This page gives details of how to use web space at Lancaster. You should read it carefully before applying for a web page. The button to start the registration process is at the bottom of the page.

If you have already been assigned web space, read this page for information about how to find and use your web folder.

Use of Web Space

Please note that your web space is limited to 50 mb

The space is only for personal web pages - not for personal extra filestore, and data stored on the web server must comply with the University Regulations

How to access your web directory when you have it

Do not try to access your directory until 48 hours after creation - the program runs overnight.

Windows XP & Vista

To map a network drive in Windows XP or Windows Vista:

1. start Windows Explorer
2. Win Vista - click 'Map Network Drive' option on the toolbar*,
   Win XP - click 'Tools' then 'Map Network Drive' option*:



3. In the 'Folder' box type: \\www\ followed by the name of the share you require i.e.
• \\www\httpphds - for postgraduates
• \\www\httpstaf - for staff
• \\www\httpstud - for undergraduates
• \\www\httpuser - for departmental filestore
• \\www\httpsocs - for societies



E.g. in the illustration above, the drive has been mapped to the undergraduate share.

4. if you want the drive to be 'persistent', click on 'Reconnect at logon'.
5. click OK - a new drive will be mapped using the first free letter (from 'Z' upwards) as in the box above.

*If you can't use map network drive you can use the Alternative Method.

When you open the 'web folder' using Windows Explorer you will see a list of folders. In the case of 'postgraduates', 'staff' and 'undergraduates' these will be usernames.

1. Scroll down until you see your username.
2. open the folder.

You can also map directly to your own folder:

• \\www\httpphds\(your username) - for postgraduates
• \\www\httpstaf\(your username) - for staff
• \\www\httpstud\(your username) - for undergraduates
• \\www\httpuser\(your department name) - for departmental filestore
• \\www\httpsocs\(your society name) - for societies

You can create and copy files in that folder as 'normal'.

How to put web pages in your directory that can be accessed by the automatic index

• If you do not want to be in the index yet, make sure your home page is not called index.htm or default.htm, because this is searched for by the automatic index generator.
• Transfer your web pages using Windows Explorer (or create them there using and editor like Notepad or Dreamweaver).
• Check that your pages work.
• To go "live" make sure that your homepage is called index.htm or default.htm, then it will be picked up by the automatic index generator.

Creating a webindex.txt file  

If you have a directory on the central web server and it does not appear in the index, or if you want to change the information in the index, you will need to create or edit a file called webindex.txt and save it in your web folder. You can use any text editor (e.g. Windows 'notepad') to create or edit the file.

Currently there are three properties in the index that can be modified. Note that the format of the file is name; value. If you miss out the semicolon the property will not be recognised.

1. noindex

   The presence of the keyword noindex in the file will prevent your home page from being listed in the index. This can be useful if you have not yet finished your web pages.

2. title

This changes the title of your entry in the index.

e.g. title; Fred Bloggs

3. url

   This changes the URL that your index entry will point to. If your main page has a non-standard name you will need a url line.

   e.g. url; http://www.lancs.ac.uk/staff/bloggsf/homepage.htm

Example

Here's an example of what you could put in webindex.txt

    title; Steve Bennett (ISS) - Unix Support

    url; http://www.lancs.ac.uk/staff/cpasjb/homepage.htm

What your url will be

You url will be: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/Area/Name/Homepage_name where:

• Area is Staff, Postgrad, Ug, Socs
• Name is your web directory name (this will be your PC network username)
• Homepage_name can be left off if you call your homepage default.htm
• If you call your homepage default.htm you will appear in the automatic index for your group

e.g. an undergraduate with username bloggs1 will have the url http://www.lancs.ac.uk/ug/bloggs1/default.htm

Help in writing web pages and rules you must abide by.

Apply for a page

To activate the application form click this button:  

Alternative Method of Accessing Network Share 

1. Win XP - click 'Start' button then 'Run' option.
   Win Vista - press 'Windows key & R' - see 'Run' window.
2. type in the appropriate share name:
• \\www\httpphds - for postgraduates.
• \\www\httpstaf - for staff.
• \\www\httpstud - for undergraduates.
• \\www\httpuser - for a departmental website.
• \\www\httpsocs - for societies
3. click OK or press Enter.

©Lancaster University   ISS Governance   Computer User Agreement   Privacy & Cookies Notice