Rapid Web Site - The Dastardly "File Not Found" Page

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Page Not Found - 404 Error Message

It happens to all of us. No matter how hard we try, we have links on our Web site leading to dead ends. You have seen the ubiquitous "404" message.

Not Found The requested URL /abc.php was not found on this server.

Apache/1.3.26 Server at www.rapidwebsites.net Port 80

Not only is the "404" error message frustrating to site visitors, the Webmaster usually has no idea the site contains a bad links. Those friendly folks at Rapid Web Sites, now bring you a solution with something for everyone.

An Alternative 404 Error Page

A custom 404 error page can be substituted for the standard “file not found” page. Before getting into the details, take a look at our custom “file not found” page. Go to:

http://magicupdate.com/abc.php

As you will see, abc.php does not exist on the magicupdate.com site. Not only does the custom error page let you know the page was not found, it lets you perform a site search or go back to the home page. Wait, there is more. The new 404 page also send a message advising the webmaster a dead end links has been discovered. Here is a sample:

A 404 Error was found on your website: http://magicupdate.com

The requested page was: http://magicupdate.com/abc.php

Where Do I Get An Alternative 404 Error Page?

If you’re a RWS user, all you have to do is ask. Send an email message to urb@rapidwebsites.net with your domain name and we'll set you up. If you’re not a RWS user, switch to RWS :-)

Setting Up a Custom 404 Page

The following only deals with custom 404 pages for a Unix/Linux systems in this tutorial, but the same thing can be done on most other servers.

Got to the main HTML directory on your system, usually, but certainly not always, htdocs or public_html. This is the directory where index.html or index.php is typically located. Create a file named .htaccess, note there is a period before the name. Add the following line of code:

ErrorDocument 404 /404.php

If you already have a .htaccess file, add the above line. The part following the “/” is the actually file name to be displayed when a 404 error is encountered, it can have any name you choose. If you would like a copy of the PHP document use at magicupdate, com, just drop me a note.

A Few More Suggested Files

There are two little problems with this minimal setup. Search engine robots typically look for a file names “robots.txt” If you don’t have a robots.txt, the error document is displayed, not exactly what you want happening with a search engine. Create a robots.txt file in the same directory as your .htaccess file. Insert the following:

# Use the following in robots.txt Disallow: /admin/ # This is the administration directory Disallow: /data/ # This is a data directory Disallow: /graphics/ # This is a graphics directory

This file instructs the robot not to search three directories. Make sure you put at least one line in robots.txt, and empty file tell the robot not to catalog the site.

One more file needs to be created. Have you ever noticed a custom icon in the URL box of your favorite late model browser? The browser looks for an icon file named favicon.ico and if found displays it to the left of the URL box. If not found, you get the pesky 404 error message. Any file named favicon.ico, even an empty one, will suppress the error message. If you want a real icon, check the tutorial at http://www.wdvl.com/Authoring/Design/Images/Favicon/
Favicon Tutorial

Conclusion

A custom 404 error page gives your site a professional feel. If you’re a Rapid Web Site user, it’s yours for the asking.