Permalinks

[Anonymous]

Hi. I am somewhat confused with Permalinks. I’m not confused in what they are, but mainly in which structure to use.

All the info I read about permalinks refers to posting and blogging, yet I’m creating a website that doesn’t have blogging or posting on it, so I’m not sure what structure to use.

My permalinks are in the default structure, so for example, one of my pages looks like this: http://mywebsite.com/?page_id=1407

I’ve read that these links are ugly (with question marks in them) and Google Search engines can’t search them as well as static urls. So I change my structure to ‘Custom’ so that the ? disappear and I end up with: http://mywebsite.com/thankyou as an example page.

Then I read that you shouldn’t have straight urls like http://mywebsite.com/thankyou because it gives hackers the ability to pre guess your page names and hack in??? So therefore I should change the permalinks structure back to ‘Default’ again!

Please help me understand which permalinks structure would best suit my website. My website has about 24 pages to it. 8 pages are Parent pages and and the remaining 16 are child pages.

[amin007]

“it gives hackers the ability to pre guess your page names and hack in?”

Where did you read this? It’s best if you don’t waste time reading up unverified and outdated information on the net.

WordPress takes security issues very seriously so if there is a security issue with using custom URLs then you can safely rely on WordPress to take care of this. All you need to do is keep your WordPress version up to date.

[Anonymous]

You didn’t really answer my questions I guess – it seems I p****d you off or something! Sorry didn’t mean to.

What I mean by the hacking is if your url reads: http://www.mywebsite.com/files/BadMedicine rather than http://www.mywebsite.com/files/?page_id=37, then hackers can simply replace the name BadMedicine in the url with SweetChildOfMine and they will steal your songs, so it was suggested that http://www.mywebsite.com/files/?page_id=37 would be a better option. I’m asking what you think.

It’s not just about hacking, but search engines as well. As I said, i’m not sure which structure to use that best suits me as some info on the net has it at:

‘Leave it with the http://www.mywebsite.com/files/?page_id=37 in the url (default permalinks setting) and others say to change it to static http://www.mywebsite.com/files/BadMedicine.

I’m not sure. What do YOU suggest?

If it should be custom, what info do I input into the custom field, as the info on the net points to blogging and posting. ex /%catergory%/%postname%/

Advise please?

[amin007]

The choice is yours really. The plugin will work with any type of permalink that you use.

I prefer customer URL for SEO benefit. I don’t understand how someone can steal your music just by going to a page? The page only contains the button to purchase a product, it doesn’t have any links to the actual downloadable file. What am I missing?

[Anonymous]

If it should be custom, what info do I input into the custom field?

[wzp]

Hi,

Because your questions are specific to the WordPress product itself, I’d like to make the following suggestions…

The best source for information on WordPress permalinks, of course, is the OFFICIAL WordPress Codex:

http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Permalinks

Notice how the above link is a so-called “pretty” permalink. The information provided should answer your questions.

If you wish to ask further questions about permalinks, the WordPress company (Automatic) has its own discussion forum:

http://wordpress.org/support

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry but I have to be a pain in the ass!

I read the article http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Permalinks at least 4 times today before your reply as I had already stumbled across the article and either I’m a little dumb or I’m missing something!

As I’ve already mentioned in one of my queries above, all the info I’ve read about permalinks from the above link points to blogs, articles or posts. But I have a website with neither blogs, articles or posts in it, so that’s why I’m confused as to the custom structure to use.

These examples numbered below are copied directly came from the http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Permalinks page and confuse me for the following reasons mentioned above.

1. Permalinks are the permanent URLs to your individual weblog posts, as well as categories and other lists of weblog postings. (it mentions weblog and posts, neither of which I use).

2. Make sure to end your structure with either %post_id% or %postname% (e.g. /%year%/%monthnum%/%day%/%postname%/) so that each permalink points to an individual post. (again, I don’t use posts on my site).

3. %postname% A sanitized version of the title of the post (again I dont have posts)

4. Note that even though one might never make more than one posting a day, and thus wishes to use e.g., %year%%monthnum%%day%, links so generated will however be interpreted as the archive of all posts for that day. (again I dont post)

Everything talks about posts and blogs and thats why I am unsure what to put in the custom field on Permalinks settings.

Like I said, Maybe I just don’t understand and I am missing something basic, or not.

I feel like I shouldn’t use /%catergory%/%postname%/ which is the popular choice, as it refers to posts. Or does it????

I think I give up – I just don’t get it!

[wzp]

I visited your site this morning. Looks like you really just want to “sell stuff,” and as you said not run a blog site. It also appears that you are very knowledgeable about MIDI files, but not about how to setup WordPress, etc. Since it seems you are not quite at the point yet, of setting up eStore and are still working on just getting WordPress up and running; would you like to take this discussion offline and communicate one-on-one?

If so, please visit my site (click on my profile name) and complete a contact form, with your e-mail address (click on the Contact tab).

[Anonymous]

I will take your offer up but am a little offended by your reference to “not quite at the point of setting up eStore” and not sure how to set up WordPress!

I have 24 pages already finished including a complete, working digital downloadable estore and member setup – I’m just not ready to go live as I’m in the middle of uploading 280 of my files, hence why only my home page is visible and the words “Comin Soon” at the bottom of the home page! I can make all my pages visible if you want to take a good look, but I don’t want clients purchasing yet as I’m not finished uploading tracks.

I started uploading tracks last night and have uploaded 10 tracks at this stage – this will be a long process and when these uploads are finished, I will go live. I am aiming for a 1st Of January launch but may finish before then.

So I would be a little less judgmental with clients. Some things are not what they seem. I’ve just read conflicting things about permalinks and not really sure which way to turn, but I don’t need your slightly underhanded criticism.

Having said that, WordPress have a fantastic support system and I’m sure from time to time, the team get frustrated at clients lack of understanding on some components.

I appreciate the offer to contact you.

[wzp]

I apologize. I was going by what I saw on your site, and was under the impression from your questions that you were still trying to get WordPress working.

[Author]

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