Documentation

[pattinso]

Is there any documentation available? All I see is this forum. I don't mind asking simple questions, but if I can look at docs instead it wastes less of my AND your time getting answers.

 

[essellar]

There's a wiki. I'm not a huge fan of wiki documentation myself, but it seems to be par for the course these days. And there doesn't seem to be a prominent, visible link to it anywhere anymore.

 

[pattinso]

OK. Looks like I'll just have to ask questions here. The wiki has not been populated with much info.
#1) I just loaded my website and every link is a 404. Is this a time thing where it'll take a while for the servers to catch up or is there a problem? The Allan Sherman links to a static HTML page and even it gives me a 404.

#2) After making a change to the main index page, (deleting some links) how long before the changes will take effect? I've cleared cache and refreshed the browser but no change. Looking at the file itself, the changes have been made.

#3) I just created a MySQL db. I'm not a MySQL expert and it's been a few years since I set this stuff up. What values go into the variables
$username (my ID or something I need to set up for the DB?)
$password (is this value not needed?)
$hostname
$dbname (obviously the name of the database I created)

Thanks

 

[webbrewe]

Can't say much without seeing the subject site but in the case of a WordPress site for example, the site url and home page url have to be recorded correctly in the database (under wp-options). WordPress does that for you when you set up the site (wp-admin/install.php) - not sure about other scripts. When making changes in WP, 404 errors can sometimes be resolved by saving the permalink structure again.
#3: Scripts usually have a config file that allows the site to access content in the database. The variables in it MUST match exactly the ones created when you created the db. So username/password/db name are what you entered when you created the db, and not your cpanel/x10 credentials. Hostname at x10 is localhost.

 

[descalzo]

1. Are you sure that the files are in the proper place? Note that Foo.HTML is different from foo.html . caPITalIZaTion matters
2. If you change the file and save it, you should see the change via the web immediately. Clear your browser cache and history, close and reopen browser. If you still see the old version, your ISP is caching and you either 1) wait until its cache expires OR 2) try adding ?foo to the end of the URL. That usually fools caching into grabbing a new version of the page.
3. You should create a user for the database (I usually use the same name as the database). When you get the popup, check ALL PRIVILEGES. Then attach it to the database. Write the password down, because you have to use it.

 

[pattinso]

Site is at http://pattinson.x10host.com

1. Are you sure that the files are in the proper place? Note that Foo.HTML is different from foo.html . caPITalIZaTion matters

I copied the site exactly as it was at my other site, directly from my backup on my computer. Files are all in the correct place and correct case. Still have 404s on all the links.

2. If you change the file and save it, you should see the change via the web immediately. Clear your browser cache and history, close and reopen browser. If you still see the old version, your ISP is caching and you either 1) wait until its cache expires OR 2) try adding ?foo to the end of the URL. That usually fools caching into grabbing a new version of the page.

I saw the file changed immediately in the site directory. Even now, though -- hours later -- via browser it's still the old file. The ?foo trick didn't work. I even changed the filename from index.html to index.htm. No change.

3. You should create a user for the database (I usually use the same name as the database). When you get the popup, check ALL PRIVILEGES. Then attach it to the database. Write the password down, because you have to use it.

I'll have to check the DB section again. I missed all the user-creation stuff.
Found it.

 

[Anna]

Your links are made with the code

<a href="wjp/batman/batman.php"       target='_top'>Batman</a>

The files are however located in "/home/cpaneluser/public_html/public_html/wjp/batman/batman.php" so the code really should be

<a href="public_html/wjp/batman/batman.php"       target='_top'>Batman</a>

When you copied the file over you created an extra public_html folder, if you take all files out of /home/cpaneluser/public_html/public_html and put them in /home/cpaneluser/public_html/ then the links as they currently are would work.
You do have an index.php located in /home/cpaneluser/public_html/ which is the one that is currently loaded up when going to your domain, so when you move the files, make sure you don't unintentionally overwrite this one with an improper index.php, I saw there was one inside the extra public_html folder as well.

 

[pattinso]

Ahhh, the ol' one-off problem... Thanks, I never saw that.

 

[pattinso]

Is there any way to change my user name? I don't know why it became pattinso but I would like it to be waltp everywhere (including my site) instead. I don't remember seeing a field for username when I signed up.

 

[pattinso]

I changed my nameservers to X10's servers. Don't I also have to adjust some other values (like A RECORD)? If not, how does changing the nameservers only link my domain name to the physical site?

 

[Anna]

The name became pattinso due to the system simply taking the first 8 characters of the domain when creating the account. It can not be changed. However if you have a second forum account you can switch which one is linked with the forum account.

After changing the name servers you would need to add the domain to the account through the control panel, either as parked or as addon domain, this will create a proper zone for the domain on our name servers and automatically sets the proper A records for the domain.

 

[pattinso]

OK, it seems I must have a total lack of understanding how this linking stuff works. I guess I need a step by step detail of what needs to be done to get my site active -- exactly what pages to visit, what buttons to click, what fields need to be filled in.

X10 needs some basic instruction pages explaining for those that aren't experts in the details interconnections.

 

[Anna]

I see that you already have a parked domain in your account, is there any problems with how the domain works?

I also noticed that it didn't work properly but rather threw me a 404 not found, which I managed to sort out by changing the permissions of the folder public_html, that folder needs 750 due to how it is set with ownership on the server.

Would there be any further questions to don't hesitate to ask and we'll do our best to explain and straighten things out.

 

[pattinso]

So, I did something right, eh? Nice.

Yes, when I go to pattinson.net I end up on the page a "Default Web Page (http://pattinson.net/cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi) which doesn't look anything like my home page.

Ahhh, I see I need the www. -- how do I correct that?

 

[Dead-i]

I see your website fine, with and without the www. The issue is that your web browser is caching the webpage. This will normally fix itself within 24 hours, but if you want to hurry the process you can try clearing your cache.

 

[pattinso]

Found it.

It's these details that need to be documented so
1) we don't have to search all over the place for the answer (which may not be found)
2) we can set up our sites quickly and efficiently, rather than over days
3) you don't have to explain over and over and over the same info.

A FAQ from start to finish would make this process almost painless.

[edit]
Thanks, Dead-i, I discovered that solution a few minutes after I posted.