I would like to put the prototype in that domain root so when the customer goes to wwwDOTexampleDOTcom I want the prototype to come upp without the sitemap.
Sounds like a plan. Here are the basic steps for uploading your Axure prototype to a domain.
Buying the domain
This is a one time purchase, usually you buy the domain for a month. If you get a domain at a reasonable price, it’s usually under $20 for the year. Make sure you get domain privacy, otherwise you will get calls from solicitors. Popular places to get domains include Godaddy, Fat Cow, Bluehost, and Netfirms.
When you buy just the domain, it just exists as blank, or with ads that you get money from if people click the ads (called a “parked” domain).
Getting a host
Hosting is a monthly service (they want you for the year obviously), where you pay for access to upload files to one or multiple domains. You often get the host and domain at once - sometimes the domain is free when you sign up for the host.
Setting up FTP
It’s easy to set up FTP access from your host, just find the link from the host’s control panel and it’s easy to set up. You will receive an ftp domain like ftp.example.com and then a user name and password. You then download an FTP software like Cyberduck or Filezilla. Sometimes the host will have a built in FTP client, but we recommend using Cyberduck.
Log into the FTP
Log into the FTP via Cyberduck. This root folder is essentially www (dot) example (dot) com and any files you place now will be www (dot) example (dot) com / filename.ext .
Upload the generated prototype
At this point you are in your FTP client (Cyberduck), looking at your root folder. Now, in Cyberduck, right-click and select ‘Upload…’ Navigate to the generated prototype folder, which is almost always in Documents/Axure/Prototypes/ProjectName. If you can’t find this folder, open up the RP file of your project and select Generate > Prototype. That first text field contains the file path to where the generated prototype exists. In the Upload dialog, navigate till you are in the ProjectName folder. Select all of the contents (folders, files, everything), and then click Upload.
Specify which file is the default when you browse to the root domain
Now, at this point you should be able to go to www (dot) example (dot) com and your prototype will display. If you see the sitemap, and this isn’t what you want, then you will have to specify the default file which will be viewed when you reach the domain. To do this you will have to create a text document (anyname.txt) which contains this text…
DirectoryIndex Home.html index.html index.php
(This assumes your homepage is called Home, it might be something different. If it is then replace Home.html with yourrootpagename.html). Upload that text file to your root, and then rename the text file to .htaccess - not anyname.htaccess but just plain .htaccess.
OK! You should be there. Navigate in your browser to www (dot) example (dot) com and your prototype should be there. I would recommend giving it a few minutes as sometimes there is a delay between uploading and everything settling correctly. Sometimes when you navigate to the domain, everything will be jumbled. Don’t worry, check back in a few minutes, or even in an hour and it should straighten itself out.
