404s with osCsid

[dayOff]

Hi

 

I've looked around the forums for this one, and upgraded my Ultimate SEO but I'm still getting 404 problems.

 

So, I'm using osCommerce Online Merchant v2.2 RC1 with the latest Ultimate SEO and I just connected with Google Webmaster tools a few days ago and it shows 459 404 not found errors.

 

I've clicked around and not found the source, but occasionally, I do get it, but it seems fleeting.

 

Today I just clicked the details button off the first page, top right product, and got a 404 at http://www.toolsup.co.uk/grafters-tone-trousers-p-1534?osCsid.html

 

When I clicked back, the rollover for the details and the title shows the link is to http://www.toolsup.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1534 and when I click on it again, it works.

 

I'm thinking I'll switch off the SEO cache, does that seem a sensible first step?

 

J

[♥mdtaylorlrim]

 

I'm thinking I'll switch off the SEO cache, does that seem a sensible first step?

 

No. IIRC Google Webmaster tools has the ability to create a setting to ignore certain part of a URL, specifically after a ? in the URL.

 

Look for that option in Webmaster Tools.

 

And there are other settings in osC like, not assigning a osCID to bots. (Prevent Spider Sessions - True)

[dayOff]

And there are other settings in osC like, not assigning a osCID to bots. (Prevent Spider Sessions - True)

 

Thanks, done that (quick/easy), will come back to the other later.

 

Cheers

J

[dayOff]

But .. it's not just Google getting access to sessions that's the issue.

 

I got a 404 myself and I don't know why.

 

I'd be happy to drill into the code with grep if I knew what I was searching for.

 

J

[♥mdtaylorlrim]

I got a 404 myself and I don't know why.

 

I'd be happy to drill into the code with grep if I knew what I was searching for.

 

 

I doubt there is anything wrong with the code.

 

Where did you get the URL to use when you got the 404 error code?

[dayOff]

I doubt there is anything wrong with the code.

 

Where did you get the URL to use when you got the 404 error code?

 

Well, I didn't install OSC or whatever contributions so I can't vouch for all that.

 

AFAICS, when I first clicked one of the products off the front page, I was sent to this: http://www.toolsup.co.uk/grafters-tone-trousers-p-1534?osCsid.html'>http://www.toolsup.co.uk/grafters-tone-trousers-p-1534?osCsid.html

Not sure if this forum is breaking that up, it's:

http://www.toolsup.co.uk/

grafters-tone-trousers-

p-1534?

osCsid.html

 

which gave a 404.

 

When I returned to the home page and rolled over the link, it showed it going to:

http://www.toolsup.co.uk/

product_info.php?

products_id=1534

 

When I clicked it (the same link as before) it worked.

 

That second link looks like a non-SEO link. When I click it and it works, it goes to

http://www.toolsup.co.uk/

grafters-tone-trousers-

p-1534.html

 

So there's a rogue insertion of '?osCsid' into the string, which is a session id isn't it?

 

So, when we arrive afresh, there's no session id passed, but one is allocated and then is passed around in the URL thereafter? Seems to be something wrong with all that.

 

That string 'osCsid' is present in the following files:

./admin/ext/modules/payment/sofortueberweisung/install.php

./su_autoinstaller/files/seo.class.php

./includes/meta_tags.php

./includes/modules/new_products.php

./includes/modules/payment/secpay.php

./includes/application_top.php

./includes/classes/seo.class.php

 

so for my money, that does point to the SEO class or application_top. The latter seems OK, and in SEO class there's a couple of bits of code like:

switch(true){

 

case (!isset($_SESSION['customer_id']) && defined('ENABLE_PAGE_CACHE') && ENABLE_PAGE_CACHE == 'true' && class_exists('page_cache')):

 

$page_cache = true;

 

$return = $link . $separator . '<osCsid>';

 

break;

 

case (isset($_sid)):

 

$page_cache = false;

 

$return = $link . $separator . tep_output_string($_sid);

 

break;

 

default:

 

$page_cache = false;

 

$return = $link;

 

break;

which seem to create the URL (I'm guessing) .. I don't know what all those variables are.

 

Does anyone know what all that lot does?

 

Maybe I should be asking in the contribution forum.

 

Interesting :-)

 

J

[♥mdtaylorlrim]

Ok, this is what is happening. A properly configured shop will correctly assign an osCID on the first visit to the shop, and for a click or two thereafter. After that, the osCID is hidden and will not appear in the URLs at all, although it is still being transmitted on each click.

 

When I visited your shop I too got a 404 on the first product I clicked. Then never got another because the osCID was hidden after that. Even visiting the original product that gave me the 404 again resulted in a good page now.

 

What you need is someone better then me to help you out. At least you know what is causing this condition. It is the URL SEO rewriting methods, and only someone that deals with it regularly can tell you if it can be fixed or if it is something that you have to put up with.

 

 

If you knew exactly which URL SEO was installed you could visit the support thread for that particular contribution. Hopefully someone reading this will recognize which it is and point you to the correct support thread.

 

Good luck with it.

[dayOff]

 

If you knew exactly which URL SEO was installed you could visit the support thread for that particular contribution. Hopefully someone reading this will recognize which it is and point you to the correct support thread.

 

 

Thanks for all that, it's much appreciated.

 

The SEO contribution was Ultimate SEO, so I'll wander over to there and see what gives :-)

 

All the best

J