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***Steven*** · 05-Mar-2013, 06:55 PM

In Google Webmaster Tools, it complains that there are duplicate title tags and duplicate meta descriptions for pages that are paginated by the script (see attachment screenshots). This is the title tag and the meta description which is being duplicated on the commentics.org/project.php page:

Code:
<title>Commentics - Project</title>

<meta name="description" content="This is the project page for the PHP script Commentics. Ask a question about the programme or provide feedback."/>

It seems to be due to either the "cmtx_page" or the "cmtx_sort" parameter, and in some cases both! I'm wondering what the best solution is. For the "cmtx_page" parameter, maybe we can add the page number like this:

Code:
<title>Commentics - Project - Page 2</title>

This could be done like so:

PHP Code:
<title>Commentics - Project<?php if (isset($_GET['cmtx_page'])) { echo " - Page " . $_GET['cmtx_page']; } ?></title> 

Regarding the "cmtx_sort" parameter, the sort feature displays the same content but in a different order so I wonder whether it would be best to add the ..

Code:
<meta name="robots" content="noindex"/>

.. if the "cmtx_sort" parameter is in the URL, or maybe to use a canonical link instead?

stariocek · 14-Mar-2013, 07:34 AM

I'm solvnig it like this:
- some php code after session_start();
- new php variable is created
- variable has got value of $_GET['cmtx_page']
- and it is printed at the end of a description and a title.

I can't see any other solution. Commentics code is included later. Could it become a plugin?

(By the way - I'm preparing plugins for a 'Separate stars feed' and 'Next/Prew in head', http://www.commentics.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=453 . I've found that plugins are welcome after a Commentics page is redisigned.)

lp
stariocek

<?php
session_start();
ob_start();

$tr_stra=1 ;

if ((isset($_GET['cmtx_page'])) && (ctype_digit($_GET['cmtx_page'])) && ($_GET['cmtx_page'] != ""))
{
$tr_stra = htmlspecialchars($tr_stra, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$tr_stra = (int) $_GET['cmtx_page'];
}
else
{

}

?>
...

Title an description:

<head>

<title>Motorni in električni skiroji Go-Ped. Ocene in komentarji, stran <?php echo $tr_stra ; ?>.</title>
<meta name="description" content="Električni skiroji! Motorni skiroji! Ocene in komentarji, stran <?php echo $tr_stra ; ?>." />

</head>

stariocek · 14-Mar-2013, 08:13 AM

About solution with 'Canonical' ... my plugin for 'Next/Prew in head', 'Next/Prew in head, http://www.commentics.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=453 ', is also handling a 'Canonical' issue.

I'm testing it on htt://www.moto-skiro.si :

<head>
...
<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.moto-skiro.si/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=1" />
<link rel="next" href="/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=2" />
...
</head>

The "cmtx_sort" can be handled by it, too.

lp
stariocek

stariocek · 14-Mar-2013, 09:34 AM

On every "cmtx_page=XX":
- <link rel="canonical" href="http://www.xxxxxx.xx/comment.php cmtx_page=XX" />

Should be enought! Why? When page is called with a 'cmtx_sort' or any other further parameter missing, a canonical version is returned! All parameters are set by default and this can be treated as a canonical version. Solution is 'future proof' and simple, ... ?

lp
stariocek

(14-Mar-2013, 08:13 AM)stariocek Wrote: About solution with 'Canonical' ... my plugin for 'Next/Prew in head', 'Next/Prew in head, http://www.commentics.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=453 ', is also handling a 'Canonical' issue.

I'm testing it on htt://www.moto-skiro.si :

<head>
...
<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.moto-skiro.si/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=1" />
<link rel="next" href="/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=2" />
...
</head>

The "cmtx_sort" can be handled by it, too.

lp
stariocek

stariocek · 14-Mar-2013, 03:44 PM

I'm not sure about <meta name="robots" content="noindex"/> and cmtx_sort :

- it could help with smaller server load
- but crawlers should be clever enough, hope so, to eliminate non-canonical URLs without scanning
- 'noindex' solution is, technically equivalent, but logically exactly opposite to solution with only parameter 'cmtx_page' + 'canonical'
- 'cmtx_page' + 'canonical' is easier to implement and maintain then 'noindex' solution.

