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Create a Redirect

Jackson Wright
  • Updated

Who can use this feature?

System Admin Slash Owner Slash Publisher

 

 

Overview 

This article will show you how to create a new Redirect. Redirects take you from one page to another automatically. 

 

Best Practices

It is best practice to have the settings as follows:

  • Do Not Retain URL
  • HTTP 301
  • Do Not Retain Query String
  • Do Not Retain Path
  • Select Match Query String

 

Instructions

  1. Navigate to Modules > Site Tools > Redirects
    navigate to the redirects site tool
  2. Select desired domain
    select a domain
    • All Sites: Will apply the redirect to all your domains; this is the recommended option
    • By selecting a specific domain, the redirect will only be active on that domain
      • Note: If you choose this route you will need to add the redirect to both the www and non-www domains(e.g., www.civicplus.com and civicplus.com).
  3. Select Add Redirect on the right
    add redirect button
  4. Fill in the appropriate information
    redirect option fields
    • Link From: Relative URL that will be entered in the browser's address bar or used as a link
      • For Example: /Parade, /AnimalShelter, /PollingLocations
        • Note: This must be a Relative URL. The Relative URL will begin with a forward slash (/). Absolute URLs will not be accepted in this field.
        • Note: Some Relative URLs are reserved by your site and are not available for use.
          • For Example: /DocumentCenter, /Facilities, /Permits
        • Note: For security reasons, the following extensions have been restricted from use in the Redirects module: .AXD and .JS.
    • Link To: URL which the browser will load when the Redirect URL is entered or clicked; can either be an Absolute or Relative URL
      • For Example: /78/2017-Annual-Parade, https://www.yoursite.gov/56/Animal-Shelter, /DocumentCenter/View/415/Polling-Location-Map(PDF)
        • Note: Always SSL may cause a Redirect to default to the homepage if the URL in the Link To field is not secure.
    • Retain URL: Controls whether the Link From or the Link To URL displays in the browser's address bar  
      • Note: When enabled, if a user leaves the Redirect page to visit other pages on the site, the browser will continue to display the Link From URL in the address bar
      • Note: When enabled, the Redirect Code is set to 200, which indicates a success
    • Redirect Status: Select if this redirect is Moved Permanently or Found
      • A 301 status code means that a page has permanently moved to a new location.
      • A 302 status code means that a page has temporarily moved to a new location. This option can be used in conjunction with the Display date range option.
    • Retain Query String: Controls whether query string parameters from the From URL are appended to the To URL
      • A query string is the part of a URL containing data that does not fit conveniently into a hierarchical path structure; it commonly includes fields added to a base URL by a Web browser or other client application.
    • Retain Path: Controls whether the path from the From URL is appended to the To URL
      • Note: This option is used when one domain is to be replaced by another.
        • Example: A site is using both the yoursite.org and yoursite.gov domains. Users can use links with either domain, but pages can be set to display www.yoursite.gov regardless of which domain was entered. A user visiting yoursite.org/78/2017-Annual-Parade will see www.yoursite.gov/78/2017-Annual-Parade in the address bar
    • Match Query String: Controls if the Redirect will require that the query string in the link clicked by the user matches the query string in the Link To URL
      • Note: If this is enabled and the Link To URL does not contain a query string, this Redirect will not work if the URL used by an end-user contains a query string.
    • Display: Used to set a specific date range for which a Redirect will be active
  5. Select a saving option at the top of the page
    save changes or save and make active buttons
    • Save Changes: Save but do not publish/make active
    • Save and Make Active: Save and make active/publish
    • Cancel: Cancel changes

Feedback About the Article

Let us know what was helpful or not helpful about the article below.

3 comments

Date Votes
  • Rhea Borja

    This is helpful -- one question, though: is there a character limit for the redirect URL?

    0
  • Jenny Larkin

    I tried to put in a redirect and it was "reserved" so I wasn't able to add the redirect. 

    0
  • Kenneth Fuller
    • Edited

    Hello there!

    I'm sorry for the delay in responding to your question, Rhea Borja. I just attempted to find a character limit for redirects, and I was able to reach a character count of over 400,000 and I am not sure if that is the cap or not. At that number, I stopped attempting to find a limit.

     

    Jenny Larkin, some URLs are reserved for modules, and there could be more beyond that is dependent on whether or not there is custom programming on your site. If you have any questions about whether or not a URL is reserved I suggest that you contact Support.

     

    Your CivicPlus Help Center Team

    0

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