Using Favorites and Folder Bookmarks with SmartFTP

In most FTP clients, you get a site manager that stores your server name and password, and probably a few more features such as time adjustment. One of the impressive features of SmartFTP is the level of detailed settings you can set for each one of your favorite sites.

Best of all, when you make a connection in the Remote Browser window, an entry is automatically made into your Favorites for you.

Creating a New Favorite

The General page in the Favorite Properties window in SmartFTP.

To create a new favorite:

1. Click the File menu > New Connection.

2. Fill out the details for your connection into the New Connection message box:

Protocol: We suggest you use SFTP
Host: This is your FTP server address.
Log in type: Username and Password.
Username: Your FTP username.
Password: The password for your FTP username.

3. Make sure that the Auto ☑ option is checked at the bottom of the New Connection message box.

Managing Favorites

Favorites are managed much like bookmarks in a web browser. In the File menu in Connection, you'll see a list of favorite sites that you've connected to.

To edit the settings for a favorite site:

1. Go to the list of Favorites.

2. Click the icon on the favorite site to edit it.

The General Page: The Heart of a Connection Favorite

Editing the properties of a favorite connection in SmartFTP.

The General page in the Favorite Properties window is where you manage the fundamental details for a favorite connection:

Name: This should be a name that describes your site.
Protocol: This determines the protocol that will be used to connect to your FTP server.
Time zone: Select (GMT) Coordinated Universal Time for your ExaVault Account.
Login Type: Select Username and Password. If you use SSH keys to connect to your FTP server, you can use Username.
Username: Enter your FTP username.
Password: Enter your FTP password. If you leave this field blank, you will be prompted for a password when you login.

Setting Local Folders

The Local page in the Favorite Properties window in SmartFTP.

Do you find that you have to navigate to the same folder every time you connect to your ExaVault account? If so, you'll want to set up a Local folder. That way, every time you connect to your ExaVault account you'll be navigated automatically to the correct folder on your computer.

To set up a Local Folder:

1. Click the remote folder box.

2. Click Tools.

3. Click Properties.

4. Under the General tab, click Local.

5. Click the Browse button to choose a folder, then choose On Connect options in drop-down and click Ok.

The local folder is set by clicking the Browse button and choose a folder. You can also enter a local folder by typing it in.

The On Connect drop-down box works as follows:

Open on Demand: This will add an entry to the Recent Folders button in the Local Browser window.
Open in an Existing Local Browser: This will change the directory automatically in the current Local Browser window.
Open in a New Local Browser: This will open the folder a new Local Browser window. (You can have multiple remote and local browser windows opened in SmartFTP.)

Other Features in Favorites

There are many more features that you get with Favorites in SmartFTP. SmartFTP has a number of advanced features that are well detailed on the SmartFTP Knowledge Base: