Using the PeopleSoft FTP server

Using the PeopleSoft FTP server

Document number: 55035

Many companies, including PeopleSoft, have an FTP site on which files may be left by and for customers or vendors with access to the site. Many of these sites require a valid user name and password. Many companies also allow access to portions of their FTP site to users logged in as "anonymous". The address for PeopleSoft's FTP server is ftp.peoplesoft.com. The FTP server is for OUTBOUND file traffic only. For information on requesting an FTP account and FTP account policies, see Eureka! document 55038 — Requesting an FTP account.

If you have a login for an FTP server, and you are having problems accessing the site via Internet Explorer, see Eureka! document 55130 — Accessing an FTP site using Internet Explorer versions 5.5 or 6.

Please be considerate in your use of an FTP site: Don't download files you don't need or an excessive number of files. Don't transfer files that do not have a business purpose to a site. Try to restrict your transfers to off-work hours.

Generally, once you have transferred files to a site as an anonymous user, you cannot delete them, and may not be able to see them.

You can use Internet Explorer to transfer files to and/or from an FTP server. You can also use Reflections MultiHost or ReflectionsX 8.0, which you can download for a cost from the Software Library; however, this software is not currently supported by Technical Support Operations. Please remove any earlier versions of the Reflections software from your machine as they are no longer supported at PeopleSoft. You may also use a DOS window and basic UNIX-type commands to get the files. Click the method you would like to use and follow the detailed steps.

Internet Explorer
DOS Window

Internet Explorer

If you have a login for an FTP server, and you are having problems accessing the site via Internet Explorer, see Eureka! document 55130 — Accessing an FTP site using Internet Explorer version 5.5.

To access an FTP site using the Internet Explorer, type in the FTP address in the Address field. For example: ftp.microsoft.com. You will automatically be taken to the addressee's anonymous FTP site.

To download a file: In most cases, you can click on the file and a dialog box will appear after a few moments asking if you wish to O pen it or Save it to disk. Generally, you will want to save it to disk. This will work with most .exe and .zip files. If this method does not help you download the file, right-click the file and choose Save Target As... Choose the drive and directory in which to save the file.

Click here to go back to the beginning of this document.

DOS Window

You may also use a DOS window to transfer files using FTP:

Open a DOS Window. You may use any of the methods below:
- Click on a DOS prompt shortcut on your machine.
- Click on the Start menu, and then on Run... In the Open: field, type in:
  - cmd for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 machines
- Press { Enter} or click OK.
At the DOS prompt, type ftp, then a space, and then the name of the FTP site you wish to access.
For example, ftp ftp.microsoft.com.
When prompted for a user name, type anonymous.
When prompted for a password, type in your email address. For example: William_Tell@PeopleSoft.com.
These are some of the common commands that are used:
- dir, ls: get listing of files in the current directory on the FTP server
- cd: change directories on the FTP server
- ldir, !dir, lcd: dir and CD commands as they apply to your local workstation
- binary, ascii: change the mode for file transfer. Generally, you want to use the binary mode, but most sites default to ASCII mode
- hash: will show you the progress of a file transfer. Each has mark shows about 2K of progress in the file transfer
- get: download files from the FTP site to your workstation
- put:transfer files from your workstation to the FTP site
- mget, mput: use for transferring multiple files
- help, ?: list commands that may be used
- bye, quit: leave the FTP site.
Once you are finished transferring files and have exited the FTP site, type Exit to close the DOS window and return to Windows.

Your FTP task should be complete.