HTaccess and default

[evamevam]

Uploading XARA site - get an error when i try the www address- i need to add the ht access file and specify defaults i think- does xara not do this as part of the upload? Appreciate your help- Im a total newbie

[steve.ledger]

.htaccess files are optional server side permission/configuration settings (held in a hidden and encrypted file) and have nothing to do with Xara Web Designer.

Maybe if you could show us what the error is, we'd be more likely to have a clue

[evamevam]

The first time I put the site up, the hostgator people said it was missing an ht access file and a default page. They put it in. When I cleared out to republish, i lost the access file contents. Now I uploaded a clean xara site, which looked great the first time, and now i get an apache error because it probably doesnt know the access file info which contained default directory ref i think the first time. 2 Questions: how do i get this back up and running (i.e. with the 2-3 simple lines in an htaccess file) and 2) doesnt xara automatically take care of this so that a simple publish should work right away? This is a cpanel setup in hostgator.

[steve.ledger]

As I say, this has nothing to do with Xara Web Designer.
Not even certain why Hostgator wants this, but if they do - then it's their job to help you out (they are the web server administrator). You should not delete it if you see it in your root directory.
I'd also advise you publish using Web Designers publishing feature and not use cpanel at all.

[evamevam]

Thanks sledger- here's the error. Index of /

* InternationalGrowthStrategies/

Apache mod_fcgid/2.3.5 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635 Server at internationalgrowthstrategies.com Port 80

I use the xara publish feature, but this is what i get. Its published to the pub html directory/InternationalGrowthStrategies/. Last time they needed to adda a directory ref in the htaccess file- they just did it again and ive got a blank screen. Shouldnt xara get me running by itself-

[steve.ledger]

I have no idea what all that means, sorry - but it looks like HG is enabling Frontpage extensions.
You don't need this for websites created in anything other than MS Frontpage.

Shouldnt xara get me running by itself

Sites created in Xara software are w3c compliant HTML and need no special treatment from common web servers.
See your host support about this - there's nothing you can do within Xara Web Designer to fix this.

[evamevam]

Ok thanks

[evamevam]

Hostgator got it working by adding a simple directory command in the ht access file: here's what they added....Am i right to assume that xara users dont usually need to do anything other than just publish..? HG cant be the only 1 that adds this complexity i would guess...


ASCII text
DirectoryIndex internationalgrowthstrategies.htm

[steve.ledger]

Looking at your site http://www.internationalgrowthstrategies.com, you appear to have;
[a] Named your site home page file internationalgrowthstrategies.htm (should be index.htm)
[b] Uploaded your site files to /public_html/internationalgrowthstrategies - rather than just /public_html/

The .htaccess file has been created to redirect visitors to the directory where your sites file have been published to and to tell the server which page is your home page. This is due to your not having used the standard accepted (and expected) names & protocols for website publishing.

[evamevam]

Thanks Sledger. Appreciate your explanation. I'm surprised I got as far as I did not knowing any of that. I'll fix it on the next upload. Thanks very much for your advice.!