Convert html website to php

[bydesign]

I'm a complete novice when it comes to rewrites, I don't know enough about the code, and am frankly terrified of doing the wrong thing in converting my .html web pages to .php. (BTW, the reason for the conversion - to add header and footer includes plus dynamic features.)

So far, I've found the .htaccess rewrite rule.

RewriteEngine on
RedirectMatch permanent ^(.*)\.html$ $1.php 

(I'd prefer not to include rewriting .htm pages as all of MY pages are .html)

However, I'm very concerned about how search engines will treat this, and the implications for getting the site to be re-indexed.

I've read that a better SEO technique may be to set up a 301 redirect (or is this exactly the same as what I've just proposed?)

Something like:

RewriteEngine on
RedirectMatch 301 (.*)\.html$ http://www.example.com$1.php 

I'm concerned that "playing" with htaccess may land me in deep waters, and any advice much appreciated.

[donatello]

I did it and did not have any problems... once you change your page extension from .html to .php it counts as a different page in Google so pagerank is lost.

[bydesign]

…how much of a disaster to the client is this? A matter of 2-4wks?

Donatello - Much appreciate yr swift reply - I'm guessing I'm on the right track, anyway. I've heard some people use .htacess to get .html pages to act as .php

This seems overly complex - but could it be a useful approach. Or do I just get on with conversion and let the client know of temp. loss of pagerank?

[bydesign]

Make Apache parse .html as .php - is there a drawback to this?

Is this what I would add to .htacess?

AddType application/x-httpd-php .htm .html

[Fang]

AddType application/x-httpd-php .htm .html

Is correct

[bydesign]

Thanks, all
And now… which would be the best method, in your opinions?

I have two options:
1/ Convert html to php
My main concern is that this will scupper Pagerank (how big a deal is this? - how long to "repair" pagerank?)

2/ Make Apache parse .html as .php
How will my testing server treat this - i.e. so that I can work locally on pages?

Also, possible issues getting this to work (I guess this isn't a reason for not doing it really): (http://www.besthostratings.com/artic...tml-files.html)

[expphoto]

When I changed over from HTML to PHP, all I did was change the extensions. Though my site is still in HTML, I wanted php for the include function. Static Header makes life easier lol.

You shouldn't have an issue just changing the extensions and updating the links.

[donatello]

Here's what I use on GoDaddy hosting:
This is my .htaccess file (in the ROOT folder of course).

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .htm .html
AddHandler x-httpd-php .php .htm .html

# switch GoDaddy's php extension handling for php5   
AddHandler x-httpd-php5 .php   
AddHandler x-httpd-php .php4  

You will also notice that I had to add the handler for Godaddy to force php5. Even though I changed it in my hosting panel, for some reason it was continuing to run php4... so in frustration I fixed it with the .htaccess fix you see above.


PS- If you switch to PHP5 on Godaddy, beware of this:
http://www.webdeveloper.com/forum/sh...05#post1089205