Question Dragonbyte SEO Install Issue

[pigoo]

Hello. I'm trying to install Dragonbyte SEO onto my vBulletin forum running vBulletin 4.2.5...and I'm running into some confusion.

Step #3 in the Readme document for the install mentions..."Edit your .htaccess file and add the following to your .htaccess file:"

I seem to have .htaccess files in multiple locations...can you tell me what directory the .htaccess file I'm supposed to modify is located in please?

Thanks

 

[Fillip H.]

The one with the rest of your vBulletin files

 

[pigoo]

Hello Fillip.

I know being the expert that you are that this may seem like a really simple question...but my experience with vBulletin & server file organisation is far far less than your experience...which is why I could REALLY use some help.

I'm really not sure where all of the rest of the vBulletin files are. I don't know if they're all in a single directory...or multiple directories.

As I mentioned...I have multiple (more than one) .htaccess files on my server...thus I'm really not sure which .htaccess file to modify. I followed the Readme file that explains how to install Dragonbyte SEO.

Step 1: Says "Upload all files from the "upload" folder to your forums directory.". I'm assuming the directory that's actually named "forums"...which is where I uploaded the files from the Dragonbyte SEO "Uploads" folder.

Step 2: Says "Import the product-dbtech_dbseo.xml file from the "XML" folder at
AdminCP -> Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product". Which I did.

Step 3: Says "Edit your .htaccess file and add the following to your .htaccess file:"

As an experiment...I downloaded a backup copy of this .htaccess file to my local computer...and then deleted the .htaccess file from my servers "forums" directory...and nothing happened to my website (it didn't crash the site...still up & running). Which made me wonder if this was the correct .htaccess file.

This is why since my server/website seems to have multiple .htaccess files in different directories...I wanted to be 100% sure I'm modifying the correct one.

Right now (at this moment)...I've installed Dragonbyte SEO onto my website...but do not have a modified .htaccess file...since I'm not 100% sure which .htaccess file to modify.

Also...once I do modify the correct .htaccess file...how do I know if Dragonbyte SEO is working properly? Right now in my vBulletin Admin control Panel area...it seems to be ok...but I haven't modified the .htaccess file yet.

Thanks...could really use some help.

 

[Fillip H.]

The .htaccess file should be in the same location as these other files (some of which you won't have as they are from other add-ons).

 

[pigoo]

Thanks very much Fillip. That's the .htaccess file I was modifying...but wanted to be 100% sure.

Here's my next question. I'm not an expert...but previously (just as an experiment to see if I was modifying the correct .htaccess file)...I deleted this .htaccess file from my server...and nothing happened to my site (it didn't crash & nothing changed).

Does this surprise you?

Thanks

 

[pigoo]

My main concern is...I'm not 100% sure this .htaccess file is doing anything (snce if I delete it my site still looks & runs ok). If I modify this .htaccess file with the code the Dragonbyte SEO install procedure indicates...I won't know if Dragonbyte SEO is installed properly.

 

[Fillip H.]

You will know if DBSEO is installed properly if your site displays the new SEO'd URLs and clicking on forums / threads does not produce a 404.

 

[pigoo]

If I click on forum threads I do not get a 404. Can you explain what's meant by "SEO'd URL's" please...I don't know what that means or how to check on it?

 

[Fillip H.]

I've had a look at your site and DBSEO is not currently installed (no copyright display in the footer) and the URLs haven't changed.

Are you sure you installed the product?

 

[pigoo]

Yes...I saw that as well Fillip (no copywrite display in the footer).

As far as the DBSEO install...here's what I've done:

1. Upload all files from the "upload" folder to your forums directory.

2. Import the product-dbtech_dbseo.xml file from the "XML" folder at
AdminCP -> Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product

4. (vB4 Only) Go to AdminCP -> Settings -> Options -> Friendly URLs
and set the "URL Type" to "Standard URLs".

5. (vB4 Only) Go to AdminCP -> Settings -> Options -> Friendly URLs
and set the "Canonical URL" enforcement to "Off"

I also previously did install step #3...and added the code to the .htaccess file...but since nothing seemed to change when I did this...I removed the code.

As you can see in this screenshot...I currently have the DBSEO control panel & settings showing up in the vBulletin Admin CP:

 

[Fillip H.]

In that case I'll need an FTP and AdminCP account to look into this further.

 

[pigoo]

Hello Fillip.

As I'm sure you know...there are about 54 different DBSEO features that can be enabled/disabled in the vBulletin plugin manager. If enable all 54 features...I'm running into at least two big issues:

1. The "Articles" area of my website ("Articles" link in NavBar) gets messed up if I enable the DBSEO "Process Content: Global" feature.

2. When users subscribe to threads...and they get an email notifying them that there has been a new reply in the thread. If the thread link in the email is clicked on...they get a 404 error. But if I turn VB SEO off completely...the email links work fine.

Right now I only have 3 out of the 54 VBSEO features enabled:

• AdminCP DBSEO CP Link
• Insert Control Panel Link
• Process Content: Email

...and so far no problems (but I still need to test 51 of the other DBSEO features by turning them on/off).

Also...by enabling the "AdminCP DBSEO CP Link" feature...the DBSEO copyright is now displaying in the footer.

The DBSEO feature that I mentioned above (Process Content: Global)...I wasn't sure if this was an important feature of DBSEO to have operating...but if I turn it on...it mixes up the articles part of my website...so right now it is turned off.

Please advise.

Thanks

 

[Fillip H.]

“Messed up”? Is that the error message you receive on screen?

 

[pigoo]

Not very helpful Fillip. This issue is serious & important to me...and you keep making jokes.

 

[Fillip H.]

Sorry, what I was saying is that it is impossible for me to assist you when you say "it doesn't work, the URLs are messed up" but you provide absolutely no details about what "messed up" means.

If you think about it from my perspective, from the perspective of someone trying to understand the problem, can you see how "it doesn't work" is not enough information?

 

[db-fan22]

that's why i always post many screenshots, screenshots are much more powerful than text



.

 

[pigoo]

...it is impossible for me to assist you when you say "it doesn't work, the URLs are messed up" but you provide absolutely no details about what "messed up" means.

If you think about it from my perspective, from the perspective of someone trying to understand the problem, can you see how "it doesn't work" is not enough information?

Instead of being argumentative...and posting unhelpful snarky responses (which you've done 2x in this thread)...why not say something more helpful like "Please post screenshots"??

Everyone is an individual...and everyone has their preferred way of working out solutions to problems. If you work best with screenshots...I would be more than happy to provide screenshots when possible.

 

[db-fan22]

i don't think he's trying to be "snarky" on purpose,

maybe hes trying to be nice and not offend you by posting a emoji at the end of each sentence

i wanted to help you but i got confused

i seem the get the best help when i post screenshots and even better help when i post videos of the problem by recording my desktop

i think the developers have lots of work to do and customers need to post every single detail in specific of the error to help them understand the error, its not easy reading about errors, thats why i think screenshots and videos are much better than text



.

 

[pigoo]

Hello 21515. Trust me...Fillip is being snarky.

 

[db-fan22]