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customize error messages
Did you know you can customize some of the error messages your visitors see?
The most common customized error message is the 404 error - file not found
Below, are two examples of 404 error code messages.
The first is the standard message your users would normally see - the one the browser displays by default, and the second is the customized 404 error message that wits-end.com displays.
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standard I.E. 404 message
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customized 404 message
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It is easy to build you own 404 Page, but before you start, you must have access to the root directory.
Note: If your WEB site is hosted on an online service like AOL, or a free service like Geocities or Tripod, you're stuck with the boring error they provide, a la AOL. If you have a business site we recommend that you move your site to another ISP. It's worth the money. (see the article What's in a Domain Name?)Create your 404 web page, using graphics and /or text. Your page should reflect the personality of your website (a little humor never hurts). After all, you don't want your users giving up and going back where they came from.
At the very least, your 404 page should contain these ...."do's":
- Explain what the 404 error message means
- Provide links to your home page.
If you use a standrad navigation scheme (header or footer) on your pages, use it here as well. - Include an e-mail link to the webmaster
Once your page is finished, you will need to redirect the server error message so that it displays your page. For this, you will need to know which webserver your site is running on. If you're not sure, go to Netcraft Web Server Query enter your domain, and it will display which webserver your domain is running on.
How to set up your own 404 error message:
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APACHE web server
Create a file called .htaccess in the root directory of the server (the one you refer to as "/") and enter your error handlers in the following format, one per line:
ErrorDocument [3-digit code] [action]
For example, you can point to your custom 404 page like this:
ErrorDocument 404 /errors/custom404.html
You can also simply have it display some other text: ErrorDocument 404 "Sorry, this page doesn't exist. (Make sure you begin the text with a quote (") ).
- IIS version 4 and up support customizable error messages.
Customizing 404 errors in IIS is surprisingly easy if you have access to the server.
Go into Properties for the WWW service. Go to the Custom Errors tab.
Find the listing for 404 and replace the default document URL with your own.
If you're using an ISP running IIS, you'll have to ask them to change this information for you. Just send them the URL of your 404 page, and ask them to set it as your custom 404 handler.
- For Netscape, Webstar3, Lotus Domino, and other WEB servers,
Plinko.Net's 404 Research Lab provides complete instructions.
- 400 - Bad Request
- 403 - Forbidden
- 412 - Precondition Failed
- 500 - Server error
- 501 - Not Implemented
- 503 - Service Unavailable
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