Want to set-up easy upload w/XML, where do I start?

I have a few different Flash photo galleries floating around which use XML, and I want to take it to the next level. I have begun reading the tutorials on here, but I seem to be missing even a more basic step. My goal is to make it so that all I have to do is drop the appropriately-named files into a folder, and they automatically update on the website. Where do I start in this endevor?