slive 00/10/05 17:53:15
Modified: htdocs/manual/mod core.html Log: Be a little more explicit about the results of using ErrorDocument xxx http://..... Revision Changes Path 1.175 +11 -6 httpd-docs-1.3/htdocs/manual/mod/core.html Index: core.html =================================================================== RCS file: /home/cvs/httpd-docs-1.3/htdocs/manual/mod/core.html,v retrieving revision 1.174 retrieving revision 1.175 diff -u -r1.174 -r1.175 --- core.html 2000/10/04 15:39:23 1.174 +++ core.html 2000/10/06 00:53:14 1.175 @@ -834,12 +834,17 @@ <P>Note that when you specify an <CODE>ErrorDocument</CODE> that points to a remote URL (ie. anything with a method such as "http" in -front of it) Apache will send a redirect to the client to tell it -where to find the document, even if the document ends up being -on the same server.. This has several implications, the -most important being that <STRONG>if you use an "ErrorDocument 401" -directive then it must refer to a local document.</STRONG> This results -from the nature of the HTTP basic authentication scheme. +front of it), Apache will send a redirect to the client to tell it +where to find the document, even if the document ends up being on the +same server. This has several implications, the most important being +that the client will not receive the original error status code, but +instead will receive a redirect status code. This in turn can confuse +web robots and other clients which try to determine if a URL is valid +using the status code. In addition, if you use a remote URL in an +<code>ErrorDocument 401</code>, the client will not know to prompt the +user for a password since it will not receive the 401 status +code. Therefore, <STRONG>if you use an "ErrorDocument 401" directive +then it must refer to a local document.</STRONG> <P>See Also: <A HREF="../custom-error.html">documentation of customizable responses.</A><P><HR>
