WD2000: FTP Virtual Directories Do Not Appear When You Save to FTP Server (271826)

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to save a file from Microsoft Word to a virtual directory on an FTP site, one of the following may occur:

Virtual directories are not displayed in the Save As dialog box (on the File menu, click Save As). Only the physical directories under the root of the FTP server are displayed.

-or-
You cannot add the path to any directory (virtual or physical) in the Add/Modify FTP Locations dialog box. (On the File menu, click Save As. In the Save As dialog box, change the Save in box to Add/Modify FTP Locations.)

For example, if you try to type the path to any directory (virtual or physical), such as ftp.mysite.com/somedir, the Add button is unavailable (dimmed).

CAUSE

A virtual directory is an alias that the FTP server uses to get to data that may not be in the same physical location as the root of the FTP site. Many companies set up virtual directories so that they can control security on the FTP site. If the FTP server that you are trying to save to is set up this way, you cannot save your document to your directory (unless it is under the root of the server).

WORKAROUND

To save to an FTP site's virtual directory, follow these steps:

On the File menu, click Save As.
In the File name box, type the full FTP path to the directory where you want to save the file. For example, type
ftp://sitename.com/virtualdirectoryname
and then press ENTER.

The virtual directory name now appears in the Save in box.
In the File name box, type the file name that you want to save the file as, and then click Save.

NOTE: You must know the name of the virtual directory on the FTP site.