Joomla SEO friendly URLs using Zeus servers

One of the most frustrating things when setting up your new Joomla website can be making sure you have SEO friendly URLs.  If you use a host that has Apache servers then it can be a rather easy affair, with Joomla! set up to use Apaches mod_rewrite out of the box, and a wealth of information out there on the net about how to use mod_rewrite if you do get into trouble.  If, however, your host uses Zeus servers then its a different story all together.  Zeus servers do not use Apaches mod_rewrite and instead use Zeus rewrite.script which at first can be a little bit difficult to get to grips with.

To ensure SEO friendly URLs while using Zeus servers all that is needed is the following code:

RULE_0_START:
# get the document root
map path into SCRATCH:DOCROOT from /
# initialize our variables
set SCRATCH:ORIG_URL = %{URL}
set SCRATCH:REQUEST_URI = %{URL}

# see if theres any queries in our URL
match URL into $ with ^(.*)\?(.*)$
if matched then
set SCRATCH:REQUEST_URI = $1
set SCRATCH:QUERY_STRING = $2
endif
RULE_0_END:

RULE_1_START:
# prepare to search for file, rewrite if its not found
set SCRATCH:REQUEST_FILENAME = %{SCRATCH:DOCROOT}
set SCRATCH:REQUEST_FILENAME . %{SCRATCH:REQUEST_URI}

# check to see if the file requested is an actual file or
# a directory with possibly an index.  don’t rewrite if so
look for file at %{SCRATCH:REQUEST_FILENAME}
if not exists then
look for dir at %{SCRATCH:REQUEST_FILENAME}
if not exists then
set URL = /index.php?q=%{SCRATCH:REQUEST_URI}
goto QSA_RULE_START
endif
endif

# if we made it here then its a file or dir and no rewrite
goto END
RULE_1_END:

QSA_RULE_START:
# append the query string if there was one originally
# the same as [QSA,L] for apache
match SCRATCH:ORIG_URL into % with \?(.*)$
if matched then
set URL = %{URL}&%{SCRATCH:QUERY_STRING}
endif
goto END
QSA_RULE_END:

If your Joomla installation is in the root of your website:

Simply copy and paste the code into a text file,  and then save the file as “rewrite.script”.

Now upload the rewrite.script file to the root directory of your server and then log into your sites Joomla administrator area.  Navigate to the global configuration section and in the site tab, change all the SEO settings to yes, even the one that says use Apache mod_rewrite.

If your Joomla installation is in a sub-folder of your website:

Simply copy and paste the code into a text file,  “set URL = /index.php?q=%{SCRATCH:REQUEST_URI}” to “set URL = /YOUR SUB-FOLDER/index.php?q=%{SCRATCH:REQUEST_URI}” then save the file as “rewrite.script”.

Now upload the rewrite.script file to the same directory that your sub-folder is in on your server and then log into your sites Joomla administrator area.  Navigate to the global configuration section and in the site tab, change all the SEO settings to yes, even the one that says use Apache mod_rewrite.

That’s you done!  Test out your new SEO friendly URLs and revel in your improved search rankings!