Movable Type Dynamic Template Bug
Symptoms
Part or all of your website generates 403 Forbidden errors after enabling dynamic templates in Movable Type. If the blog is installed in the document root of your site, every attempt to view a page results in the error. This includes attempts to access example.com/movabletype/mt.cgi.
You most likely followed these steps to enable dynamic templates:
- Log into Movable Type.
- Click on the Templates link for any of your blogs.
- Under Build Options, select either Build Only Archive Templates Dynamically or Set Each Template's Build Options Separately, then save.
READ ME FIRST
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Diagnosis
Movable Type has created an .htaccess file in the blog's root folder. This .htaccess file sets up some mod_rewrite rules that are intended to make the dynamic templates work. However, for mod_rewrite to work, the FollowSymlinks option must be enabled.
Solution
Open the .htaccess file created by Movable Type. Change the Options -Indexes line to the following:
Filename: .htaccess
Options -Indexes +FollowSymlinks