• Registered: 2022-05-27
  • Posts: 7

Topic: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

Hello everyone,

I was hoping someone might know if this is possible.  My website, created and maintained with WebPlus X8, using the inbuilt upload tool, currently publishes each individual web page with an '.html' suffix.

Is it possible to change a setting somewhere to remove that suffix upon publishing?  (I have looked for such a setting, with no luck.)

Currently, my website pages are accessed by typing https://www.website.com/web-page.html

I would like the pages to be published by WebPlus so that they can be accessed by typing https://www.website.com/web-page

Any ideas much appreciated!

  • Registered: 2024-10-01
  • Posts: 36

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

I don't know, but surely a file name has to have SOME extension? How would the the browser know it was Hyper Text Markup Language?

Wolstan Dixie's Website

  • Registered: 2022-05-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

Hmmm, good point, Wolstan.

I am aware that most web page addresses these days don't end in '.html', and I believe in a vague sense that there are changes that can be applied to the web hosting server settings, to ensure that the suffix is excluded when the web page URL is displayed in the browser bar.

These same settings, I vaguely understand, can ensure that a website visitor can input https://www.website.com/web-page and still be served with https://www.website.com/web-page.html content, yet without the suffix visible in the browser address bar.

I have only really ever used WebPlus, and so I am unfamiliar with what suffixes the underlying web page files use these days.  I am aware of '.html', of course, and I have heard of '.php' (which I'm noticing is actually the suffix on this forum page I'm typing into now!), but I have no experience of the latter.

  • Registered: 2025-10-02
  • Posts: 22

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

tim333 wrote:

....I believe in a vague sense that there are changes that can be applied to the web hosting server settings, to ensure that the suffix is excluded when the web page URL is displayed in the browser bar...

The use of a .htaccess file as described in the link below is probably what you are thinking of:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/html/how- … atic-page/

Affinity Photo user with a Canon camera
  • Registered: 2022-05-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

Thank you, Stuck, I have saved the instructions at the page you mention for when I get further into this.

I notice on the Geeks for Geeks page you link to, this warning when adding instructions to hide the suffix of the .html file: "The search engine may index these pages as duplicate content, to overcome this add a <canonical> meta tag in the HTML file.  Example:  <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/blog/first-blog" />"

I am assuming that it's not possible to add this canonical tag automatically in WebPlus, so that it's generated when the Serif software creates the web pages?  I have just searched my PDF copy of the WebPlus X8 User Guide, and could not find the keyword 'canonical'.

Perhaps I would need to add this manually.

  • Registered: 2025-10-02
  • Posts: 22

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

Sorry, I can't help you with any of those questions.  I don't have / have never used WebPlus.

Meanwhile, a search on 'meta tag canonical' finds this:
https://www.rgbwebtech.com/seo-checklis … l-meta-tag

Affinity Photo user with a Canon camera
  • Registered: 2022-05-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

stuck wrote:

Sorry, I can't help you with any of those questions.  I don't have / have never used WebPlus.

Meanwhile, a search on 'meta tag canonical' finds this:
https://www.rgbwebtech.com/seo-checklis … l-meta-tag


Much appreciated, I will have a look there

8 Reply by Joe (edited by Joe 2026-09-24 08:58:33)

  • Joe
  • Joe
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  • From: Cornwall
  • Registered: 2022-01-23
  • Posts: 232

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

tim333 wrote:

Hello everyone,

I was hoping someone might know if this is possible.  My website, created and maintained with WebPlus X8, using the inbuilt upload tool, currently publishes each individual web page with an '.html' suffix.

Is it possible to change a setting somewhere to remove that suffix upon publishing?  (I have looked for such a setting, with no luck.)

Currently, my website pages are accessed by typing https://www.website.com/web-page.html

I would like the pages to be published by WebPlus so that they can be accessed by typing https://www.website.com/web-page

Any ideas much appreciated!

Add the attached .htaccess file to the root of a test site, upload it to the sever and see if it works for you. In webplus use
Tools > Site Manager > File Manager > Add File > highlight Root > browse for file.

You can open and view the file in notebook and change the content to other scripts that are online. The file name needs to be .htaccess dot htaccess (with no space)

To create your own file from scratch open a new page in notepad, enter your script and save as (change file type to All Files) .htaccess

Joe

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Somewhere over the rainbow, weigh a pie ...
  • Registered: 2022-05-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

Joe wrote:
tim333 wrote:

Hello everyone,

I was hoping someone might know if this is possible.  My website, created and maintained with WebPlus X8, using the inbuilt upload tool, currently publishes each individual web page with an '.html' suffix.

