Redirections

Redirects are essential for guiding users and search engines to the correct content, especially when URLs change or content is moved. This guide will show you how to enable and configure redirections in your Vactory project.

Prerequisites

Before you can use redirections, you need to ensure the redirects file exists in the correct location:

your-project/
└── public/
    └── redirects/
        └── redirects.csv    # This file must exist

Important: The redirects.csv file must be created manually in the /public/redirects/ directory before you can use the redirections feature. If this file doesn't exist, you'll receive an error when trying to upload redirections.

Accessing the Redirections Interface

To manage redirections, navigate to the Admin Console on your website's front end using:

/fr/admin/redirects

This will take you to the redirections interface:

Setting Up Redirections

1. Create the Required File Structure

First, ensure you have the correct file structure:

1. Create a redirects directory inside your project's public folder if it doesn't exist
2. Create an empty redirects.csv file inside the redirects directory

2. Prepare Your Redirections CSV File

Your CSV file that you gonna upload should contain all the redirections you want to implement. Each line represents a single redirection, with the source URL and destination URL separated by a comma.

Example format:

/en/from-this,/en/to-this
/en/old-news,/en/news/all?page=2&sort=desc

Important Notes:

• File Location: The redirects.csv file must exist at /public/redirects/redirects.csv
• Relative Paths: URLs should not include the domain name; only use paths starting with /
• No Spaces: Avoid spaces between URLs and commas
• File Creation: If you receive an error stating "Unable to find the file 'redirects.csv'", you need to create the file manually at the specified location

Managing Existing Redirections

Before uploading a new CSV file:

1. Check for existing redirections in the history section
2. Download existing redirections if present
3. Review the contents to avoid accidentally overwriting necessary redirections

Uploading or Clearing Redirections

You have two options when managing redirections:

Option 1: Clear Existing Redirections

To remove all current redirections:

• Use the "Clear" button in the interface
• Confirm the action (this cannot be undone)

Option 2: Upload New Redirections

To add or update redirections:

1. Ensure the redirects.csv file exists in the correct location
2. Click the upload button and select your prepared CSV file
3. Click "Save" to apply the new redirections

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "Unable to find redirects.csv" Error:

   • Verify that the file exists at /public/redirects/redirects.csv
   • Create the file manually if it doesn't exist
   • Ensure proper file permissions

2. CSV Formatting Errors:

   • Check for proper comma separation
   • Ensure no spaces around commas
   • Verify all paths start with /

3. Cache Issues:

   • Changes may not appear immediately due to caching
   • Clear your browser cache or test in a private browsing window

Best Practices

• Always keep a backup of your previous redirections
• Test redirections after making changes
• Monitor error logs for potential issues
• Use relative paths consistently