Hierarchy of browsers looking on servers

[CoolBee]

What does that mean, CoolBee?

What I mean is: if you have a directory on a server that is located say in

www. my site .com / subarea /

and you have a bunch of files in there something.pdf, something.txt or whatever.

If it finds index.html it will load that. What other html file name could I put in there that will be loaded by browsers before it resorts to simply listing the directory contents?

I want to call the html file something other than 'index.html' . I've tried things like home.html, or index1.html but no joy - it goes straight to listing the directory contents.

Or am I just going to give in and have yet another index.html file?

[granted]

default.html precedes index.html

You're welcome

[CoolBee]

Fab - thanks

[Lil Chris]

Depends totally on the server. Some require default and some require index. If you have full access to change the config file, you can name it anything you want. If it's through a hosting company, you probably don't have that kind of access.

[CoolBee]

Where do I find the config file (if I have the right access) and what do I put in it?

I have put 'default.html' and when I browse using Firefox or IE8 it is coming up with that page. So assume that means the server is ok with that?

[Lawliet]

Aye this is down to the server config/preference really. Sometimes you can get it to load index.php before index.html... or sometimes index.htm before index.html.

[granted]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

I have put 'default.html' and when I browse using Firefox or IE8 it is coming up with that page. So assume that means the server is ok with that?

Yep AFAIK

[CoolBee]

Ah would the config file be server specific or user specific? So is it a global setting for all the websites hosted on it rather than one than an individual website owner can set individually (given the know-how)?

[Brutha]

Ah would the config file be server specific or user specific? So is it a global setting for all the websites hosted on it rather than one than an individual website owner can set individually (given the know-how)?

It depends totally on the software of the server.

If you for example run a django server than filenames don't matter much because there are extra function that translate the queries that the server gets.

[MarkHarrison]

As Brutha has said, it's down to the software you have installed.

It also depends on whether your web server is running Linux or Windows.


The most common web server that ISPs might install as standard, Apache / Linux, makes life even more complicated, in that it splits up its config files into different places.

If that's the "master config" file is /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

In that, there's a line that will read something like:

---- DirectoryIndex index.html index.cgi index.pl index.php index.xhtml

(without the dashes)

That means that, it will display a file called index.html... but if that's not there, index.cgi... but if that's not there either index.pl and so on.

Fuller techy info, should you require is, is at mod_dir - Apache HTTP Server

Alternatively, if you can tell us what server software you're running, we might be able to give you the answer that relates to your setup.

Regards,

Mark

[CoolBee]

I'm not running it - I have space on a friend's server hence I might have been able to get access to do it if it were easy and didn't affect anyone else.
It's ok, the default.html thing is the easiest solution!

[James81]

My question would be...why would one want "default.html" over "index.htm"?

Does it matter? And if so, why?

[CoolBee]

well, index.html usually has something to do with the site - eg it's the home page or whatever. I wanted a page that said nothing other than 'you have arrived here by mistake' so people don't get faced with a file listing. So I wanted a distinctly different name, rather than have several different 'index.html' on my site.

The files in the directory are various things for people to download which are linked to from elsewhere. I don't particularly want people bumbling around the whole directory on the one hand, and on the other, I have found quite a lot of people get alarmed when they see a file listing because they don't know what to do.

[IceWolf]

Normally, the filename of index.html (or whatever) is hidden if the browser has just requested the directory, and only appears in the URL if the browser actually requested index.html by name. Is your server doing something different?

[Lil Chris]

You can just put in a blank index.html file there doesn't have to be any code in the file.

Or just have who ever is running the server turn off the display directory setting.

[CoolBee]

Yes but I didn't want to get my index.html files confused with each other so I wanted a different name for the 'you're here in error' type file!

Hm I don't want the display directory setting turned off because some of my folders deliberately have it there for things for those less confused by directory listings!

@icewolf = it's not that it's showing a filename in the way I think you mean, eg it isn't that it is showing blogs/index.html (which it isn't), it was (until I put default.html in there) opening a browser tab simply listing all the files in the directory.

[aussieNickuss]

If it's an Apache server, you can use a ".htacces" file to specify the default page on a directory by directory basis. That way, you can call it what ever you want.

As Chris said though, the best solution is to have the server NOT display a directories contents when there is no default file. A server wide setting would apply to any folder throughout the site.

[CoolBee]

Would it affect other people's websites on the same server though?

[ellie]

Are you saying if there are multiple index.html files in the same domain but in different folders that search engines might make that folder index first on google, rather than the actual (root) domain itself?

I've never had this problem. With search engines I think they automatically index the root directory first regardless of sub folders with index.html files in them, maybe I am wrong? I'd be interested to know.

Edit***I think I get what your saying. You could change the permissions settings so no one can see the contents of that folder. So basically it will block outsider users seeing content, the other thing if you just want to share pdf, image links with people, you could actually give them the complete address of the file and lock the folder contents from being seen.

I usually just put a blank index.html file and send people the exact path so if I wanted to send them a pdf it would be www. my site .com / subarea / my.pdf
or an index.html file with html links to the actual files that I want to share in that folder.

[CoolBee]

No, I'm not saying the server will confuse it, I'm saying I might!

In my way of working - index.html has something to contribute to the website eg as a home page or whatever.

I wanted a DIFFERENT way of addressing the html page that would show up if users inadvertently (or deliberately!) tried looking in a sub-folder to see what was there! (Am I really the only person that does that? LOL!)

