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        4. Exact Syntax for Canonical to PDFs for Windows Server

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        Exact Syntax for Canonical to PDFs for Windows Server

        Intermediate & Advanced SEO
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        • Midleton
          Midleton last edited by

          Hi There,

          I have got in my web several PDFs with the same content of the HTML version. Thus I need to set up a canonical for each of them in order to avoid duplicate content.

          In particular, I need to know how to write the exact syntax for the windows server (web.config) in order to implement the canonical to PDF. I surfed the web but it seems I cannot find this piece of info anywhere

          Thanks a lot!!

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • AlanMosley
            AlanMosley last edited by

            Thanks Paul

            I had a look at the page, but as I can see it uses headers to identify the response, but the actions are rewrite or redirect. There is a custom response you can use,

            for a definitive answer I would ask on iis.net http://forums.iis.net/

            Or you could place each pdf in its own folder and place the header on the folder

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • ThompsonPaul
              ThompsonPaul last edited by

              To implement a canonical tag for an individual page/file in IIS, you need to insert a custom response header via an outbound rule in the IIS Rewrite module, not through the web.config.

              Sorry I don't have a specific example handy (haven't had to wrassle with IIS in some time). I'll see if I can dig one up.

              Meanwhile, here's a link to the relevant section of the general Rewrite Module info in case maybe Alan can suggest the specifics.

              Paul

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • AlanMosley
                AlanMosley @CleverPhD last edited by

                Thanks for finding that, I see it says url, but I cant see how that is actually done. All it does it create a web.config in the folder you choose, I found no way of doing it ofr the indervidual file, unless you have only one file per forder

                here is the web.config, how to test it works?

                <configuration><system.webserver><httpprotocol><customheaders><add name="CononicalUrl" value="Link: http:/domain.com/my.pdf; rel=canonical"></add></customheaders></httpprotocol></system.webserver></configuration>

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • CleverPhD
                  CleverPhD @AlanMosley last edited by

                  Not according to this doc:

                  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753812(v=ws.10).aspx

                  "Levels

                  The procedures for configuring HTTP headers can be performed at the following levels in IIS:

                  • Web Server

                  • Site

                  • Application

                  • Physical and virtual directories

                  • File (URL)"

                  AlanMosley 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • DeanAndrews
                    DeanAndrews @AlanMosley last edited by

                    My mistake

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • AlanMosley
                      AlanMosley last edited by

                      I don't think this can be done in web.config. I don't think it can be done at all.

                      while you can add a canonical header, to a folder using IIS, you cant add if to a file.

                      CleverPhD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • AlanMosley
                        AlanMosley @DeanAndrews last edited by

                        He's on a windows server and there is no .htaccess, you use web.config.

                        DeanAndrews 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • DeanAndrews
                          DeanAndrews last edited by

                          Hi, I believe your question is answered here via .htaccess file rather than web.config. Moz blog: How To: Advanced rel="canonical" HTTP Headers

                          AlanMosley 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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