Thread: Redirect Domain

Well, I've managed to inherit a project that involves deliverables I k ow very little about -- what else is new. I think I got it because the code behind pages are in VB.NET, and I at least know how to spell it.

I've FTP'ed the client's web site, but now I wonder how I can manage to put it up in a test environment on our test IIS servers (or more specifically, MY developer machine). I assume it has links in it such as www.theClientSite.com -- so I wonder, is there a way to 'trick' domain resolution to think that www.theClientSite.com is really localhost, www. myTestServer.com

There are some brain cells thinking that I could put a record in my .hosts file, but am I even on the right track here? (Even in the right continent?)

Once I get this figured out -- it's on to SEO and XML Sitemaps and Canonical URL's -- the sum total of my knowledge is contained in this following paragaph.

Yes, I believe such entry should work for you:

Code:

127.0.0.1           theClientSite.com

Although, I'm not sure why the original developers didn't just use ~ in the links to start from the application root, instead of hardcoding the complete URL in.

I believe you can redirect a URL to an IP address, ie the IP address of your dev server using the hosts file on your own desktop/laptop.

Have a look here Using the HOSTS file

Hope that helps.

Heh, good to know that haven't killed all the little gray cells yet.

To be honest, I haven't cracked the client code yet, so I may find twiddles in there -- tho I think part of the project is to clean up the URL's on the site (they have about 3 that all point to the same server), so I assume I'll find interesting problems.

I already see hard coded paths for images and such (i.e. D:\IMG\ABCE\XYZ.IMG)

I'm sure I'll have more st00pid questions in the near future.