Domain Pointers

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Protollix

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Joined
Apr 24, 2004
Messages
54
Currently, when you add a domain pointer, it just redirects to the main domain.

Can we make this so it does not redirect, but just serves content from the same directory? There are some instances where the user does not want the URL in the address bar to change from what was originally input.

CPanel does it this way.

Maybe make it a on/off option so we can have it both ways?
 
A domain pointer is just that, a pointer, and it should point to the target domain. It also points email to the target domain as well.

And that is how it should be.

Perhaps DA also needs an automated way to install a domain alias, which would do exactly what you want.

Jeff
 
Well ok. Either way, it essentially does the same thing ;)

ie: the mail would still be redirected but the web url would *look* different, but serve the same content.

Alias/Pointer, same thing to me :p
 
The current way that DirectAdmin does this is really annoying.
A domainalias would make a lot more sense.
A lot of our clients were used to domain pointers being setup as aliases, which is the cleanest way of doing it.
The DA way at the moment is very reminiscent of RAQ4s (yeuch!):

Code: 
<VirtualHost xxx.xxx.xxxxxx:80>
	ServerName blah.com
	ServerAlias blah.com [url]www.blah.com[/url]
	Redirect / [url]http://www.otheerdomain.com/[/url]
	User otherdomain
	Group otherdomain
</VirtualHost>

Why can't it simply be a:
Code: 
ServerAlias
inserted into the existing vhost, rather than adding another vhost entry
 
Not sure if this is the reason or not, but...

In thinking of this as far as code goes, it would be very easy for DA (the code) to simply add a variable into the conf rather then to search for the right one and add a alias line into it.

Also, the professional way to do redirects is by simply adding a new entry. Yes, annoying to a admin's eyes.... but very straight forward for the coder. Plus, it's how plesk does it too.

-anth
 
This thing with the domain alias is becoming a real issue for a lot of our developer clients.

Many of them need to be able to setup a new hosting account for a client before it gets moved from the current provider or from a windows server. Although you can preview basic html sites using the ~username method this does not work so well when you have mod_rewrites etc., in the php code (or whatever)
Basically a developer would need to be able to setup domain.tld - as this would be the permanent "new home" for a site, but needs to be able to test it fully using something like clientname.developerdomain.tld

The current way DA handles this is a PITA
 
A lot of DA users aking for ServerAlias'es instead of Pinters many times and from long time ago.
ServerAlias is wanted by customers, is much more useful, and finally i suspect it's uses less memory in apache process cos it's not require additional virtualhost.

But still our suggestions has no effect. :)
 
wouldn't the quick workaround be to set up the account in DA then use your local hosts file to point the domainname at the server for testing?
 
Last edited:
Re: Domain Pointers -- SOLVED!

jlasman said:
Here's the solution, all from the DA control panel; no shell access required:

Implementing Server Aliases.

Jeff
Click to expand...

That doesn't address the issue at all, as it's just a manual hack which can be easily implemented via the httpd conf additions section. It doesn't address mail either.

As other people already said the issue is that DA uses "Redirect" instead of "ServerAlias" in the httpd.conf when you add a pointer.
The pointer has the mail setup correctly so that multiple alias domains receive mail correctly.
 
My how-to addresses specifically exactly what Sean wrote about in the original post that started the thread, and in fact it answers your point in the fourth post (the third reply) to the thread, as well.

It also specifically answers your next post to the thread, and explains how you can set up DA so your client can test their installations before they can switch their DNS.

So, since the How-To addresses the original question that started the thread, and several of your concerns as well, what's your point?

Jeff
 
jlasman said:
So, since the How-To addresses the original question that started the thread, and several of your concerns as well, what's your point?
Click to expand...

My point is it only addresses the site preview type situation or the client who doesn't want mail for the other domains.

As I've already stated I cannot see why DA cannot use ServerAlias in the httpd.conf for domain pointers as this would resolve both mail and web, both for previews and live sites.
 
Actually, I was thinking more of "parking" domains so no, it doesn't fully help, but it does help in the case when you need something up soon.

The redirect is a PITA because if a user wants say:

www.somefunkydomain.com

and also wants www.sfd.com to point to the same place, but doesn't want the domain name in the URL bar to change, he's SOL.

It would be so much easier to just copy the vhost from the main domain, with the domain name part changed but keep the homedir, etc.

Or just use a serveralias.

A redirect is just silly.
 
let's bump this thread.. for one or two customers it is fine to have the admins do this work for utilizing serveralias.. it becomes rather support heavy when the admin is doing it for hundreds or even thousands of domains.. Honestly, is this something that would be that difficult to code into a plugin or a patch release of the code?

From a customer perspective, the redirect does not address their desire to have multiple domains display the same information. If I had the source and the the 2 hours to change the functionality and test it, I would. For now, I am considering writing some custom scripts to let my customers make this happen.
 
Originally posted by Protollix ........not want the URL in the address bar to change from what was originally input.
Click to expand...

I have also asked this question too in other threads at several different forums, but never got a satisfactory reply, I think due to confusion on the issue. An example again is this thread where is apppears some are misunderstanding.

We both seem to be asking how we can use so called 'Masked Forwarding' where the address bar url does NOT change to the url of the site forwarded or domain pointered to but stays the same? That way the user thinks their is an actual website for the name without realizing it was forwarded or sent by a domain pointer to another domain.

P.S. I know some registrars like GoDaddy offers that service but want to do it myself using DA and not need to rely on the registrar. Also do not want to set up a new site, only do masked forwarding of the domain name(s).
 
Last edited:
I've already posted on how to emulate what Plesk and others call masked forwarding, in this thread.

That's the only way I know of doing it using DirectAdmin.

Jeff
 
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