RE: script locations (how to setuo scripts as any extention)

[Alex Andrews <alex () binarygod co uk>]

In my previous post, i mentioned how it is possible to setup cgi-bin style directories at any location, and run scripts 
from any file extension. The following imforms you of how under Apache at least this is possible:


0) Standard Disclaimer
Just to say use the techniques described here at your own risk. You have been told

1) Placing cgi-scripts anywhere

The following is taken from my httpd.conf.

---snip---------
ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ "/usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/"

#
# "/usr/local/apache/cgi-bin" should be changed to whatever your ScriptAliased
# CGI directory exists, if you have that configured.
#
<Directory "/cgi-bin">
    AllowOverride None
    Options None
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from all
</Directory>
---snip----

As we can see, you can make the script aliased CGI directory, ie the directory where the scripts are stored into 
anything, and be called on the webserver anything. Scripts will only be allowed here (unless...well see below) The 
syntax is:
ScriptAlias < what shall the directory be called on the server ie /cgi-bin> <where is the directory, absolute path>
For example, if i stored my scripts for some obscure reason in a directory called /usr/local/cgi, and wanted people to 
access scripts from http://www.myserver.com/script-fu/ i would do the following:
ScriptAlias /script-fu/ "/usr/local/cgi"
Then add the following access restrictions to the directory:
<Directory "/script-fu">
    AllowOverride None
    Options None
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from all
</Directory>
Easy huh! I havent tested this, but in theroy you could even make the root of your web server scriptable (make the 
htdocs directory the same as the script alias)
But this is only the start, infact you can easily allow a script to be executed anywhere, in or out of the cgi-bin 
alike directory, by using the AddHandler. The format of the command is simple:
AddHandler <what handler> <extension>
So if i want to execute my perl anywhere i do this:
AddHandler cgi-script .cgi
And voila! It's done obviously! I can add as many different extensions as I like for it. So if i want scripts with .ale 
extensions to work anywhere i can.
AddHandler cgi-script .cgi .ale

2) Make the server parse any document for php/ssi/whatever

First lets deal with server side parsing languages, php as the example here. When we install php we add the following 
lines to where ever the mime types are stored for apache (in httpd.conf for me):
AddType application/x-httpd-php3 .php
AddType application/x-httpd-php3-source .phps
There is nothing to stop you allowing php to be parsed from any extension you desire. So if want php to be parse out of 
the much used .ale extension i simply do this:
AddType application/x-httpd-php3 .php .ale
AddType application/x-httpd-php3-source .phps .ale
The syntax is then AddType <type> <extension> <extensions>. Although I have no experience, the documentation suggests 
that anyother server side scripting language can be set in a similar manner.
Now lets deal with those SSI pages, the following lines of the httpd.conf, deal with this aspect of the server:
AddType text/html .shtml
AddHandler server-parsed .shtml
Obviously these two varibles can also be changed. If I wanted to make all .ale pages ssi parsed i would do the 
following.
AddType text/html .ale
AddHandler server-parsed .ale
So:
AddType <mime type> <extensions>
AddHandler <what handler> <extensions>

4) Links

The Apache Project Homepage which includes complete documentation: http://www.apache.org
The PHP scripting language homepage: http://www.php.net


And there we go, thats it, if i managed to keep your attention this far, you are a better person than me.
 
Thanks for your time
Alex

-------
An unexamined life is not worth living
--