The following reply was made to PR mod_actions/3519; it has been noted by GNATS.
From: Rainer Scherg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: RE: mod_actions/3519: Action - Scripts defaults as cgi?
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 10:26:13 +0100
>Synopsis: Action - Scripts defaults as cgi?
>No, I don't see why they should always be executed. It is very
>possible that you want someone to be able to use the Action
>directive for existing scripts without letting them make arbitrary
>things executable.
IMO it's makeing no sense to install a Action-Script without the
possibility of executing it. (Perhaps I didn't make myself clear
enough for understanding - sorry my English is not the best...)
A Action directive contains a script which should be executed, when
the Action condition is triggered. If the Action-Script doesn't match
the CGI-handler conditions, the Action-script IMO will not be executed.
e.g.:
Addhandler cgi-handler .cgi .pl
ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /cgi-bin
Action ph3-script /some-other-dir/php
The question here is: Should Apache execute /some-other-dir/php?
IMO: Yes.
Today for most apache webmasters this is a minor problem, because
they have these programms installed in /cgi-bin and are using the
default ScriptAlias - directive to make /cgi-bin/php match the cgi-
handler conditions.
==> But this is a minor problem - the real problem was to understand
the Action mechanism - and looking on the php mailing lists,
most newbies have the same problem (so: I'm not alone ;-)).
I think improving the doc a little bit will make this topic much
clearer for newbies.
>If you have any particular suggestions for areas where the docs
>could be improved, please send them, but we really can't do
>much with a general "they aren't good".
Yep - You are right! Sorry!
The docs should contain some hints for the Action directive:
1. Correct "Action mime-type ..." --> "Action handler ..."
(see our discussion/ my question in news-group:
comp.infosys...server.unix)
2. Action <handler> <cgi-script> has to match the cgi-handler
conditions.
Which means: the script should be placed in a directory covered
by the ScriptAlias directive, and/or should follow the cgi-script
naming
convention (filename extension).
This is necessary to make apache execute the Action script.
3. e.g.:
AddHandler cgi-handler .cgi
#ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /cgi-bin
AddHandler php3-script .php3 .phtml
Action php3-script /cgi-bin/php
will not work, because /cgi-bin/php doesn't match the cgi-handler
conditions.
WorkAround:
Use ScriptAlias - directive to make all files in /cgi-bin
"executable" to apache.
(This is the default)
Or:
If you have disabled the ScriptAlias directive, you can use the
following config:
AddHandler cgi-handler .cgi
Action php3-script /cgi-bin/php3.cgi
(make a link from php to php.cgi)
Regards Rainer
