I've been struggling with this for a couple weeks and getting nowhere.
I'm trying to set up a template demonstration website to show 3 templates each with different menu links and articles - and provide visitors some way to click between them to see all the options. I have one main domain name, but I don't want the other 2 templates to use a different domain. Subdomains would be perfect such as demo1.mydomain.com, demo2.mydomain.com, demo3.mydomain.com. From the limited documentation I've found on Seblod Multi-Sites, this is possible, but I can't get it to work.
What happens is the redirect from the subdomains to the Joomla root just loads the first site only. So when I enter URL demo3.ostrichwebsites.com it redirects and loads the primary domain www.ostrichwebsites.com and only shows what I've set up for demo1.ostrichwebsites.com. Same with demo2. So what am I doing wrong? What's the trick when you don't use separate domain names for each of your multi-sites, but just use subdomains???
This is what I've done (see attached screenshots - I tried anyway, but it doesn't seem like there's any way to upload images in this forum. I doesn't work either. I linked to the images instead):
Multi-sites are enabled in Seblod Options.
I have created the 3 Multi-Sites and assigned different templates to each.
http://www.ostrichwebsites.com/images/multisite1.jpg
http://www.ostrichwebsites.com/images/multisite2.jpg
http://www.ostrichwebsites.com/images/multisite3.jpg
I created subdomains in cPanel, then redirected them to the main domain name / Joomla install's root = http://www.ostrichwebsites.com:
http://www.ostrichwebsites.com/images/redirects.jpg
I created separate menus links for each website and placed them in the access level associated with the correct multi-site. All menu links are on the Main Menu, but the access levels are different. I have one Home page article (Public access) that will be used on all 3 sites. It will actually be hidden and home page content will be modules with appropriate access levels.
http://www.ostrichwebsites.com/images/menus.jpg
Articles are all Public access level, but it shouldn't matter because the menus are pointing to single articles, and those menus are in the appropriate access level so they should display on the correct website.
I have attempted every manner of variations to this with no luck. It's always the same - I can only view the main website domain / demo1.
This is a new Joomla install with all fresh components
Joomla 3.4.8
Seblod 3.7.2
There is very little documentation for Seblod multi-sites, and what is available is vague. Very frustrating. If I ever get this figured out, I'll write a detailed documentation for everyone to use.
Many thanks for any help,
Richard
I'm aware of that tutorial. This is what I was referring to... the "very little documentation for Seblod multi-sites, and what is available is vague."
This tutorial is incomplete. For one thing, it doesn't mention the requirement to redirect your subdomains to the main Joomla install root. That step is sent in an email after a multi-site is created. I have already set up sub-domains as directed, including the redirect, but it doesn't work. I read it over and over again searching for my mistake, and studied any other information I could find about Seblod multisites by Google search (very little and mostly old).
Without the redirect the subdomains load Forbidden error in the browser because the sub-domain directories on the server are empty. With the redirect, going to demo1.ostrichwebsites.com, demo2. or demo3. redirects to www.ostrichwebsites.com and only loads the default template and content.
I'm going to register 2 new domain names for the other multi-sites and try it with them.
Richard
Hi SparksArts,
Thanks for bringing attention to this. Yes, the multi-sites documentation needs further attention and is a constant work-in-progress.
I think one thing that is potentially the issue here is that you are using REDIRECTS instead of DOMAIN ALIAS in cPanel. The domain alias is to make multiple domains serve the same content. This is what you want for SEBLOD multi-sites, as the Joomla ACL then takes over and determines which content to display.
Can you please remove your redirects, and instead set up these alias' and let me know if that resolves the issue?
Thanks,
James
Thanks for the suggestion. There is no "Domain Alias" in my cPanel (I'm using cloud hosting at Siteground). It sounds like you're referring to Parked Domains.
I added demo1.ostrichwebsites.com, demo2.ostrichwebsites.com and demo3.ostrichwebsites.com as Parked Domains. I had to remove the previously created Subdomains and redirects that used the same demo URL structure, otherwise it wouldn't let me create the Parked Domains.
After clearing Joomla and browser cache, I tested and it now works as expected!
Thank you, thank you!!! James, you rock.
Richard
Hi Richard,
Great to hear it's now working for you!
I forgot that Domain Alias used to be called Parked Domains on the older version of Cpanel.
Cheers,
James
I'm using cPanel Version11.52.2 (build 5). I guess the current version is 54.
Richard