Command Line (UNIX, Mac OS)

  1. Bring up a command prompt
    1. On MacOS - use the Terminal application in Applications - Utilities
    2. On CNF Thin - use XTerm in Applications - CNF Applications

  2. Type in:

    sftp remote_username@remote_host

    substituting in your username on the remote computer and the hostname of the remote computer in the above command, as appropriate.

  3. You will get an sftp> prompt on the remote computer.
  4. Use standard UNIX file and directory commands to change directories, create directories, and create folders.
    1. Precede the command with an exclamation mark and a space to execute the command on the local computer filesystem instead of the remote computer filesystem.
CommandDescription
pwdShow current directory on the remote computer
! pwdShow current directory on the local computer
cd dirname

Change directory to a subfolder named dirname on the remote computer

! cd dirnameChange directory to a subfolder name dirname on the local computer
cd ..Go up a directory on the remote computer
! cd ..Go up a directory on the local computer
mkdir dirnameMake a new subfolder named dirname on the remote computer
! mkdir dirnameMake a new subfolder name dirname on the local computer
get filenameCopy filename from the remote computer to the local computer
put filenameCopy filename from the local computer to the remote computer
rm filenameDelete filename from the remote computer

 

Fetch (Mac OS X)

Fetch is an excellent GUI file transfer program for Macintosh. IT@Cornell maintains a site license for use by Cornell faculty, staff, and students.

Please see the IT@Cornell "Transfer Files Using Fetch" webpage for instructions on how to sue Fetch to transfer files via FTP, FTPS, or SFTP.