====== Customizing and renaming ====== ~~NOTOC~~ {{:te3:settings_logo.png?nolink|}} Settings / General settings / [[te3:general_settings#Customizing and renaming TE3 modules|Customizing and renaming TE3 modules ]] Each site should be as unique as possible - if the same link scheme, cookie names and directory structure repeat over and over again on hundreds of different sites, this can have a negative impact on search engine rankings. We have implemented several different options for customizing and renaming TE3 modules and we strongly encourage you to make TE3 on each of your sites more unique - it may take some effort but you'll be avoiding potential complications related to search engines. ---- ===== Cookie names ===== TE3 uses up to four types of cookies - [[te3:incoming:standard|''in.php'']] module sets up a basic ''cookie'' and a ''bookmark cookie'' for each visitor of your site. If you are using "Pages" module, Te3 sets up a ''Pages cookie'', and if your [[te3:external_feature|External feature]] is enabled, TE3 sets up an ''external feature cookie''. Cookie names are randomly generated at the installation stage. Although not necessary, we advise you to rename them manually - search engines will recognize actual words as more authentic than computer generated ones. If you manage several websites, be sure to create unique cookie names for each site. ++++ Example - renaming cookie names | **Step by step** {{:te3:customizing10.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_1.png?nolink|}} Navigate to "Main header" and select "General settings" from the {{:te3:settings_logo.png?nolink|}} Settings menu. {{:te3:tut_step_2.png?nolink|}} Expand "Customizing and renaming TE3 modules" accordion. {{:te3:customizing2.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:customizing3.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_3.png?nolink|}} Simply change cookie names from the randomly generated ones to unique cookie names of your choice. Be sure to use only lowercase alphabet signs, numbers and ''_'' (instead of spaces), when you rename cookies {{:te3:tut_step_4.png?nolink|}} Click {{:te3:button_update.png?nolink|}} to confirm your customization. ++++ ---- ===== Thumb image directory name ===== There are two methods for customizing thumb image directory name: ==== 1. Change the original thumb image directory name ==== Change the original thumb image directory name from "thumbs" to a name of your choice. \\ ++++ Example - renaming thumb image directory name | **Step by step** {{:te3:customizing10.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_1.png?nolink|}} Navigate to "Main header" and select "General settings" from the {{:te3:settings_logo.png?nolink|}} Settings menu. {{:te3:tut_step_2.png?nolink|}} Expand "Customizing and renaming TE3 modules" accordion. {{:te3:customizing4.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:customizing12.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_3.png?nolink|}} Simply change the original thumb image directory name from ''thumbs'' to a name of your choice. We chose ''anything''. {{:te3:tut_step_4.png?nolink|}} Click {{:te3:button_update.png?nolink|}} to confirm your customization. ++++ ==== 2. Place "thumbs" directory into the root html directory ==== Place "thumbs" directory into the root html directory of the domain (public html) using "dot dot slash" (''../''). ++++ Example - placing "thumbs" directory into the root html directory | If your server write permissions allow it, you can place "thumbs" directory into the root html directory of the domain directly from TE3 admin panel: **Step by step** {{:te3:customizing10.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_1.png?nolink|}} Navigate to "Main header" and select "General settings" from the {{:te3:settings_logo.png?nolink|}} Settings menu. {{:te3:tut_step_2.png?nolink|}} Expand "Customizing and renaming TE3 modules" accordion. {{:te3:customizing8.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:customizing11.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_3.png?nolink|}} Put "dot dot slash" (''../'') in front of thumb image directory name (we also changed the original thumb image directory name into ''anything''). {{:te3:tut_step_4.png?nolink|}} Click {{:te3:button_update.png?nolink|}} to confirm your customization. Note, if you are not able perform this customization directly from TE3 admin panel (due to server permissions), you will have to place “thumbs” directory into the root html directory using FTP. ++++ ---- ===== Toplist directory name ===== There are two methods for customizing toplist directory name: ==== 1. Change the original toplist directory name ==== Change the original toplist directory name from "toplist" to a name of your choice. \\ ++++ Example - renaming toplist directory name | **Step by step** {{:te3:customizing10.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_1.png?nolink|}} Navigate to "Main header" and select "General settings" from the {{:te3:settings_logo.png?nolink|}} Settings menu. {{:te3:tut_step_2.png?nolink|}} Expand "Customizing and renaming TE3 modules" accordion. {{:te3:custom_tpl1.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:custom_tpl2.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_3.png?nolink|}} Simply change the original toplist directory name from ''toplist'' to a name of your choice. We chose ''something''. {{:te3:tut_step_4.png?nolink|}} Click {{:te3:button_update.png?nolink|}} to confirm your customization. ++++ ==== 2. Place "toplist" directory into the root html directory ==== Place "toplist" directory into the root html directory of the domain (public html) using "dot dot slash" (''../''). ++++ Example - placing "toplist" directory into the root html directory | If your server write permissions allow it, you can place "toplist" directory into the root html directory of the domain directly from TE3 admin panel: **Step by step** {{:te3:customizing10.