Clarifying behaviour of "URL prefix redirect"

Hi there,

Thanks for the prompt response.

Suggestion

So, could it be something like:

URL prefix redirect

(examples below are for a site that can be accessed using EITHER http(s)://mydomain.com OR http(s)://www.mydomain.com)

(_) Remove WWW prefix (redirect www.mydomain.com to mydomain.com)
(_) Add WWW prefix (redirect mydomain.com to www.mydomain.com)

Users will be redirected corresponding to the selected option.
ATTENTION: Make sure your site is accessible both with and without the WWW prefix.

HTTP Secure (HTTPS) redirect

(_) No redirect (The site remains accessible via http, as well as (if enabled) via https)
(_) Redirect to HTTPS (The site becomes accessible only via https: all http requests are redirected to https)

ATTENTION: if you choose to redirect to HTTPS, make sure your site is accessible by HTTPS, and that your SSL certificate is valid.
For more information, see https://www.drupal.org/https-information.

Assumptions made

The wording suggested above is making the following assumptions, which may or may not be correct:

(1) the prefix redirect works only for the WWW prefix, not any other prefix.

If for example the site was accessible using either http(s)://mydomain.com or http(s)://forum.mydomain.com, then:
- "Remove WWW prefix" would not remove "forum" and not redirect forum.mydomain.com to mydomain.com (ie the search is done on "www." not on any alphanumeric prefix value.)
- "Add WWW prefix" would add the prefix and redirect mydomaine.com to www.mydomain.com, which would not be a valid URL for the site.

That is consistent with the normal practice to have a domain's primary site to be accessed by or advertised as either "mydomain.com" or "www.mydomain.com", with other prefixes being used for "additional" sites or services, eg cloud.mydomain.com, jitsi.mydomain.com, help.mydomain.com, etc. You would not normally want mydomain.com redirect to help.mydomain.com or vice-versa.

(2) "No redirect (to HTTPS)" does not require the site to have HTTPS enabled.

Question

Is there any particular reason why you cannot enable "Redirect to HTTPS" without also enabling URL prefix redirect?

Would that be possible and more flexible to have something like the following?

[yes/no] Enable URL prefix redirect

(_) Remove WWW prefix
(_) Add WWW prefix

[yes/no] Enable Redirect to HTTPS

Hello

I had a quick look around inside the module and found that code:

   // Set/remove prefix and add host.
    if ($use_prefix && substr($host, 0, 4) !== 'www.') {
      $new_url .= 'www.' . $host;
    }
    elseif (!$use_prefix && substr($host, 0, 4) === 'www.') {
      $new_url .= substr($host, 4);
    }
    else {
      $new_url .= $host;
    }

The check is done, using a case sensitive comparison, on the first 4 characters of the URL being "WWW." (with W upper case).

So, unless $host has been transformed to upper case earlier on, the behaviour as I understand it is:

1) If we choose to Add WWW prefix ($use_prefix is true), the redirection is activated whenever the URL does NOT start with "WWW." (upper case Ws), so:

mydomain.com will redirect to WWW.mydomain.com

BUT

www.mydomain.com will be redirected to WWW.www.mydomain.com

drupal.mydomain.com will be redirected to WWW.drupal.mydomain.com

2) If we choose to Remove WWW prefix ($use_prefix is false), the redirection is activated whenever the URL DOES start with "WWW." (upper case Ws), so

WWW.mydomain.com will be redirected to mydomain.com

BUT

www.mydomain.com will not be redirected

drupal.mydomain.com will not be redirected

-

Is that correct?

Let me know when you have adjusted the wording, and if you want me to provide a French translation for it. Cheers.

Yes, it does make sense to me.

Just a typo in the comment for the Domain prefix / No redirect option: it should be "are accessible" instead of "is accessible"

My suggestion for translation in French below, under the English.

===

Text in English:

Domain prefix

(_) No redirect
Both mydomain.com and www.mydomain.com are accessible. Only use this option if you are certain it is needed.

(_) Remove WWW prefix
Redirect www.mydomain.com to mydomain.com.

(_) Add WWW prefix
Redirect mydomain.com to www.mydomain.com.

HTTP Secure (HTTPS) redirect

(_) No redirect
The site remains accessible via HTTP, as well as via HTTPS (if enabled).

(_) Redirect to HTTPS
The site becomes accessible only via HTTPS. All HTTP requests are redirected to HTTPS.
ATTENTION: if you choose this option, make sure your site is accessible by HTTPS, and that your SSL certificate is valid.
For more information, see https://www.drupal.org/https-information.

Text in French:

Préfixe du domaine

(_) Pas de redirection
mydomain.com et www.mydomain.com sont tous deux accessibles. N'utilisez cette option que si vous êtes certain qu'elle est nécessaire.

(_) Supprimer le préfixe WWW
Rediriger www.mydomain.com vers mydomain.com.

(_) Ajouter le préfixe WWW
Rediriger mydomain.com vers www.mydomain.com.

Redirection HTTP Secure (HTTPS)

(_) Pas de redirection
Le site reste accessible via HTTP, ainsi que via HTTPS (si activé).

(_) Redirection vers HTTPS
Le site devient accessible uniquement via HTTPS. Toutes les requêtes HTTP sont redirigées vers HTTPS.
ATTENTION : si vous choisissez cette option, assurez-vous que votre site est accessible par HTTPS, et que votre certificat SSL est valide.
Pour plus d'informations, voir https://www.drupal.org/https-information.