Template Question

[TexasOutdoors]

I'm using a template system I found, but have a question. I'm not familiar with php, but with this system, it allows you to call page like:

http://domain.com/file.php?page=faq

and so on.

I have this set up temporarily, but unsure how I can use the file.php as my index page. I would prefer to have it as

http://domain.com/index.php?go=faq

My test area is TEST SITE HERE

Is there anyway to use the index.php as my initial page as well as use it to call the other pages? I've seen it elsewhere, but too dumb to figure it out.

VbulletinStyles currently does it this way: http://www.vbulletinstyles.com/index.php?go=skins

Any ideas?

And any help is appreciated, and thanks in advance.

[thoand]

Try:

Rename 'file.php' to 'index.php'

and then rename all the $page variables in the file to $go

regards,
Thomas A.

[TexasOutdoors]

Thanks for your reply.

Will that allow users to go to my main URL and still access the site?

I'm worried that if I use index.php as the file to call the others, it won't act as my default page. such as www.mydomain.com

I tried that earlier and got an error. I really need to learn php.

[TexasOutdoors]

I just edited as you mentioned, and it did work at expected.

I still have the issue of someone entering http://www.domain.com , as how it will handle this. Would I have to create a new index file? Sorry for the questions.

[scoppc]

I dunno whether this can help you out... but if someone directly access your website by its domain name, index.php will be automatically called (as specified in web server configuration).

You can just check whether the variable $go has some value or not, if it is empty, then assign a default value, for instance

if (empty($go)){
   $go="home";
}

[thoand]

yes, scoppc solution has the solution.

[TexasOutdoors]

for the replies.

I tried placing that in the file, but prolly put it in the wrong spots. If I post the code, can you see where to put it.. I hate acting like a kid with a hand held out, but I'm totally lost with php. You guys never cease to amaze me. I'll never reach the status of many here, but I have got to learn how this all pieces together.

// ----------------------------------------------------------
//       DECLARE YOUR TEMPLATE FILES AND VARIABLES HERE
// ----------------------------------------------------------
// $index  				:: Your main index text file 
// $text_files_directory:: The directory where your text files are located
// $template_file 		:: The PHP template file that runs everything
// $title_of_webpages 	:: The title of all your pages - usually with $page added 
// $style_sheet_file	:: A .css file that you can use if you choose to cascade styles
// $head_style			:: The style of the menu_bar and links
// $menu_script			:: Menu script that drives the dynamic menu's
// $noscript			:: A small script to check whether the browser support scripting
// $head 				:: The 'head' portion of the webpage 
// $menu_bar 			:: The top menu_bar template for each webpage
// $footer				:: The bottom footer template for each webpage
// $error_message		:: Error message if the $page doesn't point to a file
// ----------------------------------------------------------
//
// NOTE: $menu_script is a seperate script which can be easily eliminated
// by deleting the content in that section. You can then include your own
// menubar using the $menu_bar section.
//
// ----------------------------------------------------------
//
// HOW TO INPUT HTML CODE IN THE VARIABLES:
//
// 1. Never use quoation marks. These must be replaced with single quotes (')
// 2. Edit your html in an exernal editory (like notepad, dreamweaver, etc.)
//    and then copy and paste it to the correct section.
// ----------------------------------------------------------

$index_file = "home";
$text_files_directory ="/home/*****/www/test/files/";
$template_file = "index.php";
$title_of_webpages = "<title>TXO Unlimited Hosting :: $go</title>";
$style_sheet_file= "your_style_sheet_file.css";

// --------------------------------------------------------------------

$head_style="<style>
<!--
.white       { font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: #FFFFFF; font-weight: bold }
.black       { font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: bold }
-->
</style>
";

// --------------------------------------------------------------------



// --------------------------------------------------------------------


// --------------------------------------------------------------------

$head = "

<!-- Start your head code here -->
<head>
$title_of_webpages

HTML to fill in for the HEADER

$head_style
</head>
<!-- End of head code -->

";

// --------------------------------------------------------------------



// --------------------------------------------------------------------

$footer = "

<!-- Start of footer code here -->

HTML to fill in for the FOOTER

<!-- End of footer code -->

";

// --------------------------------------------------------------------

$error_message = "

<!-- Start error message here -->
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
<A HREF='index.php?page=$index_file' ONCLICK='location.replace(this.href); return false;'><center><p><hr></p><h2>ERROR MESSAGE - THE FILE YOU REQUESTED IS NOT AVAILABE ! CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN PAGE</h2></center></a>
<!-- End error message here -->
";

// ---------------------------------------------------------------
//                  DON'T EDIT BEYOND THIS POINT
// ---------------------------------------------------------------

echo "$head";
echo "<body marginwidth='0' marginheight='0' leftmargin='0' topmargin='0'>";
echo "$menu_script";
echo "$noscript";
echo "$menu_bar";

$go="$text_files_directory$go.txt";
if (file_exists($go)) {
	require($go);
	} else {
		echo "$error_message";
};

echo "$footer";
echo "</body></html>";

?>

[thoand]

Hi again, here is your posted code, I've just inserted a couple of lines
after 'HOW TO INPUT HTML CODE IN THE VARIABLES:'

See code below.

