Using part of file name in a query

Question

I am putting together a member directory and I want to be
sure that it is best optimized for the search engines (SEO). For
this reason, I want to appear to have a unique file for each
member. I know that I could just link to a master file and pass the
member ID like:
www.example.com/memberdir/member.cfm?memberid=12345, but that isn't
the best solution.
To be better optimized I would like to use the following
format
www.example.com/memberdir/12345.cfm
The trouble that I am running into is that the files
(12345.cfm, 12346.cfm, etc.) don't exist and return 404's. The only
directory on our site that will handle things in this way is the
'memberdir' folder. I am trying to handle this without making an
modifications to IIS or using ISAPI Rewrite.
I am using the application.cfm file to handle the processing
(the query that pulls the member data). However, I haven't been
able to get around the issue with the file not existing. Again, I
don't want to have to make changes with IIS and I don't think it
will be the most efficient to check for the existance of the file
and writing a shell file (an empty .cfm file for all members) to
avoid the 404. I could do that, but it doesn't seem like the ideal
solution.
If anyone has any guidance to point me in the right
direction, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
roblaw

Answer 1

There was a suggestion made to me, that I used, previously on
this board. It works really well. Have a page which checks for the
existence of the necessary perameters in the url, and parses
accordingly. If the necesary parameters aren't located in the url,
then return a 'personalized' 404 error.
However, the long and the short of it is that you will have
to redirect all 404 errors from the server to hit this special .cfm
page. (you will have to edit the IIS.)
If you want to see this in action, go to
www.jxp.com/whatever, since the call would be a '404' error, it
calls the special 404 page that I created, which checks the dB for
the 'whatever' if 'whatever' exists then it shows the necessary
page, otherwise I return a listing of other possible 'hits' you may
have been looking for. This will give you an idea of what you can
do.
Hope this helps.