Tip #7: How to Re-write Unfriendly URLs as Friendly URLs

MCMS, as you probably know, uses an internal system of “unfriendly URLs” in order to retrieve both the template file and the posting. Visitors to the site typically don’t see these unfriendly URLs, except:

• When toggling between Edit Site and Live Site views.

• After performing a postback to the server. For example, the template file could have a button that refreshes certain labels on the page. When the button is clicked, a postback occurs and the URL on the address bar changes from a friendly URL to the unfriendly version.

• When the site has been configured to use unique ID-based URLs.

• When displaying a page within a frameset.

Unfriendly URLs are a composition of the URL of the template file and information about the posting appended in its querystring:

http://localhost/TropicalGreen/Templates/Plant.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINA
LURL=%2fNR%2fexeres%2f0E0047A0-1560-4BA8-859F-C012826391F0%2cframeless%2ehtm%3
fNRMODE%3dPublished&FRAMELESS...