I vote for 'cmtx_page' + 'canonical', if crawlers are smart enough. Some kind of test could answer this question ...

lp, stariocek

***Steven*** · 15-Mar-2013, 07:10 PM

Hi stariocek,

Yes, I forgot to include the "ctype_digit($_GET['cmtx_page']", that's important.

I think this would be a very good add-on (plugin). If it works well, I could recommend it in the integration guide.

Yes, cmtx_page + canonical seems better than noindex.

So, what would happen in the following cases?

commentics.org/project.php
commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_page=xx
commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_perm=xx#cmtx_perm_xx
commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_sort=xx
commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_page=xx&cmtx_sort=xx

stariocek · 15-Mar-2013, 10:14 PM

(15-Mar-2013, 07:10 PM)Steven Wrote: Hi stariocek,

Yes, I forgot to include the "ctype_digit($_GET['cmtx_page']", that's important.

I think this would be a very good add-on (plugin). If it works well, I could recommend it in the integration guide.

Yes, cmtx_page + canonical seems better than noindex.

So, what would happen in the following cases?
commentics.org/project.php

commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_page=xx

commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_perm=xx#cmtx_perm_xx

commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_sort=xx

commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_page=xx&cmtx_sort=xx

[*]commentics.org/project.php
====================================
<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.moto-skiro.si/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=1" />
<link rel="next" href="/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=2" />

[*]commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_page=xx
====================================
<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.moto-skiro.si/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=2" />
<link rel="prev" href="/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=1" />

[*]commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_perm=xx#cmtx_perm_xx
===============================================
<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.moto-skiro.si/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=2" />
<link rel="prev" href="/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=1" />

[*]commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_sort=xx
==========================================
<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.moto-skiro.si/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=1" />
<link rel="next" href="/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=2" />

[*]commentics.org/project.php?cmtx_page=xx&cmtx_sort=xx
=================================================
<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.moto-skiro.si/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=2" />
<link rel="prev" href="/komentarji-ocene-go-ped.php?cmtx_page=1" />

That is it, it works like this now. It looks good to me. I think it should work.

lp, stariocek

stariocek · 15-Mar-2013, 11:02 PM

Here it is, my script next/prew + canonical. It is quick written and unpolished, but it works.

It has got one SERIOUS problem. It is using a die("Sorry, ..."); ... And it can block a http protocol in case of PHP failure ... It was a quick testing script, never polished.

I'm working on new version without die(); - 'just move on if something is wrong' style.

I don't have large enough sample page to test it well. A better coded plug-in is to be finished soon.

lp, stariocek

***Steven*** · 17-Mar-2013, 03:25 PM

Hi,

Thanks, I received your add-on. Regarding the name and description, I was thinking that these would be suitable:

Name: SEO Optimizer
Version: 0.7
Author: stariocek
Description: Adds canonical and prev/next links inside the <head> tag of the page.
Date: 16-Mar-2013
Status: Experimental
Compatible: v2.1, v2.2, v2.3

Are you happy with that?

stariocek · 17-Mar-2013, 06:54 PM

(17-Mar-2013, 03:25 PM)Steven Wrote: Hi,

Thanks, I received your add-on. Regarding the name and description, I was thinking that these would be suitable:

Name: SEO Optimizer
Version: 0.7
Author: stariocek
Description: Adds canonical and prev/next links inside the <head> tag of the page.
Date: 16-Mar-2013
Status: Experimental
Compatible: v2.1, v2.2, v2.3

Are you happy with that?

Of course!

lp, stariocek

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