Why do we need to use the tag with modx?

Why do we need to use the <base> tag with modx? What happens if a site does not use it? I have been asked this a few time recently and not sure what the technical answer is.

BTW - in the modx documentation "Template Basics" the <base> tag is not mentioned. Is it required?

Not required unless you’re using Friendly Alias Paths IIRC.

If you use Friendly Aliases, it sets the base of every site link/image to [(site_url)]

If you have a link : sitename.com/sections/myfavorite-section.html and use an image TV, the image tv will be: assets/images/myimage.jpg

Well that won’t work because the browser will look for
sitename.com/sections/assets/images/myimage.jpg

instead of
sitename.com/assets/images/myimage.jpg

so the base href just tells the browser all links/images (except externally linked one) start at sitename.com/

Not required unless you’re using Friendly Alias Paths IIRC.

That is what I thought. Thanks

Quote from: dev_cw at Jan 13, 2009, 06:08 PM

Not required unless you’re using Friendly Alias Paths IIRC.

That is what I thought. Thanks

They may not be required, but I always use one, because every request to a virtual folder (even if you don’t use friendly alias paths) is going to be handled by MODx, so when your error_page is displayed at sitename.com/this/path/doesnt/exist.html all of your CSS and other relative links will be incorrect, just like friendly alias path documents would, because the browser thinks the base should be sitename.com/this/path/doesnt/.

Quote from: OpenGeek at Jan 13, 2009, 06:49 PM

They may not be required, but I always use one, because every request to a virtual folder (even if you don’t use friendly alias paths) is going to be handled by MODx, so when your error_page is displayed at sitename.com/this/path/doesnt/exist.html all of your CSS and other relative links will be incorrect, just like friendly alias path documents would, because the browser thinks the base should be sitename.com/this/path/doesnt/.

Humm, I just tested this in a recent site and even with the base tag the styling does not work in the error page if a /dir/ is added to the URL.

Hey dev_cw, you have to put it above your CSS calls. Do that and it will work.

Quote from: rthrash at Jan 14, 2009, 05:58 AM

Hey dev_cw, you have to put it above your CSS calls. Do that and it will work.

Fantastic. it now works. Ironically it was the only site of mine that was not working, hence the only one with the tag bellow the css/js.

Live and learn. Thanks