How do I get at my files to change them?

Hi,
Dumb question maybe but once in my v1.3.6 admin panel, how do I get into files to change them?
I want to block an IP address but due to my fairly limited knowledge of html etc, am finding this site way over my head :D
Thanks in advance
Neil

Zen Cart intentionally does not provide any means of editing your PHP files from the Zen Cart admin.
Instead, you would do that with your choice of FTP program, by downloading the file to your PC via FTP, editing it with a reliable text-file editor, and then uploading the changed file back to your server via FTP.

The easiest way to block an IP is through your webmaster panel, not through your Zen Cart admin. Look for something like "IP Deny manager" on your webmaster panel.

Tried that Mary, Fasthosts told me it was something I couldn't do on the server and that I'd have to use my Zencart. Not sure about this FTP thingy - thought it would be a doddle blocking an IP address but not the case at all!

Dukeofmodena:

Tried that Mary, Fasthosts told me it was something I couldn't do on the server and that I'd have to use my Zencart. Not sure about this FTP thingy - thought it would be a doddle blocking an IP address but not the case at all!

DrByte's advice was intended to answer the question you asked in the subject of your post. If you're making changes to the Zen Cart files, that's the way to go.

I believe the person from Fasthosts may have given you the wrong information. Do you have a webmaster's panel with your Fasthosts account? You should be able to access the utility to block an IP from there. If you don't have a webmaster's panel, change hosts (seriously). You may be able to edit your htacess file to disallow an IP address, but I'm not sure about that. Search the forum and see if anything pops up.

Edit: I found this. It might help. http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132424

Thanks Mary. Indeed I thought it was very lame that I couldn't block an IP address on the server (can do plenty else!). Thanks for that, if I have no luck at server level I'll (yeek) have a look at that FTP thingamebobwhatsit:smile:
Neil

Dukeofmodena:

Thanks Mary. Indeed I thought it was very lame that I couldn't block an IP address on the server (can do plenty else!). Thanks for that, if I have no luck at server level I'll (yeek) have a look at that FTP thingamebobwhatsit:smile:
Neil

FTP won't help you with this. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and allows you to move files back and forth between your server and your computer. DrByte was giving you basic information on how to modify Zen Cart files locally (on your computer) and move them to your server. It's a different issue.

Think I'll suffer in silence:dontgetit

Hi Neil,

Blocking an IP address has nothing to do with Zen Cart itself. It's more of a server setting.

Considering that, I'm a bit surprised at Fasthost's rather misleading (and succinct) response.

When they said that you "couldn't do it on the server", I'm not sure what exactly they meant by that. Perhaps they meant you can't block an IP address using your web control panel. If so, that's not unusual. My host uses "Parallels Pro" and that (as far as I'm aware) doesn't have an IP blocking feature. Instead, I have to use the .htaccess method which Mary linked to. For that method, you would have to use an FTP programme such as FileZilla (client). This would connect you to your site's files on your server where you would have to either edit or create what's called a ".htaccess" file and enter into it some code similar to that from the link earlier. FTP is an easy-to-learn and common task which I think the majority of users here know how to do. So it's worth spending a bit of time with it.

Firstly, do you know whether you're on a Windows (iis) server or a Linux server? Also, what is your web control panel just in case you can actually use it for this?

(Ultimately this is a server issue and so your host should be helping you with this)

Thanks Steven,
I'm on Linux with Fasthosts. I think I'll give that Filezilla another go cos I used it the other day (well, my son did:blush:) to change the admin name and put in the security patch wotsit after someone or something hacked into my site and dumped spam (############ etc) onto the end of my store name so customers for a limited time were receiving order confirmations from Me+a whole load of embarrassing gumf.
Now I'm gonna try and zap that Russian spider once and 4 all!
Thanks for your help!