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Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 12:45:59 -0800
Subject: Re: Problem and Solution to svn import
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To: dev@httpd.apache.org
From: Aaron Bannert <aaron@clove.org>
In-Reply-To: <20030113024024.A1342@lyra.org>
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On Monday, January 13, 2003, at 02:40  AM, Greg Stein wrote:
>> I have copied the httpd development mailing list, because this bug was
>> specifically addressed over a year ago.  I know, because I am the 
>> person
>> who brought it to Greg's attention last time too.  Mod_dir should not 
>> be
>> redirecting non-GET requests by default.
>
> It is totally fine if it wants to redirect non-GET requests. Roy can 
> explain
> the subtle differences between a URL that ends in a slash and one that
> doesn't, but the simple fact is that the server should be able to do 
> the
> redirect, and the client should be able to handle it. A client that 
> cannot
> is considered broken (and deserves 10 lashes :-).
>
> Ah. Here is a simple example. There is a resource on the server that 
> refers
> to a directory on the disk; the URL is http://example.com/dir/. If you 
> GET
> it, then you get the index.html and there is an HREF in there to
> "page.html". If there was no slash on the end of the request URL, then
> following the link takes to http://example.com/page.html. Thus, the 
> server
> does a redirect to ensure the slash is present, so that relative links 
> take
> you to the right place: http://example.com/dir/page.html.
>
> If you ever attempt to refer to the resource, then you should use the 
> URL
> that refers to that resource. Whether it is a GET, a PROPFIND, or a 
> COPY.
> Thus, the redirection to ensure that you get the slash on the end.

There is a difference between http://example.com/foo and 
http://example.com/foo/.
The former refers to the actual directory entry, and the latter refers 
to the
contents of the directory entry. mod_dir does a redirect to the /'d 
entry
since it is assuming that the client actually intended to get the 
contents
of the directory. (/me awaits Roy's flamesent clarification)

-aaron