Improve URL rewrite?

ibrian

Well-known member
After using vb3 with vbseo, I have to admit that I'm surprised by how underdeveloped the URL structure in xenforo is.

It is definitely positive that URL rewriting is there by default - but it could really benefit with some flexibility.

For example, having to have board/node IDs in board titles is an exceptionally timid approach. Yes, I appreciate that programmers need to make things easy for the software - but it's not done with users in mind. After using Wordpress and vbseo for years, and even toying with vb5, xenforo is the only ones to do this. IT makes the xenforo developers look like they're scared of mod_rewrite approaches. You need to look at keeping things looking simple from the user end, rather than panicking about IDs.

It's nice to see an attempt at URL rewriting by default, but xenforo looks behind the times with how it's implemented.

I presume the Route Filter option is there for webmasters to correct this? Apologies, it's not a feature very well explained. If I understand it correctly, I can reset the individual board URLs to stand without board IDs in the titles. However, I have dozens of boards, sometimes hundreds (on at least one site) so having to manually set up redirects using Route Filters (if that's how they are to be used) just underlines the unfriendliness of the xenofor approach.

I'm not trying to sound snarky or anything - just that after hearing good things about xenforo, and looking to move from vb3 to anything but vb5, I'm starting to find xenforo somewhat lacking - which is quite a surprise.

Are there any plans to address URL rewriting in xenforo to allow at least a little flexibility? A simply option would be to check to enable or disable board IDs in the URLs - this not wrecking the SEO of existing boards that are happy to use it that way.
 
You don't have to show node IDs in forum URLs. You can specify a URL portion that removes the ID from the URL (at the cost of being less flexible with future changes).

The Route Filters system is very flexible too. I haven't yet found much that can't be done with it (within some technical restraints of the system).

You don't sound snarky, but you are in danger of not coming across great when you make sweeping assumptions about missing functionality especially when it already exists!

Best thing to do is be clear about what you want to achieve and you'll hopefully get a solution that works.
 
You don't sound snarky, but you are in danger of not coming across great when you make sweeping assumptions about missing functionality especially when it already exists!

Lol! Many thanks for the reply - I'm currently working with a fresh install with no data, so I hadn't realised the node set-up process already included that option!

That easily addresses my question, and highlights the danger of posting too quickly before exploring features!
 
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