Server Settings - Display of Directory Lists

With the Apache web server you can control the display of directories (= file folders). I.e. the author themselves can determine what is displayed for an URL that is pointing to a directory: A specific file (which one?) or a list (how?).

To do this, you have to create a file .htaccess in the relevant directory. This then also affects the subdirectories!

Displaying a File - Not a List

DirectoryIndex Relative-URL ...

Relative-URL is usually a file name in the directory. If more than one is specified, the first one found is sent. If there is no such file, an error will be displayed.
Standard: DirectoryIndex index.html index.htm index.php

Example:

.htaccess File in directory dir0 contains:

DirectoryIndex nolist.html

Result: .../dir0/

Displaying a File List

Options + Indexes

List all files (for download)
Standard: no list
Example: .htaccess - Result: .../dir1/

Appearance of the Directory List:

IndexOptions Options ...

The following options are available:

Fancyindexing - detailed directory list (icons, name, size, short description etc.)
SuppressLastModified - no indication of the last Modification time
SuppressSize - no indication of the file size
SuppressDescription - no indication of a short description
ScanHTMLTitles - HTML title as short description

Example:

.htaccess file in directory dir2 contains:

IndexOptions ScanHTMLTitles FancyIndexing SuppressLastModified

Result: .../dir2/

IndexIgnore file_name ...

Which files should not be listed (also patterns as in the shell with * or similar possible).
Standard: IndexIgnore /.?? *~ *.bak

Example:

.htaccess file in directory dir3 contains:

IndexIgnore *.gone

Result: .../dir3/ - files with the extension .gone are not displayed.

HeaderName file_name
ReadmeName file_name

Displaying a file content before and/or after the directory list. It has to be an HTML or text file (that means no image or similar). The content of <TITLE> cannot be influenced.

Standard:

HeaderName HEADER
ReadmeName README

Example:

.htaccess file in the directory dir4 contains:

HeaderName top.html
ReadmeName end.txt

Result: .../dir4/

AddDescription "Text" file_name
AddIcon (ALT,/path/to/icon) file_name

Specification of a short description or an icon for a file (or more at file name pattern). ALT is a string for ASCII browser <IMG ALT=...>. Furthermore AddIconByEncoding, AddIconByType, DefaultIcon are posssible.
Standard:

no description, standard icon set

Example:

.htaccess file in directory dir5 contains

IndexOptions FancyIndexing
AddDescription "For demonstration only" *.gif
AddIcon (IMG,/Images/anim/new.gif) 1.gif
DefaultIcon /icons/blank.gif

Result: .../dir5/

Further information: Apache documentation