Using Errormessage that allow navigation

This technique gives a possible implementation for the CategoryBpErrorMessages by allowing the user to navigate away from the error message, back into the content.

Prerequisites

Error message are sent by the webserver from which content was requested or, via redirect, from some other server.
- In either case the author must be able to configure the webservers that deliver the error messages or have some other means of using alternativ error pages. For example, an ISP might offer the option of using a personalized errorpage. This page can then be used for limited navigation.

What to avoid

Many content providers use dynamic error pages. These are very comfortable in that they provide more info about where the request came from, which page was called up etc.
- However, this requires scripting [CategoryBpDeficiencies]. If the script is a server side script, then there should be no problem. If the script is a client side script then caution is called for. In general client side scripting should only be used if the requesting client can understand scripting languages. This may need indepth knowledge of the requesting device. Therefore make sure to always include a static link, just to be safe.

Implementation Steps:

Personalized error page via a static link
- This is the easiest and most important method. If the author has the ability to change the errorpage that is displayed, then a static link to some significant location in the website should be included. By providing a link back to the home page of the website or some navigational page, the user is given the ability to leave the error page and regain access to the regular content. An error page is just a normal web page and can be edited accordingly.
Using web server configuration
- By editing the .htaccess or httpd.conf file it is possible to change the errorpages that are displayed for a given error code. The general syntax is
  ErrorDocument errorcode URL | path | message Examples:
- ErrorDocument 403 /error/err403.html
- ErrorDocument 404 http://www.example.org/404.php
- ErrorDocument 500 A internal server error occurred. Please contact the administrator. This allows a variety of ways to serve individual webpages, including dynamic varieties. We will not go into the details scripting languages to make dynamic pages.

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CategoryPhp CategoryXhtml CategoryBpErrorMessages CategoryBpDeficiencies