[thelist] Designing ErrorDocs

[Ben Henick]

On Tue, 31 Dec 2002, Kevin wrote:

> Does anyone know where I can find the default error pages either online on
> in the apache installation.

Um, the request is kinda unclear.

As for creating a custom error document on an apache server:

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/configuring.html#htaccess

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/mod/core.html#errordocument

> Also, has anyone got any tips on what you should put in your errordocs.
>
> Search, link home etc...

Yes.  ;-)

Look at it from the user's perspective.  Did they come from a link that is
out of date or perhaps malformed?

In that case you may want to maintain an array (or database) of new :: old
filenames that will automatically redirect.

Generally speaking, a Not Found error results when something is removed or
moved.  It's generally bad form to remove stuff altogether unless there's
a compelling cause (legal?) to do so.

If nothing else, a link to the site map/subject-index (if you've got one)
is a can't-lose proposition.


--
Ben Henick                     "In the long run, men hit only what they aim
Web Author At-Large             at.  Therefore, though they should fail
http://www.io.com/persist1/     immediately, they had better aim high."
persist1 at io.com                 -- Henry David Thoreau