The one I have now named 'default.html' is being copied into all the sub-folders that I create. People should only get stuff out of those sub-folders via a direct link. I just didn't want people noseying around seeing what else was there that might take their fancy or indeed having a nervous breakdown when confronted with a directory listing and being rendered paralysed because 'it looks complicated'.

There is only 1 index.html on my site (well that's not quite true because sub-domains have their own but that is different).

[Lil Chris]

Originally Posted by aussieNickuss

If it's an Apache server, you can use a ".htacces" file to specify the default page on a directory by directory basis. That way, you can call it what ever you want.

As Chris said though, the best solution is to have the server NOT display a directories contents when there is no default file. A server wide setting would apply to any folder throughout the site.

I was going to recommend an .htaccess file, but I wasn't sure if you could do it that way... This makes the most sense then. What would the code for this be out of curiosity?

Coolbee,
If all you're doing is trying to keep people from "perusing" the directory, then I fail to see what the problem is with just using an index.html file (other than you being confused) but, since it can be blank, There's nothing to get confused with. It's the standard way of doing it & it doesn't even have to have code in it (the page can be totally empty).

What is the site in question?

[CoolBee]

Just for my own desire I wanted to use something other than 'index.html'. I create sub-folders 'on the hoof' and it's useful for me to just be able to copy and paste a default.html file without worrying about the content, whereas if I pick an index.html file I might get the wrong one.

I'll PM you the site LC because I don't want people to go looking for it unless I have deliberately sent them the link!!!!

[ellie]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Just for my own desire I wanted to use something other than 'index.html'. I create sub-folders 'on the hoof' and it's useful for me to just be able to copy and paste a default.html file without worrying about the content, whereas if I pick an index.html file I might get the wrong one.

I'll PM you the site LC because I don't want people to go looking for it unless I have deliberately sent them the link!!!!

Why not just change the permissions of that folder, so the "general public" can't access it?

It wil come up with something like "permission denied" and I even think you can customise that notice, not sure how though.

[aussieNickuss]

Originally Posted by Lil Chris

What would the code for this be out of curiosity?

Simply....

DirectoryIndex whatever.html

[Lil Chris]

Since you are running an apache server you can try this:


How To: Change Your Websites Index File
a simple trick using the .htaccess file

A simple tutorial which only involves editing one little file. Useful for those of us who have mime-typed extensions or who are creating lots of test design files and want an easy way to make the design they like best their default file.

1. Create a file called .htaccess in the /public_html/ folder if you don't have it. I think one should be there already when you get your site so if it isn't you should create it anyway!
2. In the file write the following:
   
   CODE
   DirectoryIndex best_design.weirdext
3. Replace best_design.weirdext with the file you want your index page to be.
4. Open your website and if all has worked well, you should have your customized index page.

*Edited (my notes - for clarification)
Open a text file
Put this code in the first line: See Below (change the bold text to what you want to call the file) ex. index.html - default.html - sunshine.html (doesn't matter)

DirectoryIndex name_it_what_you_want.html

Then save the text file as .htaccess and put it into the folder of your root directory

[Lil Chris]

AussieNic,
Your quick... LOL

I was just posting the code

[aussieNickuss]

Originally Posted by Lil Chris

Since you are running an apache server you can try this:


How To: Change Your Websites Index File
a simple trick using the .htaccess file

A simple tutorial which only involves editing one little file. Useful for those of us who have mime-typed extensions or who are creating lots of test design files and want an easy way to make the design they like best their default file.

1. Create a file called .htaccess in the /public_html/ folder if you don't have it. I think one should be there already when you get your site so if it isn't you should create it anyway!
2. In the file write the following:
   
   CODE
   DirectoryIndex best_design.weirdext
3. Replace best_design.weirdext with the file you want your index page to be.
4. Open your website and if all has worked well, you should have your customized index page.

*Edited (my notes - for clarification)
Open a text file
Put this code in the first line: See Below (change the bold text to what you want to call the file) ex. index.html - default.html - sunshine.html (doesn't matter)

DirectoryIndex name_it_what_you_want.html

Then save the text file as .htaccess

Just to clarify. The DirectoryIndex option only applies to the folder that you place the .htaccess file. If you want a custom index/default file in your "subarea" folder, you will also need to place a .htaccess file there too with the correct DirectoryIndex.

Another tip: In order to actually create a .htaccess file, you have to use Notepad (if you're on Windows) and save the filename with inverted commas (eg. Save As: ".htaccess"). This is because Windows won't let you manually name a file with a . at the start.

If you're on a Mac or Linux, it's a whole other process because files starting with a . are by default, hidden files.

[Lil Chris]

Originally Posted by aussieNickuss

Just to clarify. The DirectoryIndex option only applies to the folder that you place the .htaccess file. If you want a custom index/default file in your "subarea" folder, you will also need to place a .htaccess file there too with the correct DirectoryIndex.

Another tip: In order to actually create a .htaccess file, you have to use Notepad (if you're on Windows) and save the filename with inverted commas (eg. Save As: ".htaccess"). This is because Windows won't let you manually name a file with a . at the start.

If you're on a Mac or Linux, it's a whole other process because files starting with a . are by default, hidden files.

This is a good point, although my vista machine does read and allow me to save .htaccess file though (perhaps I changed a setting a while ago and don't remember, being proficient I may have hidden file and folders turned off). I also use notepad++ for any coding work.