Hatrack River Forum: Web Page Help

my profile login | search | faq | forum home

»	Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Books, Films, Food and Culture » Web Page Help

Author

Topic: Web Page Help

Jaiden
Member
Member # 2099

posted

Okay guys, I'm web page stupid.
For a computers course they're teaching us basic HTML (using notepad- we get to do more advanced “stuff” later) and for our first project we're to post a simple website onto our schools web space.

Simple enough.

But I've screwed up somehow and don't know how to fix my screw up.
And it hasn't been covered in the course material and I'm over my head.
And to top it off it has to be submitted by tomorrow at noon and I won’t have a chance to ask one of my TAs due to the fact I have classes straight from 8:30-2:00 tomorrow.

I posted it last Friday and today I went on to “clean” up my directory as we were told to do. I deleted a file on SSH Secure file thingie (I'm showing my expertise here) that I thought I was supposed to. I wasn't.

When going to here it is supposed to automatically display my "CRupar_WebPage1.html", however, it is displaying the directory instead.

So web page geniuses how do I make my little web space happy again?

(I know this is a “please do my homework” sort of question, but I promise it’s just because I am so clueless I don’t even know where to search online for this information. If you can direct me to a website that will explain how to fix it, I can go from there. Also I know my web page sucks- I had to follow very exact instructions (including using tables and what topic (ie recipes from foodnetwork.com) [Wink]

). I don’t mind criticism but please remember this is for a school assignment and such things as colour text, background, etc. are specifically stated as “do not use”. And most likely this web page is not going to stay up for more than a day after it’s marked [Smile]

(PS. Just so I don't confuse people my name is Carolyn Jade Ann Marie Rupar. I go by Jaiden in real life and online.)

Posts: 944 | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged |

dkw
Member
Member # 3264

posted

I know next to nothing -- but try changing the name of the page you want displayed to "index.htm"

Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged |

Vadon
Member
Member # 4561

posted

Now, I'm not really an expert, but don't you need an index first? Then you can link yourself to other HTMLs. I thought it was like how you need a main method in a program. You have to start somewhere, so with a website, it starts off with the index.

Edit: And dkw beat me to my suggestion just barely.

Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003 | IP: Logged |

Jaiden
Member
Member # 2099

posted

Hmmm.... those are the names the files have to be.
So whatever I deleted had to tell what file needed to be read first. (Which Vadon says is the index (what a logical name)).
So I guess the real question is how do I go about making an index that says to read CRupar_WebPage1.html first?

Posts: 944 | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged |

fugu13
Member
Member # 2859

posted

Easiest way is to rename it index.html, if this is acceptable.

Was the file you deleted called .htaccess ?

To create the behavior you want, create a file called .htaccess

In it, you want the line:

code:

DirectoryIndex CRupar_WebPage1.html

If that does not work, or if the file you deleted was called index.html, create a file called index.html

In this file put the following:

code:

<html>
<head>
  <title>redirecting . . .</title>
  <meta http-equiv="Refresh" content="1;url=CRupar_WebPage1.html">
</head>
<body>
 <p>If you are not automatically redirected, click <a href="CRupar_WebPage1.html">here</a></p>
</body>
</html>

Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001 | IP: Logged |

Zalmoxis
Member
Member # 2327

posted

Yes, both dkw and Vadon are right about the index.htm, but usually on student sites like these you need to have a public directory folder -- that way you can have other files in your account that won't be displayed on the Web.

Often these folders are called "public html" or "my_www_files" etc.

Okay -- here's what your university says:

You must first create a special directory in your Panther account where you will store your HTML text files and graphics files. You will only have to do this once. To set up your account, you have to log on to your account on Panther using a secure client such as SSH.

1. Run SSH Client and connect to Panther.
2. Log in to Panther using your login-name and password for this system.
3. Type the command publish at the panther prompt and press return. This command was created at UWO to help you publish your pages. The first time it is run, it creates a directory called public_html and sets all of the correct protections. All of your html files must be placed in this directory in order to be viewed by web browsers. The publish command also creates your first home page by copying the Publish template, called index.html into your new public_html directory.
4. Type logout and press Enter to terminate your session.
5. Run Netscape and check to see whether you can access your homepage at http://publish.uwo.ca/~login-name/ It should look like the template in this document. If you can view this page, everything is set up correctly.

