XF 2.1 New Install - Need directory help.

[RallyFan]

Hi everyone,

Eugh noob alert! Was hoping not to have to rely on the community this early into an install, but I'm not sure if I've missed something, or stuffed something up. Spent 2 hrs trying to nutit out, so time to ask for help!

Keep in mind the names of folders, etc are so I can figure out how that setting relates, and this forum will get nuked eventually for a final/production install.

SETUP: Wordpress front end with Xenforo forums.

• Wordpress currently installed to /root.
• Xenforo installed to /xenfolder (aka /root/xenfolder.

Main site is accessible at: https://mydomain.com
AdminCP is accessible at: https://mydomain.com/xenfolder/admin.php (as it should be).
BoardURL is set to: https://mydomain.com/boardurl
Index Page Route is set to: /forums

Forums are currently accessible at: https://mydomain.com/xenfolder/forums/

Everything else is on the installed defaults.

PROBLEM 1: I want the forums to display as https://mydomain.com/forums/index.php or https://mydomain.com/forums/<subforum>/thread/
When I change BoardURL to https://mydomain.com, it doesn't work.
When I change Index Page Route it doesn't work (I understand this is because it's Xenforo asking what should be my default page when visiting forums).

Do I need a rewrite under .htaccess ? or am I missing something?

I'm guessing it's a pretty straight forwards thing I'm overlooking.

PROBLEM 2: When I click on SAVE under AdminCP > Options, it takes me back to https://mydomain.com/
Not a HUGE issue as I'm unlikely to change that page once setup, and other pages/settings save fine.


Thanks for any assistance on this one

Cheers!

 

[djbaxter]

BoardURL is set to: https://mydomain.com/boardurl

Set Board URL to https://mydomain.com/forums (no trailing slash)

 

[RallyFan]

Hi @djbaxter,

Thanks for your reply.

Tried that and the same issue occurs.

All changing the Board URL does, is change the prefix AFTER /xenfolder/, as such now the forum address is https://mydomain.com/xenfolder/forums.

Xenfolder is the actual physical folder on my web host that I installed Xenforo to (in other words /public_html/xenfolder).

Also tried with Route Filters with no luck.

I think my issue lies with a Rewrite required in HTaccess so that:
/mydomain.com/xenfolder/boardurl
becomes
/mydomain.com/boardurl

 

[RallyFan]

Okay, I don't know if it's just me doing something wrong, but I can confirm that changing the BoardURL and IndexPageRoute make absolutely no difference at all. It's almost like the setting isn't sticking.

Tried Rewrite rule with the same issue.

I've spent the last 4 hours trying to figure this thing out, and only resulted in getting increasingly frustrated with something that should be so simple.

 

[djbaxter]

First, get rid of the Index page route. Just empty that box.

The box labeled Board URL should be set to https://mydomain.com/xenfolder with no trailing slash.

The word "boardurl" shouldn't be anywhere. That doesn't exist.

Uncheck Friendly urls on the SEO page. Then delete any rewrite rules. Not needed and probably adding to the problem.

If you want to use friendly URLs (recommended), Xenforo will add what is needed automatically later when you go back and check that Friendly URLs box later. But leave that out of the picture until you get the basic stuff working.

 

[RallyFan]

Thanks @djbaxter , boardURL was just an example (I often use the field name when databasing to determine where it is showing up and understand it better first).

I did a bit more looking at other forums to get an idea of their structure (including this one).

In regards to Xenforo.com I'm guessing that "/community/" is the physical folder Xenforo is installed into, and "/forums/" is not a physical folder.
In my case "/xenfolder/" is the physical folder Xenforo is installed into, and "/forums/" is not a physical folder.

With your recommended changes I have:
Admin Control Panel accessible via: https://mydomain.com/xenfolder/admin.php
Root Forums accessible via: https://mydomain.com/xenfolder/index.php (or https://mydomain.com/xenfolder/ with friendly URLs enabled).
Subforums accessible via: https://mydomain.com/xenfolder/index.php?forums/maintestforumtitle.2/ (or https://mydomain.com/xenfolder/forums/maintestforumtitle.2/ with friendly URLS enabled).

My desired/ideal setup is to have:
Admin Control Panel accessible via: https://mydomain.com/forums/admin.php
Root Forums accessible via: https://mydomain.com/forums
Subforums accessible via: https://mydomain.com/forums/<subforum>

If I was to rename the folder "forums", I'd end up with:
Admin Control Panel accessible via: https://mydomain.com/forums/forums/admin.php
Root Forums accessible via: https://mydomain.com/forums/forums/
Subforums accessible via: https://mydomain.com/forums/forums/<subforum>

I could potentially subdomain it at https://forums.mydomain.com which would mean I could install Xenforo possibly at /public_html/root (for that subdomain), but then I have to muck around with certificates, HSTS, and a few other things. Would prefer mydomain.com/forums to keep everything clean.

Or is this something that cannot actually be done?

 

[RallyFan]

Just reading here a similar issue, and sounds like it may not actually be possible: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/removing-forums-in-url.114651/

In their example they are using forums.mydomain.com (which is resulting in forums.mydomain.com/forums/) and @Brogan mentions that "/forums/" is a core route that can be changed by Route Filters, but can't be removed.

I guess that means in my case I have to display it as: mydomain.com/<installation folder>/forums/ (or router filter change it).

I thought perhaps I might have been able to replace /xenfolder/ or <installation folder> with something else.

Given it's an internal Xenforo thing I don't think it's possible to say redirect:
mydomain.com/<installation folder>/forums/<subfolders>
to
mydomain.com/forums/<subfolder>


Thanks so much for your help djbaxter ... if I ever come across a potential solution (as sounds like others could benefit) I'll post it up.