of the Quickconnect button associated with the fields Host:, Username:, Password: and Port: – saving time and avoiding typographical mistakes.

The FileZilla Site Manager can be open from the menu as follows:

• Click of File.
• In the menu, click on Site Manager....

In particular:

• Click the button New site to initialise a new profile.
• Type a short yet descriptive name for the profile.
• In the field Protocol:, choose SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol.
• In the field Host:, type the URL of one of the login nodes (see General information).
• You may leave the field Port: empty.
• In the field Logon Type:
  • Choose Key file if you have created an SSH Key pair (see Set up an SSH key pair).
• In the field User:, type your username on the CCB cluster.
• In the field Key file:, select the private SSH key that you created on your personal computer (typically located at ~/ssh/id_rsa).
  • You may be prompted to convert your private key file to a format supported by FileZilla. If so, click Yes and follow the one-time instructions in the next section below. At the end of the process, the converted key should be automatically selected.
  • When setting up subsequent profiles, select the converted key directly.
• Click OK to save the profile (this usually closes the Site Manager).
• Reopen the Site Manager, select the profile, and click Connect.

Convert a private SSH key file #

The private SSH key file generated using the ssh-keygen command is not directly supported by the FileZilla client.

When selecting a private key file generated using the ssh-keygen command, the FileZilla Client may prompt you to convert the key file to a format supported by the FileZilla Client.

Click Yes.

If your private key file is protected by a passphrase, you may be prompted to type that passphrase, to temporarily unlock the private key file during the conversion process, and protect the converted key file with the same passphrase.

When prompted to select a filename for the converted key file:

• In the field Save As:, type a descriptive filename (e.g., id_rsa.filezilla).
• In the field Where:, navigate your local filesystem and select an appropriate location (e.g., ~/.ssh).
• Click the Save button.

Connect to a remote computer #

Open the Site Manager of the FileZilla Client as follows:

• Click of File.
• In the menu, click on Site Manager....

In the Site Manager:

• Select the profile that you wish to use.
• Click the Connect button.

Status messages in the panel at the top of the FileZilla Client should display information reporting successes and failures during the connection.

When succesfully connected, the panel on the right of the FileZilla Client should display a file explorer view of the filesystem on the remote computer.

The panel on the left of the FileZilla Client should continue to display a file explorer view of the filesystem on the local computer.

Navigate filesystems #

While connected to a remote computer, users can use the two file explorers to navigate the local and remote filesystems, respectively.

Each file explorer panel – local and remote – are sub-divided in two panels:

• The top panel displays the filesystem as a hierarchical tree, where directories can be expanded and collapsed, to show and hide their contents, respectively.
• The bottom panel displays detailed information about the contents of the directory currently selected in the top panel.

Both panels – top and bottom – can be used to navigate the corresponding filesystem.

Transfer files #

While connected to a remote computer, users can transfer files and directories between the local and remote computer using drag-and-drop between the left and right panels (in either direction).

When using drag-and-drop, make sure to release the click button only when the cursor is an area that corresponds exactly to the directory in which you want to transfer the data.

Consider the example below.

• Dropping an item from the left into the red area on the right would copy it into the parent directory of the currently active directory on the right (i.e, next to the active directory on the right).
• Dropping an item from the left into the green area would copy it into the directory dir1.
• Dropping an item from the left into the blue area would copy it into the currently active directory on the right (in this case, ~/ccb_demo).

Move files between remote directories #

While we recommend using the command line to move files within the remote filesystem, it is possible to drag-and-drop files within the panel that displays the file explorer on the remote computer (i.e., the panel on the right).

Importantly, using drag-and-drop within a panel does not make a copy of the item, but moves it from one location to another.