NAME

Apache::CGI::Builder - CGI::Builder and Apache/mod_perl integration

VERSION 1.0

To have the complete list of all the extensions of the CBF, see "Extensions List" in CGI::Builder

INSTALLATION

Prerequisites

Apache/mod_perl 1 or 2
CGI::Builder >= 1.0

CPAN

perl -MCPAN -e 'install Apache::CGI::Builder'

If you want to install all the extensions and prerequisites of the CBF, all in one easy step:

perl -MCPAN -e 'install Bundle::CGI::Builder::Complete'

Standard installation

From the directory where this file is located, type:

perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
make install

SYNOPSIS

# include in your build
use CGI::Builder
qw| Apache::CGI::Builder
    ... other inclusions ...
  |;

# direct interaction with the Apache request object
$r = $self->r ;
%headers = $self->r->headers_in ;

# virtual run mode pages
# instead of using this
http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/appScript.pl?p=aPage

# you can use this
http://www.yourdomain.com/aPage

DESCRIPTION

This module is a CGI::Builder extension that supply a perl handler to integrate your application modules with the Apache/mod_perl server.

Include this module in your build, if your application can take advantage from accessing the Apache request object (available as the r property), and/or to run your application in a handy and alternative way. If you don't need any of the above features, you can use the CGI::Builder module that is however fully mod_perl 1 and 2 compatible.

Note: most of the interesting reading of how organize your application module are in CGI::Builder.

Note: An extremely powerful combination with this extension is the CGI::Builder::Magic, that can easily implement a sort of Perl Side Include (sort of easier, more powerful and flexible "Server Side Include").

No Instance Script needed

A regular CGI::Builder application, uses an Instance Script to call the Application Module. With Apache::CGI::Builder the Apache/mod_perl server uses the Application module directly (throug the perl handler supplied by this module), without the need of any Instance Script.

The Perl Handler

This module provide a mod_perl 1 and 2 compatible handler that internally creates the Application object and produce the output page, after setting the following properties:

• r

  This property is set to the Apache request object. Use it to interact directly with all the Apache/mod_perl internal methods.

• page_name

  The default page_name is set to the base name of the requested filename (e.g. being the requested filename /path/to/file.mhtml, the default page_name will be set to 'file'). This is an alternative and handy way to avoid to pass the page_name with the query.

• page_path

  The default page_path property is set to the directory that contains the requested file.

• page_suffix

  The default page_suffix property is set to the suffix of the requested filename (e.g. being the requested filename /path/to/file.mhtml, the default page_suffix will be set to '.mhtml').

Note: Usually you don't need to use neither the perl handler nor these properties, because they are all internally managed.

How to pass the page_name

In a regular CBA the page_name usually comes from a query parameter or from code inside your application. Both ways are still working with this extension, but you have another way: use the base filename of your links as the page_name.

E.g.: Providing that the RootDirectory of 'yourdomain.com' has been correctly configured to be handled by your Application module:

Instead of using this (good for any regular CBA):

http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/IScript.pl?p=aPage

You can use this:

http://www.yourdomain.com/aPage

Same thing with more query parameters:

http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/IScript.pl?p=aPage&myField=aValue
http://www.yourdomain.com/aPage?myField=aValue

Note: Remember that this technique utilize the default page_name. Default means that it is overridable by setting explicitly the page_name inside your code, or passing an explicit 'p' query parameter. (i.e. if you want to use the provided default, you have just to avoid to set it explicitly).

Apache configuration

The Apache configuration for mod-perl 1 or 2 is extremely simple. In order to use e.g. your FooBar.pm Application module, you have to follow these steps:

1 tell mod_perl to load FooBar.pm

You can do this in several ways.

In the startup.pl file (or equivalent) you can simply add:

use FooBar () ;

or you can tell mod_perl to load it from inside any configuration files:

PerlModule FooBar

or if your FooBar.pm file is not in the mod_perl @INC this will work as well from any Apache configuration file:

PerlRequire /path/to/FooBar.pm

2 tell mod_perl to use it as a (response) handler

In .htaccess file

For mod_perl 1:

SetHandler perl-script
PerlHandler FooBar

For mod_perl 2:

SetHandler perl-script
PerlResponseHandler FooBar

Note: In order to use this extension, the only difference between mod_perl 1 and 2 configuration, is the mod_perl handler name 'PerlHandler' that becomes 'PerlResponseHandler' for the version 2.

3 restrict its use to fit your needs

Use the Apache configuration sections Location, Directory, DirectoryMatch, Files, FilesMatch etc. to restrict the use of the handler (see also the Apache Directive documentation)

# example 1: httpd.conf
# only if runs under mod_perl
<IfModule mod_perl.c>
     PerlModule FooBar
     # limited to the dir /some/path
     <Directory /some/path>
         SetHandler perl-script
         PerlHandler FooBar
     </Directory>
</IfModule>

# example 2: /some/path/.htaccess file
# only if runs under mod_perl
<IfModule mod_perl.c>
     PerlModule FooBar
     SetHandler perl-script
     PerlHandler FooBar
</IfModule>

Note: see also the /magic_examples/perl_side_include/.htaccess file in this distribution.

PROPERTY ACCESSORS

This module adds just one property to the standard CGI::Builder properties.

r

This property allows you to access the request Apache object.

SUPPORT and FEEDBACK

You can join the CBF mailing list at this url:

http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/cgi-builder-users

AUTHOR and COPYRIGHT

© 2004 by Domizio Demichelis (http://perl.4pro.net)

All Rights Reserved. This module is free software. It may be used, redistributed and/or modified under the same terms as perl itself.

cpanm Apache::CGI::Builder

perl -MCPAN -e shell
install Apache::CGI::Builder