GoDaddy + Drupal + Clean URLs + Java = Problems
May 12, 2008 – 4:04 pmSo, check it:
I have a GoDaddy Linux Deluxe Shared Hosting account. I have never had a complaint with the service until now. Here is the situation. I am trying to get a Drupal 6.x install to work with Clean URLs.
- From “Home > Administer > Site configuration > Clean URLs” in Drupal it always says “Your system configuration does not currently support this feature. The handbook page on Clean URLs has additional troubleshooting information.“
- I know my configuration is correct; .htaccess is correct, mod_rewrite is installed and loaded, and of course php is setup correctly.
- If I manually type in the URL “http://mysite/drupalfolder/admin/settings/clean-urls” I get a blank white page. If I type “http://mysite/drupalfolder/admin/settings/clean-urls/” (notice the trailing slash) the page comes up and displays “Your server has been successfully tested to support this feature.” From here, if I enable Clean URLs links still do not work because there is no trailing slash. If I add in the trailing slash manually the pages will come up fine.
Clearly there is some serious weirdness going on. So after three days of pulling my hair out, swearing a lot, cursing GoDaddy and Drupal, and basically going out of my mind I find out that for some reason this whole problem has to do with the fact that I have JSP/Servlets installed as an add on language for my hosting account. Supposedly if you uninstall JSP/Servlets Clean URLs work without a problem. That’s great but I can’t uninstall because I am using JSP on my site.
What’s funny is, one day I noticed my WordPress install was having the same problem with trailing slashes. I fixed that by just modifying the php to add in the trailing slashes. I never made the connection between having just enabled the JSP/Servlets and WordPress acting funky until now.
As of now I have not been able to find a fix for the Drupal problem. I haven’t looked yet but I suspect modifying the php for Drupal would be a big pain, there must be an easier (and more elegant) way to fix this issue.
This is an on going situation for me and I will not stop until I find a fix. Check back for updates.
Further Info:
9 Responses to “GoDaddy + Drupal + Clean URLs + Java = Problems”
More info:
Because I have JSP/Servlets installed on my GoDaddy server, Apache Tomcat is running. This causes the problem because only certain file extensions are handled by Apache and everything else gets passed to Tomcat. So, basically when Drupal attempts to go to a clean URL “http://www.example.com/drupalfolder/drupalpage the request gets passed to Tomcat thus bypassing .htaccess and making a mess of things. My current idea(s) is to see if there is someway of specifying which requests are being sent to Tomcat (without having direct server access this is probably going to be very hard) or to send requests back to Apache or see if Tomcat can rewrite the URL’s.
By Kalf I. Nee on May 13, 2008
Update:
Well I disabled JSP/Servlets. I just did not have the time to try and find a workaround. Maybe at some point in the future I will re-explore this issue. For now I am putting it out of my mind and moving on.
By Kalf I. Nee on Jun 6, 2008
Had the same problem here. I’ve been wrestling with this for two weeks, and am about ready to dump GoDaddy. I’m hoping what worked for you will work for me, as I have tried all the below on the recommendation of those who said these things worked for them:
• X – no diff: Rewritebase / uncommented
• X – no diff: Rewitebase / just above %COND statement
• X – no diff: added php 4-5 conversion lines
• X – no diff: Adding * alias to DNS
• X – 500 error: htaccess in root or on level up with reference in Rewrite base to location of index.php
• X – no diff: Adding / before index php in %COND statement at bottom
• X – no diff: Add Options -MultiViews
• X – 500 error: Changed or added Order allow,deny to AllowOverride All
• X – no diff: Remove +FollowSimLinks
* Although highly unlikely, your host may have +FollowSymLinks enabled at the root level, yet disallow its addition in .htaccess; in which case, adding +FollowSymLinks will break your setup (probably a 500 error), so just remove it, and your rules should work fine.
• X – no diff: Change to Rewritebase /folder/ the rewrite path is based on the doc root of the apache install
• X – no diff: ForceType application/x-httpd-php
• X-White screen: Manually turn on clean urls in the data base (‘variable’) and force Drupal into clean-urls
So, I disabled jsp/servlets, now I have to wait an hour for GoDaddy to update! I’ll let you know…
By John Spinuzzi on Jun 6, 2008
John,
Thanks for the comment. I think it may be possible to get clean urls in drupal working with tomcat running (jsp/servlets enabled) using something like UrlRewriteFilter. Not sure though haven’t tried anything, just a thought. Anyway, it’s for sure easier just to disable jsp/servlets if you can live without it.
By Kalf I. Nee on Jun 6, 2008
Hey, I certainly hope so, but at least disabling jsp got my 5 sites running clean urls for now, so thanks for the tip. I’ll look into using UrlRewriteFilter, too, though I’d rather Apache just handle it. It is highly annoying that GoDaddy can’t seem to configure mod_rewrite to work with jsp/servlets on. In the meantime I’ll spread the word & reference this post to give you credit.
By John Spinuzzi on Jun 7, 2008
Wow, finally I figured out how to do a search that got me to this useful page. Everything I had read about this issue and everything I had tried wasn’t fixing the problem, but this is probably my problem as well. I’m uninstalling JSP/Servlets on my GoDaddy Linux Deluxe Hosting account as I write. I had enabled it, like an idiot, this weekend thinking, “Gee, I don’t have that yet. Might as well get it!” Stupid me. I just shouldn’t have tried to fix it when it ain’t broke!
By caveman on Jun 25, 2008
I hope it works out for you caveman.
I think I am going to re-explore this whole tomcat and clean urls thing this weekend. There has to be a way to make Drupal and tomcat play nice.
By Kalf I. Nee on Jun 25, 2008
Yep, it worked for me. Took GoDaddy about 12 hours to downgrade the JSP/Servlets add-on, but clean urls are working once again… now if only I could figure out why fckeditor just won’t fck’ing load! (and fckeditor hasn’t worked since I moved changed domain names on GoDaddy, but I’ve reinstalled with still no luck. Email me if you know of a solution to this problem: caveman@caveserv.com)
By caveman on Jun 26, 2008
Yea, it takes GoDaddy a while to push changes like that. Not sure about the fckeditor problem I’ve never used it. I hope you can get it sorted out.
By Kalf I. Nee on Jun 26, 2008