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How to create a custom error message page

This page provides information about error messages and details how to create custom error message pages for your site.

Example page

Check out the error message example page to see an example of what a user sees when they request a page that does not exist on the Web Centre site. Use the browser back button to return to this page.

Instructions

Step 1 - setting up an error message page

You need to provide users with information about the error type, what went wrong and how they can use alternative means to find their way to information.

Customise your local webserver to show different custom error message pages for all common server errors. Error pages should use the appropriate University template and explain the error in simple language. Where appropriate the error page should provide tools for the user to find the information they are looking for.

For example you could suggest that the user try the following options:

Search
A-Z Index
Campus Directory
Campus Map
Contact us

Additional guidelines for creating usable error messages can be found at: useit.com/alertbox/20010624.html

Step 2 - customise the message depending on the error code


Error code	What went wrong	What to tell the user
401	User is not authorised to access the page, or has entered an incorrect username or password	Indicate that the user authentication has failed Invite user to try logging in again Provide information about who to contact to check authentication Link to accounts page where passwords can be reset
403	File permissions prevent access to the page, eg the page is only available on the intranet	Indicate that the page is not available because of access restrictions
404	Page does not exist at this URL	Indicate that the requested page does not exist Link to search engine and other relevant links so that user can search for the information they are looking for
500	Server configuration or scripting error	Indicate that the script or page has generated an error Provide a way for the user to report the error to the systems administrator
503	Server is temporarily too busy, or the page has been taken offline	Indicate that the page is unavailable due to maintenance or overloading Indicate when the page will be available If appropriate, provide a way for the user to report this to the systems administrator

Step 3 - setting up the server

Some of the work required to enable custom error message pages will need to be performed by the servers administrator. When the custom pages have been created contact the administrator of the server on which your site is located to complete the process. The following resources will be of assistance to the servers administrator:

Customising Apache server's error messages
httpd.apache.org/docs/mod/core.html#errordocument

HTTP status code definitions
www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec10.html

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