My Folder Structure a mess oncloud

[jimbaum]

My folder and web sites structure via the onclould control panel is a mess because I didn’t understand the intent of the httpdocs vs. siteapps folders and because I didn’t understand the implications of web application auto install vs. manually installing applications, such as wordpress. Once I used the application vault to install one of my wordpress installations, everything is now in siteapps.

I’m about to go through a complete rebuilding of my sites to fix this and I would like to find out how to get some definitive answers and advice. So far I have gotten conflicting advice.

I want to install each website in its own folder in either httpdocs or siteapps.

Is there any advantage to installing these folders in httpdocs vs. siteapps?

Httpdocs has an associated httpSdocs. I understand that these two work together to support customer secure transactions. Is there a similar ability if my sites are installed in siteapps?

I noticed that when I installed a phpbb forum, the files got whisked away to its own folder that I did not create, for security reasons. Would this also happen if I installed my site in httpdocs instead of siteapps? When this happens, how can I control links between different parts of a site if different parts have been put in folders I didn't create?

Thank you for helping me to sort these things out.

Jim

[adriang]

> Is there any advantage to installing these folders in httpdocs vs. siteapps?

No, there is no advantage (except that the application vault can manage them separately). Websites will behave the same whether they are installed in httpdocs or siteapps.

When you install applications through the application vault, they are installed into separate locations in the siteapps folder. This allows you to host lots of applications on one site, and allows the management system to differentiate between those applications (so you don't risk modifying one application by making changes to another, when the directory names or file names are the same). Those folders in the siteapps/ directory are then mapped to URL's ("virtual directories") that you specify in your control panel.

But aside from the URL at which that the application is hosted, there is no difference between the httpdocs and siteapps folder. The content could, for example, be moved from the siteapps/####/ physical location into a folder of the same name in the httpdocs location, and the site would still work the same (provided that the virtual directory is turned off).

>Httpdocs has an associated httpSdocs. I understand that these two work together to support customer secure transactions. Is there a similar ability if my sites are installed in siteapps?

Httpsdocs is a special location which allows you to use our free SSL service. You can use our certificates on our own preconfigured secure server, and serve secure content without doing any of the work of purchasing an SSL certificate for your domain. However, if you purchase your own certificate for your domain (https://www.yourdomainhere.com) then all your content, regardless of which directory it's in (httpdocs, httpsdocs, or siteapps) can be accessed securely simply by adding the 'https://' prefix to the URL.

The httpsdocs files are served out of a special URL that looks like this:

https://manage.myhosting.com/ssl/31/...myhosting.com/

You can view yours in Hosting -> Configuration & Administration -> Webspace -> Website Configuration, SSL tab.

>I noticed that when I installed a phpbb forum, the files got whisked away to its own folder that I did not create, for security reasons. Would this also happen if I installed my site in httpdocs instead of siteapps? When this happens, how can I control links between different parts of a site if different parts have been put in folders I didn't create?

The physical location is not a concern when linking from page to page. Just remember the URL associated with the siteapps folder that you want to link to, and specify that URL. So for instance if my virtual directory for WordPress was at /wordpress, any link to /wordpress/test.txt would cause the webserver to attempt to access a file at /siteapps/your_wordpress_folder_number/test.txt. The httpdocs folder refers to your root directory (/).

[jimbaum]

Thank you. I will ponder these things and figure how I will proceed.

[adriang]

Sorry about the lengthy post. I think the basic recommendation would be just to keep everything in the directories they're in, and just keep in mind the physical-to-virtual mapping every time you make a link within your site. Links to files in httpdocs can be pointed to /, links within siteapps need to take into account the virtual directory that is associated with that particular app.

Hope it helps, if you have any other questions just let us know.

Adrian

[jimbaum]

It was a great post. Not too lengthy at all. I just need to decide. Some advice from myhosting staff recommends shifting to httpdocs and some recommends going with siteapps. So I just need to decide what's going to be best for me. Also, I see now that this is not so much conflicting as it is examining how httpdocs is best for some people and siteapps is best for others.

Thanks again.

Jim

[jimbaum]

> >Httpdocs has an associated httpSdocs. I understand that these two work together to support customer secure transactions. Is there a similar ability if my sites are installed in siteapps?

Httpsdocs is a special location which allows you to use our free SSL service. You can use our certificates on our own preconfigured secure server, and serve secure content without doing any of the work of purchasing an SSL certificate for your domain. However, if you purchase your own certificate for your domain (https://www.yourdomainhere.com) then all your content, regardless of which directory it's in (httpdocs, httpsdocs, or siteapps) can be accessed securely simply by adding the 'https://' prefix to the URL.

The httpsdocs files are served out of a special URL that looks like this:

https://manage.myhosting.com/ssl/31/...myhosting.com/

You can view yours in Hosting -> Configuration & Administration -> Webspace -> Website Configuration, SSL tab.

It sounds like you are saying that, to use the free SSL service, web site files must be in the httpdocs folder versus the siteapps folder.

This seems to be confirmed by these words in my oncloud control panel on the SSL tab: "The directory intended for storing the secured web site content is "webspace/httpsdocs". Before testing, upload your files to this directory using the File Manager."

Is this true? That to use the free SSL service, web site files must be in the httpdocs folder versus the siteapps folder?

[adriang]

Is this true? That to use the free SSL service, web site files must be in the httpdocs folder versus the siteapps folder?

httpsdocs, yes. The free vanity SSL service serves files out of the httpsdocs/ folder only; the httpsdocs folder is called the "document root" for vanity SSL.

So, if I had a file in httpsdocs called test.html, it would be accessible via the vanity SSL URL as follows:

https://manage.myhosting.com/ssl/31/....com/test.html

[jimbaum]

In order to regain use of httpdocs I backed up all files and exported mysql databases. Then I uninstalled all applications in the application vault and made sure siteapps folder was empty. Uninstalling also deleted the associated databases.

I previously had uploaded files to new folders in httpdocs.

Once siteapps was empty, I redirected domain names to appropriate folders in httpdocs.

I created new databases, imported db files, and adjusted config.php files for wordpress and phpbb.

Browsed to the domains and everything is working!

I'm starting to like the oncloud control panel finally.

Thanks to everyone for your help in my understanding things.

Jim

[stefaniej]

Jim,

Great to hear everything is working on your end. If you have any issues, please let support know, and we'll be happy to help.

Browsed to the domains and everything is working!

I'm starting to like the oncloud control panel finally.

Thanks to everyone for your help in my understanding things.

Jim