Topic: Hey guys, I need help with my apache extensions...

[PCJunkie]

Hi all. I appologise if you have this somewhere in here. I have searched and searched but I can not find a relevent answer to my question with specifics anywhere unless I were running Linux. So to begin I will tell you what I am running and what I want to do and hopefully one of you can help me.

I am curently running Apache Server 2.2.3 (Win 32) On an XP Pro machine in my home with all Updates Installed. I have a valid copy of MS FrontPage 2003. My server is curently configured with a DNS name through DynDNS and I am able to connect from remote locations and get the "It Work's" Page. So I know I have the server side set up corectly. I can even program simple HTML into the default HTML file that httpd.conf points to which is index.HTM. My HTML is working for what I actually know how to do in HTML (Basically I can do background colors and basic fonts and such.) I want to use this as a small web page server for myself and my friends (So traffic will be light). I would also like to have it password protected and share a directory so I can retrieve files from my Server/PC while at school, work, whatever via the net. The password part will come later once I get through this current dilema below.


My problem is this:

I felt comfortable with what I had done so far so I began to make a Web Page with FrontPage. It was basic with a background picture, a gif for the title on the top of the page, a small under construction note, and a counter just for kicks. I then copied the code that FrontPage 2003 had created from my disigning and pasted it into the index.html file that httpd.conf uses as a default and is still curently pointing at. I then accessed my page via IE nad it was a success. Everything had shown up. However, when I access it from outside my network (at work, or at a friends) it only shows the under construction note i typed in and a broken picture icon for my gif title, and of course no background image.

Sorry to make this so long but I want to make sure you know what I have done and where I am at so you can better help me in the right direction. I have searched and searched google, dogpile, forums, and FAQ's and I have found nothing solid for Windows XP or for a server that is sitting in my own home. I can only seem to find info for Linux which involvs uploading to a remote server which is not what I am doing. The only thing I have been able to find that I feel may be my problem is that I need to install or configure FrontPage 2003 Server Extensions for Apache 2.2.3.

Am I on the right track? If it is not too much trouble, could you tell me what I need to do to make FrontPage 2003 projects my web page via apache server 2.2.3? Or atleast point me to a How To for Windows XP, Apache, and Front Page 2003 specifically. I do not understand Linux and I can not switch to Linux because this is also my main PC. Like I said, the server portion will get light use and be protected.

Also, to make sure you understand that it is not a firewall/ISP issue, I have configured httpd.conf and my router to port :8000 and can successfully pull up basic HTML script on my server from remote locations.

Thanks a bunch guys!!!!

[tdonovan]

Hi PCJunkie,

First - make sure you are accessing your new page as http://localhost/index.HTM when you test it from home with IE. That way you are going through Apache.
Don't access it as C:\{whatever}\htdocs\index.HTM or as file:///C:/{whatever}/htdocs/index.HTM, since that would make your browser read it directly from the disk, bypassing Apache.

If your new page shows up correctly when you view it from home, but the old "It Work's" page still shows up at work or at friends - then Apache is probably set up OK.

The problem may be that the old "It Work's" page is cached in the browser at work or friends.

One possible reason is the time-of-day on your Apache system (or the machine at work or at friends).
Say, for instance, your Apache machine was accidentally set to next week (January 17, 2007).
The remote browser would have the "It Work's" page in its cache dated Jan 17 - so it would show this old page and not fetch a new copy until after that time.

You can clear the cache manually in most browsers. In IE6 it is [Tools] [Internet Options] [Delete Files].
This may help from work/friends if it is a browser-cache problem.

Hope this helps. Pls let us know.

-tom-

[PCJunkie]

Thank you for the response tdonovan. I never thought about that, I am however very religous about clearing history, cookies, anf files etc. on the work computers but don't believe I have tried it recently at work with my new web server. It seems that my problem was misplacing my files for my web page. While playing with FrontPage, I noticed that it wanted to save embedded pictures and links used on my project in the same directory as index.html. Because I was just copying the code from frontpage and pasting it into my existing index file, it wasn't placing my files i was using in the same directory. Lol, boy do I feel dumb. So once I replace my index.html witht he one saved from frontpage, all files were copied there too and all was well. I do however have two more problems though they will probable be easily solved.

I know these have been asked on here before but they never got a reply, just questions about what they were doing to help come up with an answer. So, it seems that my page is not viewable in all browsers. Firefox 2 is showing it and IE 7 is showing it but IE 6 on my laptop is not.

Second which is more important. If I use a complex picture as my background on my web page, it will not load all the way. The more complex, the less of the background it displays. But if I use a simple gradient or a solid color it all shows fine.

Again, thanks for the help. I have a lot to learn but I a determined. I will actually be taking these classes soon at school. I am going to college for Computers and Networking. I have already learned all the basic stuff and I am very good at VB and Studio.NET. But running a web server is all new to me.

[PCJunkie]

An update on the browser viewing issue.

It seems that any IE browser can not see my web server page. I get "this page can not be found" or something of the like. But, if I install Firefox, i can view my page. For instance, I tried to go to my site running on my server with my lap top and at work on the work PC's and I got the not found message. I then installed firefox on my laptop and can now view it. But it is still strange because one of my friend is using IE 6 and had no problem viewing it at all and has never had Firefox installed. Any ideas?

[James Blond]

this page can not be found <= Please open your error.log from apache and watch for 404. I think, but I'm not sure. You placed the files somewhere wrong, but not in the right folder.

Open httpd.conf and watch for DocumentRoot "C:/your/path/to/htdocs" make sure that your files are in that folder.

[PCJunkie]

Thats where they always have been. Everything (pictures and scripts used on the web site) is placed under htdocs. It's not on all PC's that I can't view the web site from. Is this maybe because of Apache 2.2? Maybe I should try Apache 1.x.