For a client, I have installed a copy of drupal (6.19) in a directory off their root, "/druplal6". My intention is to configure the site, add all the old content, and when everything is ready to go, reconfigure the URL (urbanrabbit.org) to point to "/drupal6/" rather than "/" as it does now, in essence hiding the directory. What will be involved with updating drupal to let it know it no longer needs to specify the /drupal with all of its internal links?

In my mind the benefit is that later if they decide to install something either beside or as a replacement to drupal, they can make their own directory, without having to worry about all the clutter in the root directory.

Would it be better to move the old static website (13 pages) to a subdirectory and redirect all incoming requests for html pages to that subdirectory? I could then install drupal in the root directory, however that loses the above mentioned advantage.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks, Carolyn

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carolynmarenger’s picture

carolynmarenger commented
Status: Active » Closed (fixed)

I have just experimented with the settings.php file - $base_url to be precise. I had not been able to find specific documentation on how to use this variable, just a few hints that it might be what I needed. Looks like it is.

For anyone else who is trying to do this...

My solution is to set up the site at /drupal6. Configure everything, and fill it with as much content as the site owner can provide to me. Selecting and tweaking themes, installing modules and whatever may be needed.

Once they approve and say go, I will then have the DNS point the directory rather then the root as it currently does. Next I will set the $base_url variable to the new url - without the subdirectory. The old site will work as it does, until I make that switch. After that, I can archive the old site for future historical/hysterical work.

Hope this helps someone.

Carolyn