Date: Thu, 7 Dec 95 15:36:43 GMT
From: Andrew Wilson <andrew@tees.elsevier.co.uk>
Message-Id: <9512071536.AA23805@tees.elsevier.co.uk>
To: new-httpd@hyperreal.com
Subject: Passing ENVironment vars to httpd...
Sender: owner-new-httpd@apache.org
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: new-httpd@apache.org


...is something that CERN can do, but apache doesn't except for the
PATH and TZ environment variables.

I've uploaded mod_env.c_0.0.1 to hyperreal.com:/httpd/incoming and
would appreciate your comments, bearing in mind that it's not optimised
at present.

Cheers,
Ay.


USING THE mod_env MODULE

mod_env has not been tested with virtual hosts yet, but seems happy if
you're running a single server.  One new per-server configuration file
directive is added:

	PassEnv <env> [<env>*]

eg: add the following line to httpd.conf:

	PassEnv USER 

The value of $USER is then visible in the environment of any
CGI-BIN/SSI code running on the server.  You can't change the value of
an environment variable once the server's running (well *you* can, but the
server won't notice) instead you need to kill the server and restart it
again using:

	% kill -TERM `cat logs/httpd.pid`
        % setenv SOMEVAR "Foo"
	% ./httpd


INSTALLING THE mod_env MODULE

1)	Get a copy of apache_1.0.0 from http://www.apache.org/

2)	copy mod_env.c to the apache_1.0.0/src
	directory.

3)	edit the bottom of the src/Configuration file adding the line:

	Module env_module mod_env.o

4)	Make any other changes necessary to Configuration to get Apache
	running on your system

5)	in the src directory type:

	% ./Configure
	% make

6)	Try running the binary, your CGI scripts should now see the
	environment variables listed in the PassEnv directive.