Joeychgo
06-01-2005, 09:12 AM
Make a Custom 404 Page for your forum.
You can easily create a custom 404 error page for your visitors. What does this do for you? It can help you keep visitors who will likely leave your forum if they get the standard "File not found" page. Normally a 404 Page looks a like this:
File Not Found
The requested url /notafile.htm was not found on this server.
A visitor finding this will likely just leave your site. It makes them think your forum no longer exists.
However, you can make your 404 page much more informative, and provide your visitors with a way to navigate through your site. Instead of the standard "File Not Found", you can send them an error page that looks professional and wl help you retain them as a visitor.
As an example, click the link below. This will take you to the custom 404 page for vBulletin Webmaster:
Custom 404 Example (http://www.vbwebmaster.com/vBulletin_custom_page.htm)
Notice how the page was similar to other pages on the site, with the look and feel and a direction to to click to get to the main page? This allows the visitor to go to the main page where they can see the details of what this site has to offer.
Now, the creation of the custom page itself isn't difficult. It is just another HTML page saved with any name you want it to have.
To get your custom page to show up on a 404 error requires a little extra work. But not much.
To begin, go to the main directory of your web site (where your home page is located) through FTP or Telnet. Look for a file there named .htaccess. If you have the file, you will want to edit it. If you do not have the file, create a new text file and save it as ".htaccess".
Simply type the following line into the file, changing the url to the location of your custom page:
ErrorDocument 404 http://www.vbwebmaster.com/vBulletin_custom_page.htm
Keep it all on one line, with a space on each side of the number 404. This is also case sensitive, so be sure to check the case of the E and D in before you go forward.
If you already have the file and need to edit it, look for a line like the one above. If it is there, you can just change the url. If you do not have the line, add it in after everything else. Place it on its own line.
When you are done, upload your new .htaccess file to the server. Then, be sure to use the CHMOD command through your FTP or telnet program to set the permissions to CHMOD 644.
Also be sure that you have uploaded your custom page to the server, otherwise you'll get a 500 server error or something similar.
Once that is done, you can test your new error page by typing in a url that you know does not exist. You should get your custom page, ready to bring in the lost visitors that may be out there.
:) Happy Trails - Its That Simple.
You can easily create a custom 404 error page for your visitors. What does this do for you? It can help you keep visitors who will likely leave your forum if they get the standard "File not found" page. Normally a 404 Page looks a like this:
File Not Found
The requested url /notafile.htm was not found on this server.
A visitor finding this will likely just leave your site. It makes them think your forum no longer exists.
However, you can make your 404 page much more informative, and provide your visitors with a way to navigate through your site. Instead of the standard "File Not Found", you can send them an error page that looks professional and wl help you retain them as a visitor.
As an example, click the link below. This will take you to the custom 404 page for vBulletin Webmaster:
Custom 404 Example (http://www.vbwebmaster.com/vBulletin_custom_page.htm)
Notice how the page was similar to other pages on the site, with the look and feel and a direction to to click to get to the main page? This allows the visitor to go to the main page where they can see the details of what this site has to offer.
Now, the creation of the custom page itself isn't difficult. It is just another HTML page saved with any name you want it to have.
To get your custom page to show up on a 404 error requires a little extra work. But not much.
To begin, go to the main directory of your web site (where your home page is located) through FTP or Telnet. Look for a file there named .htaccess. If you have the file, you will want to edit it. If you do not have the file, create a new text file and save it as ".htaccess".
Simply type the following line into the file, changing the url to the location of your custom page:
ErrorDocument 404 http://www.vbwebmaster.com/vBulletin_custom_page.htm
Keep it all on one line, with a space on each side of the number 404. This is also case sensitive, so be sure to check the case of the E and D in before you go forward.
If you already have the file and need to edit it, look for a line like the one above. If it is there, you can just change the url. If you do not have the line, add it in after everything else. Place it on its own line.
When you are done, upload your new .htaccess file to the server. Then, be sure to use the CHMOD command through your FTP or telnet program to set the permissions to CHMOD 644.
Also be sure that you have uploaded your custom page to the server, otherwise you'll get a 500 server error or something similar.
Once that is done, you can test your new error page by typing in a url that you know does not exist. You should get your custom page, ready to bring in the lost visitors that may be out there.
:) Happy Trails - Its That Simple.
