Problem

You want to install the Movable Type software using FTP.

Solution

Download an FTP application, uncompress the software onto your desktop and take care of any necessary configuration before uploading.

Discussion

1. An FTP (file transfer protocol) program is used to send the files from your computer to your server. If you don't yet have an FTP program, there are many available for free. SmartFTP is a good FTP program for Windows, and offers a free trial version. Transmit is a good FTP program for Mac users on OS X, and it has a free trial, too.
2. Download and unpack the software.

   Download the latest distribution file (either when selecting a license from the Pricing page or from Your Account after it has been created). The .zip download is the best choice for Windows users and the .tar.gz is great for Unix command-line installations. You can always log in to your account to get another copy when you need it.

   Double-click on the downloaded archive to uncompress it. Most modern computers have this functionality built in, but if you're using an old operating system, you may need additional software to uncompress the Movable Type archive, such as Winzip (Windows) or Stuffit Deluxe/Expander (Mac).

   With the software downloaded and uncompressed on your computer, you should take the time to configure the system locally, since it will be easier to work with. See Configuring the System to complete this important step.

3. Upload the software using your FTP software.

   Installing MT in your web root directory: We recommend that you do not install Movable Type in your web documents root directory. This can cause security issues in some configurations, and can lead to confusion or complexity when publishing.

   If you must install Movable Type in your web documents directory, it is best to install it in a subdirectory dedicated to the application files (e.g. /mt). This setup avoids all configuration and security issues.

   Open a FTP connection to your server and move to a directory such as cgi-bin where scripts can be run by the web server. It is recommended that you install the system in a subdirectory such as cgi-bin/mt to make future management easier. If this directory does not exist, create it and then open it. You are now ready to upload the software.

   The files should be uploaded in ASCII mode except for the mt-static/images directory which should be uploaded in BINARY mode. Many FTP clients will correctly upload files without you selecting the type of upload, but these guidelines may be useful as "automatic" mode does not always work properly.

   Uploading files in the wrong mode will corrupt the files in transit and the system will not work. This is the leading cause of installation/upgrade woes.

   It is highly recommended that the Movable Type static files (found in the mt-static directory of the uncompresed archive) be stored separately from any scripts directories. On some systems this is not even an option -- it is required. (See knowledge base article "Images and Styles Do Not Show Up" for further explanation of this problem.) Most people place this directory in the web documents root directory so that they can be accessed from http://www.example.com/mt-static/.

4. Set Permissions of Scripts.

   All application scripts (files ending with the .cgi extension) must have Read and Execute permissions; Most servers list this permission numerically as 755, but it might also be listed as -rwxr-xr-x

   Also, if you created a folder to house all of the Movable Type application files (e.g. cgi-bin/mt or DOCUMENT_ROOT/mt) you should ensure that its permissions are also set as described above (also 755).

   Most FTP programs provide a graphical interface for setting permissions which simplifies this task.

5. Verify the System Requirements.

   At this time you can verify your system requirements by running the mt-check.cgi script in your browser. (If this script runs, the installation has gone well so far.) Consult Verifying System Requirements for more on this step.

6. SQLite/BerkeleyDB users: Create a database directory

   If you are using a file-based database option such as SQLite or Berkeley DB, you should also create a directory to contain your database file(s) (e.g. /db). For security reasons and to make future upgrades easier, it's best if this directory resides outside of your Movable Type application and root web directory. Many users place their database directory in the home or top-level directory of their user account.

With the software residing on your server, and configured, you are now ready for Initializing the System.