Drupal tells apache to deny access to those folders. Those are the config files and you don't want people going there.

When you setup for file structure for theoldpaths1611.com the way you did drupal will know to route calls to http://theoldpaths1611.com to use the config files you setup for it. You don't call directly to them.

See http://drupal.org/getting-started/6/install/multi-... for more details.

Put simply, the files in /sites/example.com are for your config files. Your browser should always call to the index.php file in the root directory. It will detect the url and try to use the right config files based on a pattern for the directory name you used in the sites folder.

Make sense?

Matt Farina
Geeks and God Co-Host
www.innovatingtomorrow.net
www.mattfarina.com

Hey Matt thanks for the reply.

What you said makes sense. I guess then I'm having trouble on how to access the directory name I used and start setting the themes and such for it it? Is that what the base URL does in the settings.php file?

Am I making any sense?

I also made a sites directory with the sub domain youthgroup.mthopebaptist.com, changed the settings.php file appropriately, and created a database for it... so now what do I need to do in order to start using drupal to make the website?

I followed the link you provided and it seems I did what they tell you to on there and followed the "multi sites for dummies" and noticed I have not done this step:

7. Go to the URLs [news.test.net/install.php] and [news.net/install.php] and complete installation of Drupal.

I guess in a nut shell I have no clue what I'm doing and don't know how to access the site once I created a database, sub directory, and settings.php to access the database.

EDIT:
I also forgot I was reading last night and found a document that wasn't on drupal.org. Someone had the same question I do and the guy responded as such:

To have multiple sites working you need to set up the domain menashalibrary.org in Apache and set the DocumentRoot to your drupal install, in addition to setting up the database and settings.php.

I talked with Curt on here and we think my problem is I need a way to point the subdomain to the drupal directory. My host uses Plesk and we couldn't find a way to do it, so I emailed my host and asked them. Sorry if i'm confusing, still learning this stuff lol

First, don't try to create your own settings.php file unless you know what you're doing. Instead, in the sites folder create a directory for your domain name like example.com.

copy the default.settings.php file from the default folder into this new folder.

Setup plesk or your hosting enviornment to point that domain to the base directory for drupal (where your index.php file is). Then visit your domain and walk through the install steps. Drupal will build your settings.php file for you.

As for the base url, don't alter that unless you know what you're doing.

Hosting enviornment can really vary. I can't give you general instructions on that. Check your providers forums, wiki, or faq. I would bet someone else has had the same questions you do.

Matt Farina
Geeks and God Co-Host
www.innovatingtomorrow.net
www.mattfarina.com

Well I'm having trouble again.

The last time my problem was I don't have access to redirect the subdomains... no biggie, my host said they'd do it, just ask. But this time I'm trying to use two different domains for two separate websites.

I have:
sites/perfectingofthesaints.net/
sites/peru4christ.org/

I have each folders set up like they should, with the settings.php with the correct database information. But when I forward the domains to the drupal folder mthopebaptist/drupal-6.4/ it just goes directly to the default site, instead of going to their correct database.

Am I not suppose to forward it? I also tried forwarding directly to the index.php file and it does the same thing... I know it's something I'm doing wrong, just don't know what.

I do have access to my domain and DNS control... thought maybe I needed to mess with the CNAME, but don't know anything about that.

Is forwarding different from "pointing"?

Sorry Matt... your advice was awesome, I'm just dumb lol.

I think this might have to do with how they redirected it. Do you know how they did it? My guess is that drupal is seeing the default setup or at least not getting the domain name as it should.

Maybe your host would understand the request if you made it in apache terms better.

I think what they need to know is that you want the DocumentRoot of the virtualhost for theoldpaths1611.com to be /home/yourname/public_html/drupal-6.4/ (or some equivalent in their environment).

Basically the same as your root for your main site with the drupal directory added on.

You may want to stop and think about your config at this point also. Is that where you'll host it permanently? Would they allow you to have /home/yourname/drupal6/ so that your drupal install isn't mixed in with non-drupal content?

Hopefully some of that helps.

You may want to take a look at this site.
http://justinhileman.info/blog/2007/06/a-more-secu...

It seems to work pretty well. I'm also curious as to what other peoples thoughts on this setup is.

Hey guys thanks for the responses.

Matt,

I'm guessing it has something to do with the redirect of sorts. I'm not sure how my host does the redirect, but I have resorted to making a subdomain and then requesting that my host points those subdomains to the drupal folder... all subdomains work fine.

With these two I was trying to forward the actual domain of www.peru4christ.org to the drupal folder with where I have control of the domains(no server space)... I guess with the host being a shared host it messes with the redirect some how.

Josiah,
This host I'm using I will use perminetly for my church's website. However I'm considering getting my business name registered with the state and then getting my own hosting for my own personal website.... then I may consider moving the drupal websites to my personal site, if the host works better.

Here is what my host said to me in an email after pointing my subdomains.

"I have done some research on having domain
aliases point to a subdirectory with Drupal multi site but have not
found suitable solution."

Should I tell him he needs to mess in apache or something? I'm not familiar with apache and such at all, but he might know what you guys are talking about.

The host is really cool, the one guy I deal with owns it and has no problem redirecting my subdomains when I ask. I have a great deal with him yearly is why I stick with him, since he's hosted me for almost 5 years now.

So in short I used subdomains and redirected the actual domain to the subdomains, which my host redirected to the drupal insall... lol.

Don't do a redirect. Point the actual site root to the drupal folder in apache.