[OT] Debian mailinglists [was: RE: Debian or Ubuntu?]

[Derek Broughton]

Les Mikesell wrote:

> Derek Broughton wrote:
>>
>>> What are the possible choices for RewriteRules or ProxyPass directives
>>> in an apache config?  You can verify that server won't crash with some
>>> contents you choose but not that it will actually function correctly or
>>> at all.  There are any number of configuration options where the entries
>>> are completely arbitrary.
>> 
>> You can't verify it any more if you hand-edit the file either.  So
>> there's
>> no advantage there using a text editor.  However, if you really want to
>> to semantic validation too, this is a fine example - since I actually
>> have had to do this recently :-)
>> 
>> I have an apache server that proxies a bunch of Plone servers.  The
>> rewrite rules look like:
>> 
>> RewriteRule ^/cmb(.*) \
>> http://localhost:9080/VirtualHostBase/http/www.DOMAIN:80/cmb$1 [L,P]
>> 
>> So the first thing I do after adding one of these is:
>> # wget http://localhost:9080/VirtualHostBase/http/www.DOMAIN:80/cmb/
>> # wget http://www.DOMAIN:80/cmb/
>> 
>> The first verifies that the rewrite target is valid, and the second
>> verifies
>> that the source is valid.  That would be easier to do in the config
>> tool...
> 
> Except that (A) you'd have to write this mythical config tool first, (B)
> you'll find it impossible to describe in general how to construct the
> URL that tests your rule, and (C) the test target may not be ready or
> working at the time you want to add the rule.

True - but that's _exactly_ the situation if you're hand editing.  You're
telling me that GUI tools don't work, but then providing examples where
they work _at least_ as well as hand editing.
-- 
derek