Documentation - home.uchicago.edu
home.uchicago.edu howtos and common questions
- What is HTML and how do I learn more about it?
- What should I call my home page?
- How do I password protect my home page?
- Why does it say my directory is "Forbidden"?
- Why don't my page edits appear immediately in my browser after a save?
- Why don't my images display?
- Why do my special file types show up as text?
- Can I make a log file for my web page?
- Can I use Dreamweaver to upload and manage content on my home page?
- How do I remove or shut down my home page?
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What is HTML, and how do I learn more about it?
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a language used to build webpages. This document contains HTML, from the bold effects to the links -- even the precise colors. To learn more about how to write HTML for your personal homepage, check out this basic guide by W3C's Dave Raggett.
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What should I call my home page?
The main page in your directory should be called index.html. Do not name it index.html~, #index.html#, or index.htm.
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How do I password protect my home page?
You may want to password protect part of your website to restrict access to specific individuals rather than opening it to the world at large. The following instructions tell you how to do that, but be aware that home.uchicago.edu is not a fully secured web environment, so you should not set passwords to your home site that are used for other purposes elsewhere (e.g. don't use your CNet password).
- To set up password access, you will need to create two files, .htaccess and .htpasswd. .htaccess is the file placed in the directory you want to protect. .htaccess will also protect all subdirectories of the directory in which it resides. .htpasswd is simply the list of users and passwords to which .htaccess refers when granting or denying access.
- Create a new text file named .htaccess for your specified directory.
- In your text editor, paste the following text:
AuthUserFile /data/home-users/username/your directory(ies)/.htpasswd
AuthName restricted
AuthType Basic
<Limit GET>
require valid-user
</Limit>
Where username is your CNetID, your directory(ies) is/are the additional directory(ies) under public_html you have specified (be sure a slash separates them!), restricted is the name of the realm displayed in the web browser's password dialog box, and valid-user refers to the type of user whose password grants them access. If you keep valid-user, any user specified in your .htpasswd file (to be created momentarily) may have access to your protected directory with their correctly entered password. If, however, you want only one specific user to have access, type user username where username is among the users to be specified in your .htpasswd file in place of valid-user. - It's time to create the .htpasswd file.
- Using a text editor enter a username and password in the format username:password. Each username:password should be on a separate line. Furthermore, you must enter the password not in plain text, but in a converted, mildly encrypted format: check here for help with the encryption. For example, the entry userid:mypassword is encrypted and entered into .htpasswd as userid:easvVGdvCAXcg. Never enter a CNetID Password into your .htpasswd file. Save the .htpasswd file when you are finished.
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Now, use an SFTP client to upload both your .htaccess and .htpasswd files to the folder(s) on home.uchicago.edu that you want protected. Congratulations, your site or portion thereof is now password protected.
Note: You may have noticed that a single password may be represented by a variety of encrypted strings. This is normal. Additionally, WebAdmin cautions that .htpasswd security is not very secure. It's best to think of it as the equivalent of a hook-and-eye lock on a bathroom door--it will keep out the polite, but not the determined intruders. This is why we strongly encourage you not to use and store CNet passwords in your .htpasswd file. They can be compromised and exploited well beyond gaining access to your site.
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Why does it say my directory is "Forbidden"?
If a directory doesn't have an index file with the right name, the server refuses to return anything, and instead returns a "Forbidden" message. You will need to have a file called index.html in your public_html folder and in each subdirectory you wish to make accessible.
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Why don't my page edits appear immediately in my browser after a save?
Changes you make to your page are reflected automatically on the server, but some browsers may not display your changes if your page is "cached". Depending on the browser you use and its configuration, frequently-accessed pages may be saved locally on your hard disk in a temporary folder, or cache. Using forward or back buttons on a browser may load the cached page, not the one on you just edited uploaded. To remedy this, click the "refresh" button, which resynchronizes the. Remember that the html filenames are case sensitive, so it's possible to upload a new copy of an old file with a slightly different filename.
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Why don't my images display?
There are many possible reasons images might not display properly. Filenames are case-sensitive and each file must have a valid suffix (such as .gif or .jpg). Another common problem is that the data in the file became garbled at some point, and the server is unable to recognize it as a picture. Check that your filenames are correct, have the appropriate extension, and are uncorrupted (you may need to upload your images again).
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Why do my special file types show up as text?
Our server has a list that tells it what format should correspond to each file suffix that's how it knows that .jpg means image, for example. If you're using a a new or uncommon file type and suffix, it could be that it isn't on our list. If you're having a problem, let us know what suffix you're using and we'll be happy to add it to our server list.
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Can I make a log file for my web page?
In short, no. From a technical standpoint, this would not be a trivial task (this sort of thing, if not done properly, can lead to security holes, or even accidentally crash the server). Because we are trying to support a large number of users, we cannot start uploading programs for individual users unless there is a particularly compelling reason to do so.
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Can I use Dreamweaver to upload and manage content on my home page?
Other web page creation programs (e.g. Adobe Dreamweaver, Microsoft Frontpage) should work with the home.uchicago.edu server, but we do not support their use.
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How do I remove or shut down my home page?
Two quarters after your departure from the University, your home page will be subject to automatic removal and deletion. You may also manually delete your home page by submitting your request on https://webspace.uchicago.edu/publicserver/home_remove.shtml
Last updated: 5/12/09