Web Site Help, please...

[edwelly]

I go thru FATCOW.com for my web hosting - if sometries to view a page on my site and it is typed incorrectly, their is a default page that the person will get, EXAMPLE (http://davesaidwhat.com/index12345.html )
How can I replace that file with one of my own? is their a way to make a 'wildcard' .html file and put it on their servers? Again, I am going thru a web hosting company, I do not have my own servers...
THANKS for any and all advice!!!

[Mntsnow]

If you want your own...Create it and get the hosting company to alter your settings for your site to point to the "new" 404 page.

Unfortunately you have to get your host provider to make the final change for it to be used.

[edwelly]

I don't they will let me change my own file but I will try - Thanks Mntsnow...

[Centurion]

Yeh - you want a what dave said error 404 page - not a cow!

C:)

[Cabinetmaker]

Make a file named .htaccess in your root directory and inside of it put

ErrorDocument 404 /404.html

404.html being your custom 404 page they you build

You can also make pages and list them in your .htaccess as well...

ErrorDocument 301 /301.html
301 (Moved Permanently)

ErrorDocument 304 /304.html
304 (Not Modified)

ErrorDocument 403 /403.html
403 (Forbidden)

ErrorDocument 404 /404.html
404 (Not Found)

ErrorDocument 500 /500.html
500 (Internal Server Error).

[edwelly]

Cabinetmaker - I did this last night and it works like a charm -
Centurion - I made one last night but I really like the idea of "dave said error page... I think I will redo it using your idea... THANKS A LOT!!!!

[Mntsnow]

Great catch Cab! I'm so used to doing it in the Manager.

[Cabinetmaker]

There are several other things you can do with .htaccess like block IP's, only allow ip('s), do not allow web view, page redirects, do not allow folder view with no index page (IndexIgnore *), password protect a page (you will also need .htpasswd), if your server allows rewrite engine you can use an anti leach for your images....I am sure there are several thing I have forgotten to add. Anyway, check into the .htaccess as you will find it a very useful file.

[Mntsnow]

http://www.javascriptkit.com/howto/htaccess.shtml has some good info on .htaccess

but I quote from it: htaccess is an Apache thing, not an NT thing (no wonder I didnt think about this for you Ed LOL)

but I will also quote from the article:
Also...some sites do not allow use of htaccess files, since depending on what they are doing, they can slow down a server overloaded with domains if they are all using htaccess files. I can't stress this enough: You need to make sure you are allowed to use htaccess before you actually use it. Some things that htaccess can do can compromise a server configuration that has been specifically setup by the admin, so don't get in trouble.

[edwelly]

hmmm, Mntsonw, that's for the heads up but there already was a .htaccess file in my files. I just added a couple fo lines to it and resaved it. I never put it up there to begin with... hmmm, decisions decisions...

[Cabinetmaker]

fatcow.com has a tutorial on how to use .htaccess...so I am assuming you are all clear. ;)

http://fatcow.com/help/htaccess.shtml

[Mntsnow]

Cool :) Looks like your good to go Ed!

[Gene C]

I can't help you on your problem, it's been years since I messed with a webpage. but, I used to use this site a lot.
http://www.searchengineworld.com/index.htm