Jeremy's Blog
Register
< Back to OSY 1.0 thread list

OSY 1.0 Thread Viewer

Thread #: 1352

I have an HTML question

Harbinger

Thu Jan 31 00:35:24 2002

On some various sites (like Yahoo, f'r instance), if you go to a page that doesn't exist, you get redirected to a "sorry, but..." page instead of getting a 404 error.

How can I accomplish this myself?

Legitimate replies are appreciated. ;)

Imitation Gruel

Thu Jan 31 00:48:13 2002

I have an HTML question

And I sure as hell don't have an answer. Wow, I LOSE!

DuffMan

Thu Jan 31 01:12:18 2002

I think its a setting with what ever web server you're using, and not an HTML thing at all. I could be wrong.

But I could be right.

But I could be wrong.

BUT I COULd be RIGHT!!!!!!!!111111111111111

Harbinger

Thu Jan 31 02:20:10 2002

OK, after searching that INTARWEB for a bit (eventually settling on "404 redirect" I uncovered several possible methods.

The quickest I found was to edit the .htaccess file to specifically redirect 404 errors.  I indicated that 404 errors should automatically dump the browser back to the site's home page.  Seems to work OK for the client who asked for it.

I subsequently tried the same thing on my personal bizness site, but it didn't work (would still get 404 errors), but this could be a config issue with my host site.  As such, I'll be contacting him.

But if anyone has any recommendations on my original question, I'm still entertaining responses.

Jeremy Reimer

Thu Jan 31 03:54:03 2002

When you set up your own web server, be it IIS or Apache or whatever, you get to set up your own "404" page.  It's just another HTML page.  
OscarWilde

Thu Jan 31 04:18:44 2002

yep, jeremy beat me to it. In IIS you can either just find the 404 html page and re-write it, or just config IIS to goto another file. The best way is to just edit the 404 page it self.

in windows NT, you'll find it in the windows/help/common/404b.html
Just keep in mind that for windows replace it with what ever the system folder is. For me its WinNT.SBS (windows nt small business server).
The best is to go to the MMC, goto properties of your website (or default website) and then click on the custom errors tab. There you'll find the directory and the file for the html pages for each specific error one may encounter.

The same should be for any other web serving program.

hope that helps.

Harbinger

Thu Jan 31 19:54:24 2002

JR/OW: Yes, I found that info out as well, thanks.  However, what I want/need to do is to redirect the wayward visitors back to the main page, and I found a way to do that with the .htaccess file.

I did see alternate ways of makeing a custom 404 page that can say, "Sorry, that page doesn't exist.  Let me take you back to the home page..." but the Big Boss didn't want that kinda page.  

Thanks to all who helped.