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_1.png?nolink|}} Navigate to "Main header" and select "General settings" from the {{:te3:settings_logo.png?nolink|}} Settings menu. {{:te3:tut_step_2.png?nolink|}} Expand "Customizing and renaming TE3 modules" accordion. {{:te3:custom_tpl3.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:custom_tpl4.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_3.png?nolink|}} Put "dot dot slash" (''../'') in front of toplist directory name (we also changed the original toplist directory name into ''something''). {{:te3:tut_step_4.png?nolink|}} Click {{:te3:button_update.png?nolink|}} to confirm your customization. Note, if you are not able perform this customization directly from TE3 admin panel (due to server permissions), you will have to place “toplist” directory into the root html directory using FTP. ++++ ---- ===== ''out.php'' ===== There are two methods for customizing ''out.php'': ==== 1. Rename your ''out.php'' into ''anything.php'' (for new sites) ==== When you rename ''out.php'' in your [[te3:general_settings#Customizing and renaming |Customizing and renaming]] menu, file name automatically gets renamed as well. This method could prove problematic if you have an existing site. When you rename ''out.php'', all links on your site will immediately become broken. If your site is already getting traffic, we recommend the 2nd method instead. ++++ Example - renaming ''out.php'': | **Step by step** {{:te3:customizing10.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_1.png?nolink|}} Navigate to "Main header" and select "General settings" from the {{:te3:settings_logo.png?nolink|}} Settings menu. {{:te3:tut_step_2.png?nolink|}} Expand "Customizing and renaming TE3 modules" accordion. {{:te3:tut_customizing12.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_customizing13.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_3.png?nolink|}} Simply rename outgoing file from the standard "out.php" to a name of your choice. We chose ''tutorial.php''. {{:te3:tut_step_4.png?nolink|}} Click {{:te3:button_update.png?nolink|}} to confirm your customization. **Explanation:** \\ A link with a standard outgoing file name would look like this: ''/your_TE3_directory/out.php?u=http://www.duckduckgo.com/'' Our link with a customized outgoing file name looks like this: ''/your_TE3_directory/tutorial.php?u=http://www.duckduckgo.com/'' Note, that this is just an example - you should choose a unique name for both ''your_te3_directory'' and for ''anything.php''. Only use lowercase alphabet signs, numbers and ''_'' instead of spaces and be sure to leave file extension ''.php'' intact when you rename ''out.php''. ++++ ==== 2. Include ''out.php'' into another file (for new sites and for running sites) ==== The advantage of this method is that if your site is already getting some traffic, surfers won't experience broken links on your site while you are switching links from old to the new paths. In general this method might be better for both, existing (running) site and new site alike. ++++ Example - including ''out.php'' into another file: | If you include ''out.php'' directly into the root html directory of the domain (public html) it will make your website even more unique. Create an empty file ''something.php'' and include ''your_te3_directory/out.php'' in that file (''''). Since you've only INCLUDED "out.php" into "something.php", it means that out.php still exists intact in the original location. => Now you have two different ways of accessing your outgoing links. You can link like this: http://www.yoursite.com/your_te3_directory/out.php or like this http://www.yoursite.com/something.php We recommend this method, since BOTH links work at the same time and you won't experience broken links on your site while you are switching them from old to the new paths. Note, that this is just an example - you should choose a unique name for both ''your_te3_directory'' and for ''anything.php''. Only use lowercase alphabet signs, numbers and ''_'' instead of spaces and be sure to leave file extension ''.php'' intact when you rename ''out.php''. ++++ ---- ===== ''out.php'' parameters ===== You can customize "standard" TE3 [[te3:outgoing|out.php parameters]] by appointing them names of your choice. You can choose more than one name for a single parameter (e.g. id: ''domain,d,name''). If you decide to reconfigure outgoing tracking, you'll have to modify all clickable links on your site. This could be problematic if your site is already getting some traffic. We advise you to retain the original ''out.php'' parameter name as one of the appointed parameter names in order to avoid potential problems (e.g. id: ''id,domain,d,name''). This will prevent surfers from experiencing any broken links on your site while you are switching links from old to the new paths. If you manage several websites, be sure to create unique ''out.php'' parameter names for each site. ++++ Example - renaming ''out.php'' parameters | **Step by step** {{:te3:customizing10.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_1.png?nolink|}} Navigate to "Main header" and select "General settings" from the {{:te3:settings_logo.png?nolink|}} Settings menu. {{:te3:tut_step_2.png?nolink|}} Expand "Customizing and renaming TE3 modules" accordion. {{:te3:customizing6.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:customizing7.png?nolink|}} {{:te3:tut_step_3.png?nolink|}} Rename "out.php" paramters - you can even choose more than one name for a single parameter. Remember, if your site is already getting some traffic, we advise you to retain the original out.php parameter name as one of the appointed parameter names. {{:te3:tut_step_4.png?nolink|}} Click {{:te3:button_update.png?nolink|}} to confirm your customization. **Explanation:** \\ Let's take a look at a link containing parameter ''u=''. A standard link would look like this: ''/your_TE3_directory/out.php?u=http://www.duckduckgo.com/'' With customized "out.php" parameters we can create a completely unique link: ''/your_TE3_directory/out.php?/you=http://www.duckduckgo.com/'' ++++