How to add support for a new file extension

The Genesis Web Authoring System only allows users to edit files with known file extensions.

Only the webmaster can control which file extensions are "known". If you do not have access to the "webmaster" account, contact the administrator and ask him to take these steps for you.

To add a new non-executable file extension, follow these steps:

1. Log in to Genesis using the "webmaster" account.

2. Go to "Admin Page" => "Manage System Settings".

3. Find the "Known Types" setting. This is a space-separated list of all allowed file extensions. Add the given file extension to this list.

4. Submit the "Save Data" button.

All users will now be able to modify files with the new extension.

If the file extension maps to a script or executable file - one that is executed on the server side - follow these steps:

1. Log in to Genesis using the "webmaster" account.

2. Go to "Admin Page" => "Manage System Settings".

3. Find the "CGI Types" setting. This is a space-separated list of extensions for server-executed files. Add the given file extension to this list.

4. Submit the "Save Data" button.

5. Go to "Admin Page" => "Manage Users". Select the user account of the user who wishes to modify the given file. (If running in single-user freeware mode, go to the "My Account" page instead.)

6. Under "Account Privileges", confirm that the "Allow CGI" checkbox is checked.

7. All users with the "Allow CGI" privilege will now be able to modify files with the new extension.

Special File Extensions

The extension "null" is used to refer to files with no extension. The "null" extension is included in "Known Types" by default.

The extension "*" is used to refer to all file types. You can add "*" to the "Known Types" or "CGI Types" to allow any file extension to be included. This is not recommended. Note that if you add "*" to "CGI Types", then all files and folders will be treated under the "CGI" rules, and only users with the "Allow CGI" privilege will be allowed to modify files and folders.

Genesis defines the extension as the final non-period, non-slash sequence after a period in the base file name. Thus "index.html" has extension "html", and "foo.tar.gz" has extension "gz", and "genesis.2.1.0.0018.zip" has extension "zip".

History: support for the special extension "*" was added in Genesis 2.1.0.0018.