Changing our main page from index.html to index.shtml

need someone to shed a little light!

[PFOnline]

Hi, if I delete the index.html and upload the new index.shtml... when people type in mysite.com will it point directly to the new index.shtml file? Or do i have do to something special which tells mysite.com should point to index.shtml?

Also, do you think its a good idea I do a redirect on the index.html file to index.shtml just incase some sites have linked to mysite.com/index.html?

One more thing... How's google and other search engines gonna treat this one!? lol (Hope I don't lose my ranking and stuff)...

[Krapulator]

You might need to configure your server to present index.shtml as the default page (depends on server OS as to the method of doing this.)

Use a 301 permanent redirect from the old page and Google and the likes will understand what you are doing and change their databases accordingly.

[PFOnline]

Thanks for the response, Krapulator. :)

Hmm yeah, I have no idea how to configure my server to present index.shtml as the default page... Anyone?

The 301 redirect I know how to do, good call on that one. ;)

And good to hear Google and the likes won't "freak out" about this, hehe...

[grahamstewart]

What server is it?

On Apache just look for this line in httpd.conf

DirectoryIndex index.html

and change it to

DirectoryIndex index.shtml index.html

[PFOnline]

Hmm, I'm not sure what server it is... (Know where I can find this?)

I looked for but didn't see "httpd.conf" anywhere either (Know where I should look for this?)

Sorry for the newbie questions...

[grahamstewart]

Sorry I assumed you were running your own server.. my bad.

Do you have an .htaccess file?
(it should be in your docroot and may be hidden)
If so then you are probably using Apache, add these lines to the htaccess file.

<IfModule mod_dir.c>
 DirectoryIndex index.shtml index.html
</IfModule>

Otherwise ask your web hosting company what server they use.

[PFOnline]

Hi, ya an .htaccess file I'm familiar with! :)

That I know I have, and it's visible...

Thanks for the code graham, I'm gonna give it a try!

[PFOnline]

Yeah! It worked! Thanks Graham! :)