I have a fully databased website where I list events for promoters. So now, to go to a particular promoters event, a user has to go to my home page, click on the search page, then use the drop down menu for the promoter and submit. Standard stuff. I came up with the idea of using redirect pages where I give the promoter their own link so the user can type in the direct URL of his/her favorite promoter and then be redirected right to their listings. Example:

http://www.signingshotline.com/OUTFRONT.asp

This not only helps the promoter, but now the promoter will advertise this link in his ads. FREE PROMOTION FOR ME!!!

Now here is the question. I am going to be placing hundreds of redirect pages under my root. VERY MESSY!!! I don't want to place them in a folder under the root because that would make the link name more confusing for the user (K.I.S.S.). I don't want to place an _ at the start of the page name because 99% of the users would never put that in the URL.

So, is there anyway to keep my website contents neat and orderly under my parameters?

I don't think so, but like I said, this board has some done some crazy stuff!

Thanks all,

Howard

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www.Signingshotline.com lists EVERY upcoming athlete autograph appearance in the US and Canada

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§þððk¥
"I am Spooky of Borg. Prepare to be assimilated, babycakes!"
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Well, not really. This doesn't do much good when the promoter wants to advertise that his events can be accessed directly at
http://www.signingshotline.com/OUTFRONT.asp
Your idea is good for emails, etc.

Thanks

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www.Signingshotline.com lists EVERY upcoming athlete autograph appearance in the US and Canada

To name a specific page after a promoter, itll have to exist.
Using a querystring like I have is about the only real option I think (for a lot of promoters)

------------------
§þððk¥
"I am Spooky of Borg. Prepare to be assimilated, babycakes!"
Subscribe to OutFront News
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I just called the directory a very easy to recall name - actually I called it 'go' - so you would get http://www.signingshotline.com/go/OUTFRONT.asp

The people using it do not seem to have a problem with it, it is easy to remember and I think it is a lot better than having my head done in every time I looked at a root web with a zillion pages scattered around it.

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Katherine

InKK Design
LinKKs - Kilkenny's Online Magazine

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Dogs have owners, cats have staff!"

And BTW, the redirect page has the query string in it to pull up the database info.

Thanks Spooky and Katherine for your advice.

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www.Signingshotline.com lists EVERY upcoming athlete autograph appearance in the US and Canada

I hope I understood your question. This technique allows you to give out custom address to your clients without having to create individual pages and without having to clutter up your web root. I was looking to play on the server today and this gave me an assignment of sorts.

Here is how I did what you are asking.

I am using ASP and IIS.

I made a custom 404 Error (file not found) page. The client would type in www.yoursite.com/outfront.asp (or .htm). Since the file does not exist (this only works if the filename they are typing does not exist) the custom error page is served.

I then used ASP (you could use JavaScript) to identify the intended page and redirect accordingly. Here is the code for the custom 404 Error page:

<%
clientID = Mid(lcase(Request.Querystring), 5)
SELECT CASE clientID
CASE "http://63.126.0.253/outfront.asp"
response.write "Outfront"
CASE "http://63.126.0.253/4guysfromrolla.asp"
response.write "4GUYS"
CASE ELSE
response.write "redirect to you regular 404 error page"
END SELECT
%>

I used response.write because I was too lazy to make the additional pages. Just change that to response.redirect and then the address with any additional variables attached (page.asp?var=outfront).

Also, I used the Mid function of VBScript to parse the URL. That may or may not need to be changed slightly depending on your server.

Joe

[This message has been edited by jbennett (edited 08-12-2001).]

Now, Joe, don't forget you're speaking to hzarabet, not Spooky! I am fine with about 80% of your (amazing) idea.

1. How do I set up a custom 404 page? I am hosted. Do I need to call my host?

2. What does the 5 in

Mid(lcase(Request.Querystring), 5)

represent in my case statement? Why is not just Request.Querystring?

Thanks again Joe,

Howard

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www.Signingshotline.com lists EVERY upcoming athlete autograph appearance in the US and Canada

[This message has been edited by hzarabet (edited 08-12-2001).]

http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/061499-1.shtml

Your question about the querystring:
I used 5 in the Mid function to grab just the URL. You could leave it in and just adjust the CASE. This is the querystring before I parse it:

code:

---

http://63.126.0.253/customerRedirect.asp?404;http://63.126.0.253/outfront.asp

---

Using Mid I just grabbed the url after 404;.

Joe

Mid(lcase(Request.Querystring), 5)

My understanding of the "5" in this case would mean that the querystring is being read beginning with the 5th character. That would make my querystring would begin with the ":" after the http. What am I misunderstanding?

This board amazes me.

Howard

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www.Signingshotline.com lists EVERY upcoming athlete autograph appearance in the US and Canada

I am glad you got it working.
As far as ASP is concerned, the "querystring" does not begin until after the "?" in the URL. That 5 in Mid would give you the "h" in http after the "?".

Joe

Now for the finishing touch on this. What if I only want the portion "outfront" to be read from the string? Don't forget, "outfront" would be different promoter names of different lengths. I'd want to remove the left 25 characters and the right 4 :

http://63.126.0.253/customerRedirect.asp?404;http://63.126.0.253/outfront.asp

It would be something like the combo of:

Mid(lcase(Request.Querystring), 25)

PLUS

Rtrim(lcase(Request.Querystring),4)

Thanks again Joe (et. al.)

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www.Signingshotline.com lists EVERY upcoming athlete autograph appearance in the US and Canada

Joe