Re: [cobalt-users] view virtual site b4 DNS, and user storage max

[Kul <WebMaster@xxxxxxx>]

Fred McKinnon wrote:

> <snip>
> 1)  When i setup a name-based virtual site on an IP
> (that is shared), is there ANYWAY my client can
> preview his site via the web BEFORE his domain is
> actually pointing to the IP?  (like a
> http://users/web, etc address?) - this is for the main
> root web site -not the individual users' personal
> directory.

> <snip>

> Blessings,
> Fred McKinnon, HPP HOSTING

Hi fred,

I realise this wont be a lot of help to you now, as your domains should have all resolved nicely by this time, but for future domains, here one way to 'skin-the-cat' (and its quick, clean, and wont break your Raq, and all done through the GUI):

***Explained in GREAT detail***

(This has ONLY been tested on a *Raq 3* , I wouldn't know if it works on other boxes, I dont have them, but would be pleased to know! )

Setup you DNS records as normal, and create the virtual site as normal !

Now once all those are fine and you have registered the domain etc etc, whilst awaiting the world to be able to see the domain name, do this:

Create a NEW DNS record from your MAIN site DNS, (Lets assume your existing/working main domain is "mydomain.com" and the new domain you have setup/purchased is called "newdomain.com" - original arn't I <g>)

On you DNS/Paramaters, add an A record.
Enter "www" as the host!
Enter "newdomain.com.mydomain.com"  (Yes you did read that right !!! <g>)  (without quotes obviously)
Now enter you IP number for your Raq
Do **NOT** click the tick box for reverse PTR 's  (leave it empty!)
Save this DNS thing,

Now goto the site you setup earlier, and edit it,
scroll down to the box where it currently has "newdomain.com", and CHANGE it to "newdomain.com.mydomain.com"  (without quotes obviously)
Click save.

That is It.  Once everything has saved ok, you can type this into your browser:

    www.newdomain.com.mydomain.com

and it will arrive at the NEW site, (Whatever you do, don't try this bit UNTIL the DNS and the SITE have been successfully altered on your Raq, browsers and web-caches tend to be a pain, and cache bad requests, which causes a problems to refresh sometimes !)


One final step that you will need to do 24+ hours later:
As soon as the REAL domain resolves to you Raq, alter the site name back to "newdomain.com", save
And then delete the DNS record "www.newdomain.com.mydomain.com"

****
The reason some may ask, as to why you setup the domains CORRECTLY first and then alter them is; because all the pages that the Raq makes (holding pages) are ONLY created ONCE, when the GUI first sets up the site.  They are NOT altered when you change the site settings etc, so they can NOT type "www.newdomain.com/personal" for the first 24hours, they need to type "www.newdomain.com.mydomain.com/personal" until its all resolved ok, and you have changed it all back to its original state!

This is what I use, and it works a treat, you can even send mail etc etc.
It's really just a subdomain, but a novel way of using it, which I discovered some time back!  (others probably have discovered it too, but nobody seems to have mentioned it yet - that I have seen anyhow!)

No need to go messing with things in telnet/shh etc, all GUI stuff, and takes 30 seconds each time!  Keeps custoemrs happy too !


Hope this helps, and answers your 1st question !  <g>
Let me know (offlist if you prefer!)
--
Regards,
Kul