My current site uses the FrontPage extensions but I cannot use cgi scripts or custom error pages, my host says they will just not work when used together. They use a Linux/Apache setup. I've been sending emails out to other possible hosts asking if their setup would allow this and I am getting a mixed bag of answers... I'm confused!

Does anyone use FrontPage along with cgi scripts and/or custom error pages successfully? What kind of host setup do you have? Where should I be looking for this? I'm hoping I don't need to resort to a Windows host...

Hello! This a very simply question! All hosts should be able to do this. There shouldn't be any conflicts at all with FrontPage extensions, cgi scripts, php scripts, customer error pages, etc.

There are many hosting companies that allow such combination. If you have any further questions, let me know.

Hope this helps!

Im pretty sure Frontpage edits .htaccess, which, if you have custom error pages, could mess up frontpage..and sometimes cgi access requires editing of .htaccess too...


I'm thinking you could probably do anything you wanted with your current host...IF you manually edited .htaccess

That is true. It does rewrite and use .htaccess. As stated previously, it is indeed possible! :)

One problem with Frontpage extension in its default configuration is it cannot be used along with suexec. This could be the reason the host does not allow Frontpage account to be used with CGI scripts.

mtoy: I don't know who your host is but I've used the FrontPage Extensions with CGI and custom error pages successfully on several systems.

It sounds like you're on a system which does not have a cgi-bin outside the www space--a Cobalt RaQ is like this. (I'm also guessing you're in a RaQ because you don't have a custom-error-pages option built in to the control panel.) You need to put your CGI scripts in your www space. There's a couple of ways to do this. First, because FrontPage uploads everything in binary (as opposed to ASCII) you'll need to use an FTP client like http://www.cuteftp.com .

If you are using a RaQ or other system that allows "Web users" (i.e., a user that would have an account like yourdomain.com/~username), an easy way to do this is create a user without the FrontPage Extensions installed. Then use FTP software to upload your scripts to to that account. This won't always work, because it is possible that your provider has scripting disabled for Web users.

Another way to do it is to open your website directly with FrontPage (I mean, open the copy of your website that resides on the server, not on your hard disk). Create a folder called cgi-bin and make that a subweb. Use FTP to upload your CGI scripts in ASCII mode (most FTP clients will select this automatically) to that subweb. Remember to chmod them to 755. Also, when you publish your website in the future, make sure you have "Include subwebs" un-checked.

As for the error pages, you can add the necessary instructions to your .htaccess file. You will need to use FTP, and configure your FTP client to show hidden files. Open your website, open your .htaccess file and save a copy of it to your hard disk for safe keeping. Add the following before what is already in your .htaccess file:
ErrorDocument 401 /401error.htm
ErrorDocument 403 /403error.htm
ErrorDocument 404 /404error.htm

Then create three error document pages that correspond to the names above (you can use FrontPage to create and publish these, as they are just plain ol' HTML).

As always, use this information at your own risk (I have used these instructions successfully, but that doesn't mean they will work for you), and make sure you have a back up of everything. You may want to check your hosting service's TOS to make sure that editing your .htaccess file doesn't violate anything.

To prevent Frontpage from messing up your htaccess files after you edit it, try editing .htaccess file above the web root, like in your home directory (~/.htaccess). Sometimes this will work, sometimes this won't work, depending on Apache configuration, but it is worth a try.

Originally posted by mtoy
My current site uses the FrontPage extensions but I cannot use cgi scripts or custom error pages, my host says they will just not work when used together.

As others have said, what your host is saying is very possible but only because they don't have FrontPage and Apache configured to support it.

A FrontPage managed site on Linux with Apache can use suexec, custom error pages, and CGI programs.