Suddenly I can’t upload files even though it was working before (and I didn’t change anything). What’s up?

99% of the time this is caused by one of the following:

1. Your server is out of space. Check to see if your FTP server is full. If so, you’ll need to clear some space before you can upload files again.

2. Someone changed your FTP password or read/write permissions without you knowing. Consult your system administrator to check on this.

3. Someone renamed or changed the directory structure on your server that Basecamp set up. If you change the directory structure, or even a single directory name, Basecamp won’t know where your files are or where to put the new files.

4. You’ve exceeded your quota on your FTP server. This isn’t necessarily about physical storage space, but about the quota configuration setting. We’ve seen problems in the past with accounts that had their FTP server misconfigured to only allow a certain amount of transfers during a 30 day period, for example. It’s important that you confirm your quota settings with your system administrator or your web host.

5. You’ve “hardened” or locked down your S/FTP server with a Firewall to only allow connections from certain IP addresses. If you want to let Basecamp through, you’ll need to open ports 21 and 5000-5500 (or port 22 for SFTP) for 72.32.62.98 and 72.3.156.114. These IP addresses may change in the future, so if you have problems be sure to check back and update your firewall accordingly.

6. You have a mal/spyware box, like a Cymphonix, that scans outgoing requests and identifies file uploads to Basecamp as false positives. To open up, add the IP range 72.32.62.98 and your site URL to the white list on the box.

Is there a file size limit on uploads?

Yes. If you use Basecamp file storage you can upload files 100MB or less. If you use your own FTP server to store the files you can upload files 10MB or less.

Can I work with files on the server or do I need to download them first?

If you want to edit a file, you’ll need to download it and make changes locally. Then you can upload the new version of the file.

Does Basecamp have check-in/check-out functionality?

Basecamp offers simple file versioning (see below), but it does not offer formal check-in/check-out features.

Does Basecamp support file versioning?

If you have a paid Basecamp account you can upload multiple versions of the same file and keep them grouped together inside the “Files” tab.

To upload a new version of an existing file, click on the “Files” tab.

Now click the “Upload a new version” link below the latest version (the one at the top with the big icon).

When you upload a new version the newest version will appear at the top with a large icon and the previous versions will be listed below with small icons.

If you upload a new version with the exact same name (as displayed above in the example) we will append the actual file name with an extra character so you don't overwrite the original file.

Note: This only works within the “Files” tab. Files attached to messages and comments do not work with the versioning system.

What is a “private” file? How do I make a file “private”?

Private files can be seen by members of your team (including contractors) but can NOT be viewed by your clients. Clients will see no reference to the files. This allows you to share sensitive or not-yet-finalized information internally without worrying about clients accessing these entries.

To make a new file private, click on the “Files” tab and click the “Upload a file” link.

Then select the file you want to upload and check the box next to “Make this file private.”

You can also take an existing public file and make it private. Go the “Files” tab, find the file you want to make private, and click the “Edit” link.

Then check the box next to “Make this file private.”

If we switch FTP servers will Basecamp remap all our old files to the new server?

No. Files uploaded to the old FTP server will continue to point to the old FTP server. All files uploaded after you’ve changed your settings will point to the new server. If people still need to access an older file, you should just upload the file again. It will link to the new server.

NOTE: If you use the included Basecamp file storage with your account you'll never have to worry about moving servers or remapping.

Can I attach a file to a to-do or milestone?

You can’t attach a file directly to a to-do or milestone but you can: 1) Add a comment to the to-do or milestone and attach a file to the comment. 2) Upload the file in the “Files” section and then link to the file inside the comment or milestone.

How much file space does our account have?

It depends on your plan. You can view the amount of disk space you have remaining on your account by clicking on the “Files” tab.

Then look at the “File storage space” section in the right sidebar.

If you need more file space than your current plan allows, you’ll need to upgrade to the next plan level. You can not buy extra space separately. The account owner can upgrade your account by clicking the “Account” tab on the Dashboard and then selecting the appropriate plan in the chart (upgrade instructions).

Note: If you don’t want to upgrade but you need more space, consider deleting files you don’t need anymore.

Can we upload multiple files at once?

If you use Basecamp file storage (and not your own FTP server for storage), you can upload multiple files at the same time. After you’ve selected your first file, just click the “Add another file” link to select another file.

Why am I getting a POSIX error when I try to upload a file?

This happens if you are trying to upload a file that isn’t really a file. For example, Apple Keynote and Pages files aren’t actually files (they are folders that look like files). You’ll need to zip these file/folders first before you can upload them.

What user name and password should I use for FTP hosting?

You can use the standard user name and password that you use to log into your own web server (not Basecamp, but your own server), or you could create a special account on your web sever for Basecamp to use.

Which user name and password you use is up to you, but this login needs to have permission to create directories and write files.

What is the Web URL and Server Path for FTP hosting?

The “Server Path” specifies the directory/folder on your server that will hold the files you upload via Basecamp. It’s important to start and end your path with a slash (“/”). An FTP server path might look like:

/home/mycompany/webdocs/html/basecamp_stuff/

or a shorter version...

/html/basecamp_stuff/

The "Web URL" is the web address you use to access the folder you specified in the FTP path. A Web URL looks like:

http://www.mycompany.com/basecamp_stuff/

Here are some example pairs to show what we mean. If you're confused about this, contact your ISP, web host, or system administrator for help.

Example 1
Server path: /home/mycompany/webdocs/html/basecamp_stuff/
Web URL: http://www.mycompany.com/basecamp_stuff/

Example 2
Server path: /webroot/files/basecamp_stuff/
Web URL: http://www.mycompany.com/files/basecamp_stuff/

Example 3
Server path: /basecamp_stuff/
Web URL: http://www.mycompany.com/basecamp_stuff/

Is it possible to switch to my own FTP file storage system?

Basecamp no longer offers FTP uploading (file storage on your own server) for new accounts and accounts that never utilized this feature. If you never set up FTP uploading for your account, Basecamp storage is the only option you have for file uploading. An alternative: You can post a file on your own FTP site and then link to it from within Basecamp.

I know my server path is right but Basecamp says it’s wrong. What’s going on?

If your server path is correct but not working, it’s probably too long. Basecamp usually doesn’t need the entire path (and providing it can throw Basecamp off and result in an error).

For example, if your full Server Path is...

/home/virtual/mysite.com/var/www/html/basecamp/

...and Basecamp keeps giving you a path error, try shortening the path one directory at a time — starting from the shortest version of the path. So, instead of your full path try:

/basecamp/

or

/html/basecamp/

or

/www/html/basecamp/

or

/var/www/html/basecamp/

or

/mysite.com/var/www/html/basecamp/

...and so on.

Usually the shortest path is the right one.

Can I download all my files at once?

We don’t offer mass downloading of files at this time, so each file does need to be downloaded manually from each project.

Can I create subcategories for files? Can I create folders or nested categories?

You can create as many categories as you like, but we don't offer a way to create sub-categories or nested categories. The best way to achieve this is to use a naming convention like "Interviews - Seattle" or "Finance - Receipts".