EDIT: Here is the URL for the instructions:

http://www.uwo.ca/its/doc/hdi/web/personalpage.html#webdirect

EDIT II: fugu knows the tech fu way -- but I know the crazy-places-university-IT-people-do-things way. <grin>.

Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001 | IP: Logged |

Jaiden
Member
Member # 2099

posted

I'm not sure what the file I deleted was called- I don't recognize .htaccess and I think with a name like that I wouldn’t have deleted it.

I’m not sure what you fully mean by “create a file called .htaccess”. Do I make it in notepad? (at this point it’s a matter of interest- I have the other way working)

Thank you very much dkw, Vadon and fugu13!

Posts: 944 | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged |

Zalmoxis
Member
Member # 2327

posted

The problem with fugu's fix is that the redirect page pops up. You don't want that.

Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001 | IP: Logged |

Jaiden
Member
Member # 2099

posted

Zalmoxis- thank you [Smile]

Through that page I can most certainly did delete the index (there are screen shots of what should be there [Wink]

)

Hmmm... true enough...
*ponders*

Posts: 944 | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged |

fugu13
Member
Member # 2859

posted

Files are files are files [Smile]

.

You could create it in notepad easily enough, or you could create it in a text editor such as nano or pico (your server almost certainly has one or both) while ssh'd in. Notepad might not like making a file that's just an extension from its perspective, so you'd likely have to rename it manually, but no big deal.

One good way to make the file (or rather, add to it) while you're logged into the server would be to do this:

code:

echo 'DirectoryIndex CRupar_WebPage1.html index.html' >> .htacccess

(I modified what would go in the file a bit for some smarter fallback).

This tells the "shell" (that's what you're typing things in when using ssh to connect) to echo that text, but instead of displaying it for you to redirect the text into the .htaccess file and stick it at the end (if it were > instead of >> it would replace the current file).

Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001 | IP: Logged |

fugu13
Member
Member # 2859

posted

You can make it happen much faster if you change it to be like this:

code:

<html>
<head>
  <title>redirecting . . .</title>
  <meta http-equiv="Refresh" content="0;url=CRupar_WebPage1.html">
</head>
<body>
 <p>If you are not automatically redirected, click <a href="CRupar_WebPage1.html">here</a></p>
</body>
</html>

Note the 0 instead of the 1 in the meta tag's content attribute.

Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001 | IP: Logged |

fugu13
Member
Member # 2859

posted

Depending on how your server is setup, you may be able to get an even more transparent method to work. Create a file called index.php with the following in it

code:

<?php
header("Location: CRupar_WebPage1.html");
?>

Then rename or delete the index.html page (if you rename, any old name will do, but I suggest index.html.bak).

Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001 | IP: Logged |

Zalmoxis
Member
Member # 2327

posted

quote:
Files are files are files

Very true, and I bow to your vastly superior Web knowledge. I'm one of those annoying content people who knows just enough to ask IT people stupid questions.

::sigh::

I need to save up my nickels so I can pay for a hosting service and start learning CSS. Sure, I could use my free space at work, but I know myself well enough to know that I'm not seriously going to do anything until I have an actual, viable project to work on (preferably one with a cool domain name).

Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001 | IP: Logged |

Jaiden
Member
Member # 2099

posted

I think I'm going to stick to the way I understand (the html way).
The other way is probably more savvy, but I really would rather not include something that is over my head [Smile]

Thank you very much Fugu

(And I'm not one of those annoying people Zal? [Wink]

)

[ October 04, 2005, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: Jaiden ]

Posts: 944 | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged |

fugu13
Member
Member # 2859

posted

Just to make sure you didn't misunderstand, I was responding to Jaiden's (mild) confusion over how to create a file called .htaccess [Smile]

Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001 | IP: Logged |

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Contact Us | Hatrack River Home Page

Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2