Forcing the use of https

[mog1 (Michael Lever)]

RW7

My ISP has enabled the SSL certificate and I have updated and republished my site. Having run whynopadlock, everything is ok except for forcing the use of https on my site. I asked my ISP to ensure that in the set-up but I’m unsure whether it was done.

When I search for my site and click a link to the result, the non secure site comes up but then after I visit the non secure site and click on a link on the site navigation or on the site title the address changes to https.

Is that what whynopadlock means by forcing? In which case my ISP has done it. If not then does the code that whynopadlock provides (as below) have to be installed by the ISP at its end*, or do I need to paste it to my RW site and if so then whereabouts?

(For anonymity, I have removed the site name)

• Add the following code to the .htaccess file in your webhosting account:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} .co.uk [NC]
RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.co.uk/$1 [R,L]

---

tia

[teefers (Doug Bennett)]

There’s all kinds of post on https on the forum searching you would find a bunch.
Here’s some that might help.

This post shows you some htaccess rules that don’t require your URL:

No padlock on move to https

Looking at the URL to the page you gave above there are only about 15 or so images referenced on that page. WhyNoPadlock only checks one page at a time. The mixed content warnings you are getting (from WhyNoPadlock) are “soft” warnings and should be fixed but shouldn’t stop you from implementing the SSL. Only active mixed content (things that change a page like Javascript or CSS) will "break a site. I would check the other pages before working on the redirects. The redirect isn’t working…

RW8 has a built in feature to edit the htaccess file. This post shows a video on how to use:

Footer links to privacy policy page not working

This post will give you an htaccess rule to move from HTTP to HTTPS. This is a video from Ben at RealMac on how to use the new (RW8) htaccess editor built in. [RapidWeaver 8 htaccess File Editing]

This post explains more for pre RW8

My site shows up as not secure

That goes into the htaccess file. In RapidWeaver 8 in publishing settings, at the bottom is an edit htaccess button( I think that’s what it’s called not at a Mac now). You can also use any ftp client to upload it to the root level of the site. It has to be PLAIN text, and called .htaccess . Fix the mixed content first. Especially if it’s active content or it can break the site. Once you’re using https all active content has to be https.

[mog1 (Michael Lever)]

Thank you. I’d searched on the forum before posting. I am using RW7. There isn’t anywhere on the publishing settings to paste the force code.

I’ve tried using Textedit, copy/paste the code and save .htaccess onto my desktop but the prefix ‘.’ makes it hidden! I then scoured Library looking for the file but couldn’t find it. So I opened TE and moved the file to another folder. I can see the folderv but its content is hidden.

Using FileZilla, what little I understand, I tried to find the folder on the local server (including forcing the server to reveal hidden files) but to no avail. The folder isn’t listed under desktop.

I’m not a technie so either I shall give up and take a chance that visitors in my target market won’t be perturbed by not secure or until Google robots update all the existing links; or upgrade to RW8 (presupposing RW8 is now stable!) so as to use the built in htaccess editor.

?

[swilliam (scott williams)]

You. Edd to edit the .htaccess file on your hosting platform.
I do t have FileZilla but I have two other ftp apps and both allow you to create or edit a remote file.

If the .htaccess file exists on your hosting acct. try right clicking it in FileZilla and see if it gives you an edit option.

If it doesn’t exists, I’ll bet FileZilla will allow you to create it.

[Anonymous (Anonymous Coward)]

Hello,

You don’t need Rapidweaver 8 for SSL:

• IF the URL says http:// instead of https://, THEN you need a 301 (permanent) redirect to the https:// page.
• IF the URL says https:// AND there is no padlock, THEN you are serving mixed content. This means your site it trying to load some resources over http://.

Launch the dev inspector, you will see what items are loading over http://. There will be errors on the console. Common sources are warehoused images.

[joeworkman]

Have a listen to this…

Weaver Radio | #10: Jump onto the HTTPS bandwagon

[mog1 (Michael Lever)]

My HTTPS site has padlock on all pages.

I’ve now spoken with my ISP. As I understand Google won’t have reindexed my HTPPS site yet which is why links to the old HTPP site are currently indexed. I’m told i can accelerate the process by opening a webmaster account with Google and confirming what I want. In the meantime, ISP has added a .htaccess file on the server side with the force code and redirect 301

Thank you for your comments, etc.

[Now that the ISP has resolved things, I’ve no need to overcome the problem of copy/paste code using TextEdit only to find that naming the file .htaccess hides it. Suggestion is to omit the ‘.’ in the name. Then using FileZilla , drag/drop the file to the site and rename it there. (Having tried to do that, the file doesn’t show up in Desktop so probably I’m doing something wrong.)

[teefers (Doug Bennett)]

To view hidden files on your Mac:

How to Show Hidden Files on MacOS with a Keyboard Shortcut

Or you could just name the file htaccess (without the .) on the Mac and rename it once you have uploaded to your server. FileZilla will allow you to rename.

If you’re using TextEdit to create the file make sure you have saved it as plain text. TextEdit defaults to saving stuff as rich text and will not work for an .htaccess file.