5. Navigation

 

5.1 Navigating on the server

 

After a successful connection attempt, a list of files and directories appears on the right side of the main window. The name of the current remote directory is listed in the edit field on the top. Below that you will see the remote directory tree. Under the remote directory is a list of the contents of the current remote directory.

 

To change the current remote directory:

• Type a directory name into the edit field and press enter, or
• Click a directory in the directory tree, or
• Double-click a directory in the list of the current directory contents

You will notice a directory called “..” listed in virtually all directories. Selecting this directory allows you to go up to the parent directory of the current directory.

 

Question marks (“?”) appear on directories you haven’t accessed yet, indicating that the FileZilla Client can’t tell if there are subdirectories within those directories. If you access the directory the question mark will vanish.

 

 

5.2 Navigating on your machine

 

Navigating on your machine works almost like navigating on the server. The current local directory and the local directory tree are displayed on the left side of the main window by default.

 

 

5.3 Synchronized Browsing

 

If you have an identical directory structure on the local machine and the server, you can enable synchronized browsing. This means that any directory navigation on one machine is duplicated on the other.

 

To enable synchronized browsing, create an entry in the Site Manager, and on the Advanced tab, ensure that the Default local directory and the Default remote directory have the same structure. Then check “use synchronized browsing,” save your settings, and connect.

 

5.4 Directory Comparison

 

To quickly see differences between files on the local machine and the server, choose View > Directory Comparison, and choose either “compare file size” or “compare modification time.” (You also hide identical files by checking that option.) Then choose “Enable.”

 

You will now see color-coded differences between copies of the same file on the different machines. See their meanings here.