FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What do I need to know to create and upload my home page?

First, some information about creating your home page:

It is not necessary to use a development tool to create HTML pages. They can be done in a simple text editor. If you use commercial development tools, the auto-publish function will frequently either not work, or will introduce errors. www.tdl.com (our Web server) is running in UNIX, and is therefore "case sensitive." This means that your <IMG SRC = "filename.gif"> and actual file name (filename.gif) must match exactly. <IMG SRC="filename.gif"> and FileName.gif would not work together.

How do I upload my Web pages?

You need to FTP to www.yourdomain.com and log in with your username and password. This will place you in the root of your directory. cd (change directory) to public_html and place your files there. Name your first page index.html. This will cause it to be automatically loaded. Those without virtual domains must use www.tdl.com as the host address.

What is my Web address? (URL)

Your URL is http://www.tdl.com/~username/. If you have a virtual domain with tdl, your URL is http://www.your-domain.com (or .org or .net). If you place all of your files under public_html, your link path is very simple, for example, <A HREF ="secondpage.html"> secondpage</A> would be a hot link to secondpage.html. It is not necessary to use full URLs for internal (on our server) links.

If any of your links or images do not work, the problem is most likely in the case. Make sure that the call and the file called have identical names.

Can I use Perl and CGI scripts?

You may use custom CGI scripts at TDL. They will be placed in your cgi-bin sub-directory. The call to them is not logical, and must look like this: /cgi-bin/cgiwrap/user/script.name, where "user" is your user name, and "script.name" is the name of the script. The path to your cgi-bin sub-directory is either /clients/username/public_html/cgi-bin or /home/username/public_html/cgi-bin

Scripts must be executable to execute. To make a file executable, use the chmod command. chmod 755 filename.ext

Files that will be written to by a script must be write enabled. To make a file write enabled, use the chmod command. chmod 755 filename.html

What is the path to Perl?

For those using custom Perl scripts, the local path to Perl is: #!/usr/bin/perl. NOTE: this must be the first line of your Perl script, and must be followed by a blank line.

Will I be able to use image maps on my Web pages?

Apache, our Web server, provides support for image maps.

What other features are already built-in for me to use on my Website?

A graphic visitor counter, and a script to format and mail the contents of a form are available for your use. See the tutorials on the main Tech Support page for instructions on using them.

I have a virtual domain. What do I need to know about it besides what is already covered?

Information pertinent to customers with virtual domains can be found by clicking here.