How to edit or create default documents

Overview

Default documents are the files IIS serves automatically when a visitor opens a directory without specifying a filename (for example https://domain.com/ instead of https://domain.com/index.aspx). You manage the list from the Configuration tab of Site Settings.

Steps

1. Log in to the Everleap Control Panel at cp.everleap.com.
2. From the top menu click Shared Sites.
3. On the Shared Cloud Sites Overview page, click Manage next to the applicable site.

4. On the Site Overview page, click the SETTINGS tab.
5. Click the Configuration tab.

6. Scroll to the Default Documents box. This is a single multi-line text box containing one filename per line. IIS tries the filenames in top-to-bottom order and serves the first one it finds.
7. Edit the list directly in the box:
   • To add a document — type the filename on its own new line.
   • To remove a document — delete its line.
   • To change the priority — move a filename higher or lower in the list.

8. Click Update Configuration Settings to save.

The Default List

A new site starts with the following 11 entries, in this order. Filenames are lowercase.

Verify It Worked

Browse to your site root without a filename and confirm the correct default document is served.

Notes

• Order matters. IIS serves the first filename on the list that exists in the directory.
• The list cannot contain blank lines or duplicate filenames. If it does, saving fails with the message "Invalid characters. List cannot contain empty or duplicate filenames."
• The Configuration tab settings are applied as the default for the site. Your application's web.config can override them — including on a per-directory basis.
• hostingstart.html is the Everleap placeholder page shown on a brand-new site. You can leave it on the list or remove it once your own content is published.

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