Seeing site without pointing DNS

You could set up a sub domain to point to the site say test.yoursite.com and have that as a server alias to the site.

@mco2669:

I've asked the guys in support if there was something like http://linodeip.domainsever.something…but they've told me, no.

Not sure if this is what you mean, but every linode comes with a default reverse DNS entry of liXX-YYY.members.linode.com.

One thing to be aware of when using a different (sub)domain for testing your website, however, is that some apps will break when you change the (sub)domain. For example, WordPress 2.x used to remember which domain it was on, and refused to function properly when moved to another domain. You had to change a couple of rows in the database before WordPress would play along. I don't know if WordPress 3.x still does this, but it was very annoying. Other apps might do this too, if it insists on using absolute URLs.

Wordpress 3.1 still does it, not sure about 3.2 not played with that yet.

> I don't know if WordPress 3.x still does this, but it was very annoying.

Yes, that huge mass of spaghetti code known as WordPress still hard codes the FQDN it's installed at inside the database.

Yep. Wanted to stay away from a sub-domain for that particular reason. Going in afterwards and changing the wp-options table as well as some plugins that might act goofy. Looking for a vitrual hosts file to go through. A host file set up in the browser would be awesome…

@mco2669:

But what if I don't have a local hosts file? Can't get shell access on the computer I'm using. How can I see a site that does not have the dns pointed to it?
Not sure how you can be doing legitimate dev work and NOT have shell access???

In any case, LIVE CD, edit hosts file, done.

Yes, far from legitimate. I have the site loaded and everything installed, just need to do some design tweaks on it. Will be away from home for a few weeks with a Chromebook as my tie to the world. Can sort the file changes and ftp, just can't figure the hosts file to access it as I would were I at home.

Is this the type of thing you're putting up with?

http://www.servercobra.com/nothing-but- … or-a-week/">http://www.servercobra.com/nothing-but-chromebook-for-a-week/

If so then why would Google provide an OS with such limited shell features. Even dropping into "developer" mode supposedly just gets you a shell "similar to bash".

Wow.

You actually paid good money for that machine?

Yeah, thanks. I've been following the servercobra. My comment on there. Slugging through it, yes indeed.