Custom Post Type Base URL

Question

Is it possible to not use the loop for the base URL of a custom post type.

So for instance if my custom post type is 'directory'.

I don't want http://www.mysite.com/directory/ to land at the loop page, I want to make a custom page template that will serve a customised layout for proceeding into areas of the custom post type, based on taxonomies etc.

However for a single post I do still want to keep the custom post type name in the URL.

So - http://www.mysite.com/directory/listing_type/listing_locale/postname/

If anyone could help with this, i'd much appreciate it.

Edit - post creation snippet

register_post_type( 'directory',
        array(
            'labels' => array(
                'name' => __( 'Directory Listing' ),
                'singular_name' => __( 'Directorys' ),
                'add_new' => __( 'Add directory listing' ),
                'add_new_item' => __( 'Add directory listing' ),
                'edit' => __( 'Edit' ),
                'edit_item' => __( 'Edit Directory' ),
                'new_item' => __( 'Add a directory listing' ),
                'view' => __( 'View Directory' ),
                'view_item' => __( 'View Directory' ),
                'search_items' => __( 'Search Directorys' ),
                'not_found' => __( 'No Directory found' ),
                'not_found_in_trash' => __( 'No Directory found in Trash' ),
                'parent' => __( 'Parent Directorys' ),
            ),
            'public' => true,
            'query_var' => true,
            'menu_position' => 35,
            'show_ui' => true,
            'supports' => array('title','thumbnail','page-attributes','revisions'),
            'publicly_queryable' => true,
            'exclude_from_search' => true,
            'hierarchical' => true
        )
    );

Answer 1

You need the has_archive option set to true when registering your custom post type with the register_post_type function, in order for the archive-{posttype}.php file to work.

Answer 2

Try to create page/file called archive-{posttype}.php. It's post type name NOT post type slug.

function create_post_type() {
    register_post_type( 'acme_product',
        array(
            'labels' => array(
                'name' => __( 'Products' ),
                'singular_name' => __( 'Product' )
            ),
        'public' => true,
        'has_archive' => true,
        'rewrite' => array('slug' => 'product-slug'),
        )
    );
}

Check also template Hierarchy.