New download user

Hi,
If anybody can help me, it would be much appreciated. I have just downloaded smartftp and I think have successfully downloaded my clients website. However I have three questions.
1) How can I be sure that I have downloaded everything. I followed instructions to select all folders, rightclick, select download and select folder to download to on local server but I keep reading info about hidden files on help pages, how can I be sure that there are no hidden files or folders and that I have everything downloaded?

2) When I selected a new folder on my desk top to download to, on my desktop only 1 new file has been created but in Smartftp in the local server winder, I have two duplicate folders. If I delete one of them, they both go, why is this?

3) If I want to make changes to website before uploading it to new hosting company, how can I view the downloaded filders as a working website, do I need frontpage or something.

4) If this is the case, I do know frontpage but I don't think our new hosting company supports it, is there anything else which is just as easy to you, or should I ask our hosting company what they support.

Hope this message is not too long, any help, I 'll be eternally grateful.
Thanks

1) How can I be sure that I have downloaded everything. I followed instructions to select all folders, rightclick, select download and select folder to download to on local server but I keep reading info about hidden files on help pages, how can I be sure that there are no hidden files or folders and that I have everything downloaded?

Hidden files generally have a dot in front of their name (eg .htaccess)

2) When I selected a new folder on my desk top to download to, on my desktop only 1 new file has been created but in Smartftp in the local server winder, I have two duplicate folders. If I delete one of them, they both go, why is this?

Dunno

3) If I want to make changes to website before uploading it to new hosting company, how can I view the downloaded filders as a working website, do I need frontpage or something.

No - just open your browser and enter the full path the the index.htm or index.html file as the address. If it's on your local machine (and assuming you're using Windows) then it will be something like c:webindex. If it's on a server, it may be something like serverwebindex.htm


4) If this is the case, I do know frontpage but I don't think our new hosting company supports it, is there anything else which is just as easy to you, or should I ask our hosting company what they support.

You can create html files (which is what is needed) with almost any editor. Indeed, MS Word can be used. The best web editors however check your work and allow more impressive editing. They also allow other web types (such as PHP etc) to be edited easily. FrontPage support from a provider allows Microsoft's special bits of code (such as banners etc) to be loaded and used.

D

Dear Dbaro

Thankyou very much for your help. I successfully managed to view the website in my browser and make a couple of minor changes. All appears to be working great.

Thanks to you.
cheers
Helen[/url]