How to host forums on separate Sub domain

Hi,

I would like to host the forums on a separate subdomain. ie:-

store is on www.mysite.com
and forums are on forums.mysite.com

This is so I can work on the store without taking the forums down. Both subdomains will be on the same machine.

I have read that setting the <httpcookies domain="mysite.com"/> in web config would work, but I tested this locally with two applications (admittedly as separate virtual directories on the same domain), but it did not seem to work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

I have installed nopcommerce on a sub-domain before - same as putting it on the main domain. But I don't know how it would be possible to host the forums from the same app on a different domain because it is integrated with the rest of the application. You would have to install a separate app in the sub-domain and strip it down to just use the forums and somehow have links to the main domain in it. I'm not even sure where to start with that, I'm sure it can be done though - everything can be done. It just depends on how much work you're willing to put into it.

Hi,

thanks for the response. Yes you are right, it will be a bit of work, which I'm prepared to do.

My real issue is with sharing the session state{UPDATE I meant nopcommerce session are NOT session state} between the apps. Nop is already correctly setting applicationName="NopCommerce" in web config roleManager provider section, so that side will be OK.

I thought that as the apps share the same database for session state then just setting the domain for the session cookie would be enough, but clearly there is something that I'm missing.

Surely it can't be machinekey, they are on the same host, but I am not really familiar with IIS admin.

cheers

F

Bump.

Any one got any useful links on the subject?

struggling here.....

regards

F

I've answered my own query, it was the machinekey.

I got it working by generating a machine key using the resource below

http://aspnetresources.com/tools/machineKey

overwriting the value for machinekey in web.config and leaving httpcookies alone. {UPDATE you do need httpcookies for subdomains, see posting below}

I now have two installations of nop sharing logins. (but not session state, that is another subject...)

F

For the benefit of anyone else wanting to do the same thing...

You do need to set <httpCookies domain=".yourdomain.com"/> in web.config  once you start using subdomains.(note the . infront of the name IS important)

Then you need to have a compact privacy policy published and referenced in your http header so that browsers accept the 'third party cookies' from your subdomains.

At first this looks like an arduous task, but it is really straightforward using the following resources:-

read :- http://www.w3.org/P3P/details.html

use http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/p3peditor  to create your policy ( I used the template, and then entered the policy details , such as contact details from the menu)

publish the docs on your  site and amend the custom headers in iis re give an entry for P3P  such as CP="ALL DSP COR CURa ADMa DEVa TAIa CONa OUR DELa BUS IND PHY ONL UNI PUR COM NAV DEM STA"

or use Response.Headers.Add("P3P", "CP=\"ALL DSP COR CURa ADMa DEVa TAIa CONa OUR DELa BUS IND PHY ONL UNI PUR COM NAV DEM STA\""); in code behind

once you are done validate your policy using http://www.w3.org/P3P/validator.html  because the validation in the ibm editor is not complete

F