X-Cart forums

[pepperlibido]

My site uses XC SEO yet in addition, Google is indexing files from my catalog. They are ignoring the robots file and I’m concerned about the duplication issue.

Is there any other ways of keeping Google out of the catalog folder/files?

Now that I’m using XC SEO is the catalog folder still required for things to work or could I simply delete the catalog folder from my root? My static pages are also listed in this folder so guess it is also possible that Google will duplicate them too.

In the mean time I will use Google’s url removal tool to get rid of them.

BTW Google have indexed the catalog files since I started using XC SEO (instead of the Catalog).
It’s a new site and I started using XC SEO (thanks to Jon for rewriting it to be compatible with Zeus) before I went live, however I had previously run the catalog, as it was my original intention to use it.



Thanks for any help.

[kube]

Hi Gerard,

What version of XC-SEO are you using?

[pepperlibido]

I think Jon converted v1.3 for use with Zeus

Guess it's possible that Google indexed the catalog pages before I converted over to XC SEO and opened the eite. It just may be that they didn't show up when I checked recently. As you know it can depend on what particular data center your search is directed through as to what search results you get.

Have removed the entire /catalog/ directory from being indexed using the Google URL removal tool so hope there won't be a duplication problem.

Although the 'shop closed' option was enabled in admin while building the site, I know Google still found some of my static pages (which were disabled) and reported them as 404's. Guess I should have had noindex no follow on those pages before I wanted them to go live, but it never crossed my mind.

Google, when you want them to find pages they don't and when you don't want them to find pages they do.

[intel352]

Hi Gerard, in addition to removing from Google, you need to edit your robots.txt file to ban access to the catalog folder.

XC SEO on Apache supports directing users from /catalog/ to the new XC SEO urls, but not on Zeus (yet). I don't have time available right now to write those rewrite rules for Zeus either :-\

[intel352]

BTW, your fts_sitemap.php file is writing links specifically for the Catalog. That's where the problem is, and how Google found your Catalog files.

[pepperlibido]

Kube, Thanks for your interest

Jon (intel352), “to the rescue again” Thanks.

I had the site map set to link to the catalog when my original intention was to use the catalog.

Never thought to change it when the /catalog/ file was made redundant. No excuse, I should have thought to change it, particularly as the site map was originally installed to link to html and I had to change it over to link to the catalog in the first place. Oh dear, and the old brain gets smaller.

The catalog was disallowed in the robots.txt but I can understand why Google found and then indexed (some) them.

Thanks again for your help.

BTW my wife received the jewelry a couple of days go, that we purchased from your store – thanks. It is absolutely beautiful and she is very happy with it. Your wife is very talented.

[intel352]

hmm, if the catalog was already disallowed in robots.txt, google shouldn't have indexed any pages at all, regardless of linkage. Interesting.

And, my pleasure, glad to be of service

I'm glad you got the jewelry, I was just thinking today I needed to check to see if you got it. I'll pass your kind words on to my wife, she'll be pleased