NOTE:
You have to change the page variable in the error message, it still says 'index.php?page....., you have to chang 'page' to 'go' remember 🙂

Updated code:

// ---------------------------------------------------------- 
//       DECLARE YOUR TEMPLATE FILES AND VARIABLES HERE 
// ---------------------------------------------------------- 
// $index                  :: Your main index text file 
// $text_files_directory:: The directory where your text files are located 
// $template_file         :: The PHP template file that runs everything 
// $title_of_webpages     :: The title of all your pages - usually with $page added 
// $style_sheet_file    :: A .css file that you can use if you choose to cascade styles 
// $head_style            :: The style of the menu_bar and links 
// $menu_script            :: Menu script that drives the dynamic menu's 
// $noscript            :: A small script to check whether the browser support scripting 
// $head                 :: The 'head' portion of the webpage 
// $menu_bar             :: The top menu_bar template for each webpage 
// $footer                :: The bottom footer template for each webpage 
// $error_message        :: Error message if the $page doesn't point to a file 
// ---------------------------------------------------------- 
// 
// NOTE: $menu_script is a seperate script which can be easily eliminated 
// by deleting the content in that section. You can then include your own 
// menubar using the $menu_bar section. 
// 
// ---------------------------------------------------------- 
// 
// HOW TO INPUT HTML CODE IN THE VARIABLES: 
// 
// 1. Never use quoation marks. These must be replaced with single quotes (') 
// 2. Edit your html in an exernal editory (like notepad, dreamweaver, etc.) 
//    and then copy and paste it to the correct section. 
// ---------------------------------------------------------- 

$index_file = "home"; 
$text_files_directory ="/home/*****/www/test/files/"; 
$template_file = "index.php"; 
$title_of_webpages = "<title>TXO Unlimited Hosting :: $go</title>"; 
$style_sheet_file= "your_style_sheet_file.css"; 

// -------------------------------------------------------------------- 




/*
If this code is placed before anything is outputted and $go is not set, you will be redirected to the location set in Location: ...
*/


if (!isset($go)){ 
   header("Location: ./index.php?go=$index_file";
}
else {
}







$head_style="<style> 
<!-- 
.white       { font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: #FFFFFF; font-weight: bold } 
.black       { font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: bold } 
--> 
</style> 
"; 

// -------------------------------------------------------------------- 



// -------------------------------------------------------------------- 


// -------------------------------------------------------------------- 

$head = " 

<!-- Start your head code here --> 
<head> 
$title_of_webpages 

HTML to fill in for the HEADER 

$head_style 
</head> 
<!-- End of head code --> 

"; 

// -------------------------------------------------------------------- 



// -------------------------------------------------------------------- 

$footer = " 

<!-- Start of footer code here --> 

HTML to fill in for the FOOTER 

<!-- End of footer code --> 

"; 

// -------------------------------------------------------------------- 

$error_message = " 

<!-- Start error message here --> 
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> 
<A HREF='index.php?page=$index_file' ONCLICK='location.replace(this.href); return false;'><center><p><hr></p><h2>ERROR MESSAGE - THE FILE YOU REQUESTED IS NOT AVAILABE ! CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN PAGE</h2></center></a> 
<!-- End error message here --> 
"; 

// --------------------------------------------------------------- 
//                  DON'T EDIT BEYOND THIS POINT 
// --------------------------------------------------------------- 

echo "$head"; 
echo "<body marginwidth='0' marginheight='0' leftmargin='0' topmargin='0'>"; 
echo "$menu_script"; 
echo "$noscript"; 
echo "$menu_bar"; 


$go="$text_files_directory$go.txt"; 
if (file_exists($go)) { 
    require($go); 
    } else { 
        echo "$error_message"; 
}; 

echo "$footer"; 
echo "</body></html>"; 

?>

[TexasOutdoors]

Thanks for the reply. I tried as your suggested, but get a parse error on line 52 now which would be this line:

header("Location: ./index.php?go=$index_file";

It seems we're getting closer, but with little help from me, you're on your own. lol. Call me a newbie.

I did edit the $go in the Error Message, and might edit that entirely at some point after getting this default page situation.

I'm totally lost, and truly appreciate the help.

[thoand]

eh, a litle typo, forgot the end patenthes in header

the right line should be:
header("Location: ./index.php?go=$index_file");

not:

header("Location: ./index.php?go=$index_file";

regards,
Thomas

[TexasOutdoors]

That did the trick!!!

Thanks alot for your help. I really appreciate you sticking in there with me.

Idiot like myself couldn't even see that.. lol

Thanks again, and I'm off to try and figure out how all this works..

[thoand]

You are not an idiot, we're all that somtimes 🙂
And always come back here for questions and answers,
it benefits us all.

Thats the power of Open Source