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Hi,
I understand that 4seo doesn't work the same as sh404sef - however, I have many sites using sh404sef are we meant to manually redirect the URLS from sh404sef to joomla sef and port the meta over manually? Seems like this is a step missing from upgrading to 4SEO?
I've read in places 4SEF is meant for this transition - is this available? When will it be available?
many thanks.
Hi
however, I have many sites using sh404sef are we meant to manually redirect the URLS from sh404sef to joomla sef and port the meta over manually?
Depends if you actually mean "redirect". If you really mean redirect, then 4SEO already does that today: If you install it on a site where the sh404SEF database tables are still present, it will automatically redirect any sh404SEF URL to its Joomla SEF counterpart. This does mean the URLs on your site will change, although how many actually changes also depends on what type of content you have.
As for the custom meta data, if you have any, this will be imported into 4SEO, as 4SEF will not have any other function than dealing with SEF URLs. The importer will happen at about the same time that 4SEF is released.
I've read in places 4SEF is meant for this transition - is this available? When will it be available?
It's not meant to "transition" but to take over sh404SEF URLs creation and customization - either on Joomla or Joomla 4. All SEO features in sh404SEF are already available in 4SEO - and many more.
As for the timeframe, there isn't any official one. We do expect a first release, if only beta, for this quarter. Taking into account the numerous sh404SEF URL configuration option is proving to require quite a bit more work than expected.
Best regards
Yannick Gaultier
weeblr.com / @weeblr
Wow super quick reply thank you.
So if I install 4SEO on to a site with sh404sef but then turn sh404sef off - 4SEO will make sure all the sh404sef URLs will be redirected to the joomla sef URLs and the meta will be ported over and matched to the correct URL?
Then can sh404sef be uninstalled ok?
Thanks
Hi
So if I install 4SEO on to a site with sh404sef but then turn sh404sef off - 4SEO will make sure all the sh404sef URLs will be redirected to the joomla sef URLs and the meta will be ported over and matched to the correct URL?
If you do that today, the Joomla SEF URLs will be used and the sh404SEF will be redirected to them. Meta data are NOT imported into 4SEO. The importer will only happen later, likely at the same time 4SEF is available, as the 2 really go hands in hand and despite the fact importing meta is much simpler.
Then can sh404sef be uninstalled ok?
Correct, but the database tables have to be left in place. This is what happens by default, so a standard uninstall will leave all the database tables there, ready to be used by 4SEO to do the redirects.
Best regards
Yannick Gaultier
weeblr.com / @weeblr
Ok in your reply just now you say:
Meta data are NOT imported into 4SEO
However, in your first reply you say:
As for the custom meta data, if you have any, this will be imported into 4SEO
Sorry confused
Hi
That's all correct. The key phrase in my last message is: If you do that today,
Currently, 4SEO does not have an importer for sh404SEF meta data. So if you remove sh404SEF today, 4SEO will redirect URLs from sh404SEF URLs to Joomla SEF URLs, but custom meta data will NOT be imported yet.
The 4SEO importer for sh404SEF meta data will only happen at about the same time as 4SEF.
Best regards
Yannick Gaultier
weeblr.com / @weeblr
Super thanks for all the clarification.
Hi
You're welcome!
Actually, I'm interested to know what's your take here: do you feel more like getting rid of sh404SEF/4SEF, that is focusing on SE0 features? or do you value SEF URLs and SEF URLs customization and want to keep 4SEF?
Might be different answer for existing sites and for new sites!
Best regards
Yannick Gaultier
weeblr.com / @weeblr
Hi,
I've not has much experience with 4SEO just yet - I have installed and started to use it on 2 sites. But I'm still really learning on it.
The reason I asked all this is for the obvious joomla 4 update route. Many of our clients have requested to upgrade to joomla early and moving from sh404sef to 4seo and how that would work is a big concern, especially with sites that have over 10,000 URLs. Yes some have custom URLs and a lot of them have meta entered into sh404sef. We have 50+ sites with sh404sef installed that will need to be moved to 4SEO.
New sites, we are happy to use 4SEO as it should be able to do what is needed and custom URLs are something we don't necessarily need. That being said, there will always be someone that wants custom URL modification.
I'm not sure if I've answered your question too well - sorry
Hi
There's no doubt that an update path will be provided for existing sites with sh404SEF, it's only a matter of time and resources to have that running but we're getting there.
My question was more about how much you value the URLs that sh404SEF builds and the ability to manually customize some, versus the native SEF URLs coming from Joomla.
New sites, we are happy to use 4SEO as it should be able to do what is needed and custom URLs are something we don't necessarily need. That being said, there will always be someone that wants custom URL modification.
OK, so that's one thing. There's also the type of URLs sh404SEF builds, ie not based on menu items as Joomla does but instead based on article and categories aliases.
Best regards
Yannick Gaultier
weeblr.com / @weeblr
Hi,
Actually from my perspective it is not that important for the way sh404sef builds the URLs - it would be fine to stick to the standard joomla menu way.
There are occasions when our clients have requested to drop the category from the URL which I guess will not be possible with 4SEO - i.e. can you drop the the first level menu item from the URL? There may be some other points, but certainly the way the URLs are built isn't going to be a problem.
Hi
Actually from my perspective it is not that important for the way sh404sef builds the URLs - it would be fine to stick to the standard joomla menu way.
Well noted.
There are occasions when our clients have requested to drop the category from the URL which I guess will not be possible with 4SEO
4SEO will not do anything related to SEF URLs. It just does not create or manipulate them and won't. Considering how unimportant the URL structure has become for SEO, I think it makes more sense to just leave that to 4SEF.
4SEF will have (about) the same customization abilities as sh404SEF. So it builds URLs using article and category aliases, and let you decide how many categories to include, from none to all nested ones.
Thanks for your input!
Best regards
Yannick Gaultier
weeblr.com / @weeblr