Is it possible to change a setting somewhere to remove that suffix upon publishing?  (I have looked for such a setting, with no luck.)

Currently, my website pages are accessed by typing https://www.website.com/web-page.html

I would like the pages to be published by WebPlus so that they can be accessed by typing https://www.website.com/web-page

Any ideas much appreciated!

Add the attached .htaccess file to the root of a test site, upload it to the sever and see if it works for you. In webplus use
Tools > Site Manager > File Manager > Add File > highlight Root > browse for file.

You can open and view the file in notebook and change the content to other scripts that are online. The file name needs to be .htaccess dot htaccess (with no space)

To create your own file from scratch open a new page in notepad, enter your script and save as (change file type to All Files) .htaccess

Joe

That's brilliant, Joe, thank you.  I've downloaded the file and will have a go with this with a test site over the next few days.  Cheers

10 Reply by Joe

  • Joe
  • Joe
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  • Registered: 2022-01-23
  • Posts: 232

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

One other point if it's of interest

In Site Properties > Advanced > HTML Options  you can check the box to Hide 'Index.html' in internal hyperlinks.

Somewhere over the rainbow, weigh a pie ...
  • Registered: 2022-05-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

Joe wrote:

One other point if it's of interest

In Site Properties > Advanced > HTML Options  you can check the box to Hide 'Index.html' in internal hyperlinks.

Thanks Joe - I believe I've seen this setting in the past, but I've never tried it out.  When it says it hides the 'Index.html' in internal links, how does that work in practice, do you know?

Does it impact how visitors to the website see the URL in the browser bar, or is it just for working with web pages within the WebPlus programme itself?

12 Reply by Joe

  • Joe
  • Joe
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  • From: Cornwall
  • Registered: 2022-01-23
  • Posts: 232

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

tim333 wrote:
Joe wrote:

One other point if it's of interest

In Site Properties > Advanced > HTML Options  you can check the box to Hide 'Index.html' in internal hyperlinks.

Thanks Joe - I believe I've seen this setting in the past, but I've never tried it out.  When it says it hides the 'Index.html' in internal links, how does that work in practice, do you know?

Does it impact how visitors to the website see the URL in the browser bar, or is it just for working with web pages within the WebPlus programme itself?

Looking at a page in preview the filename (index.html ) is completely missing.
Just a mention of the 

rel=canonical

insert. This can be done by editing the navbar.

Double click the navbar > click Custom > Edit Link > Hyperlink  > Site Page > Advanced > Enter canonical (lower case only) in rel Attribute.

A quick look on the internet bought up two thoughts. The link should be in Page Head, and search engines may not like it because it duplicates a page.

Somewhere over the rainbow, weigh a pie ...
  • Registered: 2022-05-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: Can WebPlus X8 Publish Web Pages Without The '.html' Suffix?

Joe wrote:
tim333 wrote:
Joe wrote:

One other point if it's of interest

In Site Properties > Advanced > HTML Options  you can check the box to Hide 'Index.html' in internal hyperlinks.

Thanks Joe - I believe I've seen this setting in the past, but I've never tried it out.  When it says it hides the 'Index.html' in internal links, how does that work in practice, do you know?

Does it impact how visitors to the website see the URL in the browser bar, or is it just for working with web pages within the WebPlus programme itself?

Looking at a page in preview the filename (index.html ) is completely missing.
Just a mention of the 

rel=canonical

insert. This can be done by editing the navbar.

Double click the navbar > click Custom > Edit Link > Hyperlink  > Site Page > Advanced > Enter canonical (lower case only) in rel Attribute.

A quick look on the internet bought up two thoughts. The link should be in Page Head, and search engines may not like it because it duplicates a page.

Mmm... I think I need to read a lot more into this, Joe.  I will bear in mind your caution about the canonical insert and will look into the implications of adding it or not.  I'm aware I've veered off topic in my own thread!

I had intended to have a go with the .htaccess file you created at the weekend, but unforeseen circumstances have prevented me from giving that the time I'd like to, for the time being.  I have it safely downloaded though and will properly experiment with it when things allow.  Thanks