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File Manager allows cPanel users to manage and edit their files.
The File Manager Directory Selection window
When you open File Manager, perform the following steps:
- The File Manager Directory Selection window will appear. Select which of the four main directories you wish to view in the file window when File Manager opens:
- The
homedirectory (/home/user) - Web Root (
/public_html/www) - Public FTP Root (
/public_ftp) - Document Root (
/public_html)
- The
- If you wish to see hidden files, select the Show Hidden Files box.
- If you do not wish to see the File Manager Directory Selection window again, select the Skip this question box.
- Click Go.
The File Manager interface opens in a new browser window. The selected directory will display in the file window.
The File Manager toolbar
The File Manager toolbar shows the following functions available to manage your files:
|
Feature
|
Icon
|
Description
|
|---|---|---|
| New File |  |
Creates a new file with a user-defined file extension. |
| New Folder |  |
Creates a new folder in the current directory. |
| Copy |  |
Copies selected items to a user-specified directory. |
| Move File |  |
Moves the selected files to a new directory. |
| Upload |  |
Uploads files to the selected directory. |
| Download |  |
Downloads selected files to your computer. |
| Delete |  |
Deletes selected files from the server. |
| Rename |  |
Renames the selected file or folder. |
| Edit |  |
Opens the selected files in a text editor. |
| Code Editor |  |
Opens the selected files in a code editor. |
| HTML Editor |  |
Opens the selected HTML file in a visual HTML editor. To learn more about the editor's functions, see the HTML Editor documentation. |
| Change Permissions |  |
Changes the read, write, and execute permissions for selected files. |
| View |  |
Opens the selected file so that you can view the code. |
| Extract |  |
Extracts the selected *.zip, *.Gz, or *.Bz2 archive and stores the files in a directory. |
| Compress |  |
Compresses the selected files to a single *.zip, *.Gz, or *.Bz2 archive and stores the compressed file in a specified directory. |
Note: When a toolbar action is not available, the function icon turns gray.
- Certain File Manager functions are designed for use with only one file at a time. Select the desired file in the file window before you attempt these actions.
- Any attempt to Rename, Edit, or View multiple files at once will only affect the first listed file in the directory.
- The Extract and Compress functions will only work with the
.zipformat.
Character Encoding Verification Dialogs
When you edit a file with Edit, Code Editor, or HTML Editor, a window will appear to confirm the file's character encoding. Use the menu to select the correct character encoding for the file. Then, click Edit to continue.
- Click Toggle Help to display more information about how to select the correct character encoding.
- Click Disable Encoding Check to turn off future verification dialogs.
You can also turn Character Encoding Verification Dialogs on or off through Settings:
- Click Settings in the top left corner of File Manager. A new window will appear.
- Enable or disable Character Encoding Verification Dialogs:
- To turn the encoding verification off, select the Disable Character Encoding Verification Dialogs checkbox.
- To turn the encoding verification on, deselect the Disable Character Encoding Verification Dialogs checkbox.
- Click Save
Warning: If you choose the wrong initial encoding, your file may become corrupt. If your file displays as a series of special characters, immediately abort the edit and select the correct encoding. Do not save the file.
Select a directory
You can use the file tree or the location text box to navigate your files and folders.
There are several ways you can use the file tree (located to the left of the file window) to browse your files:
- Click on the name of the folder you wish to view
- Click on the
next to the 
icon to view a list of subfolders in that folder.
- You can click on the
next to an expanded directory to collapse it.
- You can click on the
Note: After you expand a list of subfolders, click on the folder name to view the folder's contents.
To use the location text box directly above the file tree, perform the following steps:
- Enter the path of the folder you wish to view.
- Click Go. The file window will display the contents of the chosen folder.
The file window
The file window displays the contents of the selected directory. If there are no files or folders in the selected folder, the file window will display the message "This directory is empty."
Information about files and subfolders will display in the following columns:
|
Feature
|
Description
|
|---|---|
| File Icon | Files will display an icon that corresponds to the file type. Folders will display the  icon. |
| Name | The filename. |
| Size | The size of the file, displayed in bytes, KB, MB, etc. |
| Last Modified | The date and time the file was last modified. |
| Type | The media (MIME) type and subtype. |
| Perms | The permissions setting for the file, in octal notation. The default permission setting is 0644. |
Note: You can click on a column's heading to sort the file list by that column's value.
Search for a file
The Search tool, located at the top right corner of the interface, allows users to search for a specific file. By default, Search will search all files in the home directory. You can also limit the search to the document root at/home/user/public_html, or to the directory displayed in the file window.
To search for a file, perform the following steps:
- Use the Search menu to choose the directory to search: All Your Files, only public_html or Current Directory.
- Enter the desired file name in the text box.
- Click Go.
A new window displays the filenames that match your search. To go to a folder, or to the folder that contains the desired file, double-click on the desired item in the list. If there are no files that include your search term, you will see the message No records found.
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