"Secret URL" to review unpublished site

Currently when I have a site in the "review" stage - i.e. it is ready for the client and the client’s employees to review, but must be kept disabled so that the rest of the world doesn’t see it - I have to create a special username and password for the client to log into the manager, which he has to use every time he wants to look at changes on the site. It would be much more convenient if I could generate a random URL, e.g. example.com/48jm1kujcmieee98asdf1, that would allow anyone who knows the URL, not to access the manager, but just to get around the site unavailable page and view the site. This would also be a big help when browser-testing an unpublished site with a non-manager-compatible browser like IE6 or 7.

Would anybody else like to see this?

You could add something like that to the alias prefix, then remove the setting once the site goes live.

That sounds like a good idea.

Another thing you can do is htaccess password access http://www.elated.com/articles/password-protecting-your-pages-with-htaccess/.

If you want to show something other than a password dialog to regular visitors, I found a script for an all-encompassing htaccess file that allows for one file (place an index.html file in your root and it should override the index.php): http://perishablepress.com/press/2009/07/13/htaccess-password-protection-tricks/. You have to scroll some ways down to find the script, but it is there.

Quote from: sottwell at Apr 15, 2011, 05:07 AM

You could add something like that to the alias prefix, then remove the setting once the site goes live.

Would that stop people from accessing the site by putting in www.example.com? It doesn’t seem to me that it would.

Also, I can’t find a setting in Revo for an alias prefix - perhaps this is one of those Evo-only settings.

Quote from: goonz at Apr 15, 2011, 05:15 AM

If you want to show something other than a password dialog to regular visitors, I found a script for an all-encompassing htaccess file that allows for one file (place an index.html file in your root and it should override the index.php): http://perishablepress.com/press/2009/07/13/htaccess-password-protection-tricks/. You have to scroll some ways down to find the script, but it is there.

I’m sure this would work, but I still think my idea would be more convenient (for me, not the MODx devs )

Why not make the use of Login extra & set your site only view-able when a user is logged ? (with resource group)
Just an idea

Quote from: kenquad at Apr 15, 2011, 03:26 PM

I’m sure this would work, but I still think my idea would be more convenient (for me, not the MODx devs )

I agree, on the other hand though, this is a quick and dirty fix.

best way is to set up a subdomain; development.yourdomain.com in a directory development, then when you move it up a directory, you change the config files to match.

....or you can even set it up in root if you use another base for your URL in system settings (and obviously leave FURLs off).

Quote from: Chris at Apr 19, 2011, 12:15 AM

best way is to set up a subdomain; development.yourdomain.com in a directory development, then when you move it up a directory, you change the config files to match.

That’s my favorite idea so far. Of course, editing the config files is a bit of trouble - and you’d have to create a static HTML file for the offline message, or a redirect to a special resource in MODx.

I often just change the site_start setting to a splash page - ie a page that says the site is under construction and offers some contact details.

And then I tell the client to go to site.com/home.html.

When the site’s done, just change the site_start setting again.