Synopsis

  use Apache2::RequestUtil ();
  
  # add httpd config dynamically
  $r->add_config(['require valid-user']);
  
  # dump the request object as a string
  print $r->as_string();
  
  # default content_type
  $content_type = $r->default_type();
  
  # get PerlSetVar/PerlAddVar values
  @values = $r->dir_config->get($key);
  
  # get server docroot
  $docroot = $r->document_root();
  
  # set server docroot
  $r->document_root($new_root);
  
  # what are the registered perl handlers for a given phase
  my @handlers = @{ $r->get_handlers('PerlResponseHandler') || [] };
  
  # push a new handler for a given phase
  $r->push_handlers(PerlCleanupHandler => \&handler);
  
  # set handlers for a given phase (resetting previous values)
  $r->set_handlers(PerlCleanupHandler => []);
  
  # what's the request body limit
  $limit = $r->get_limit_req_body();
  
  # server and port names
  $server = $r->get_server_name();
  $port   = $r->get_server_port();
  
  # what string Apache is going to send for a given status code
  $status_line = Apache2::RequestUtil::get_status_line(404);
  
  # are we in the main request?
  $is_initial = $r->is_initial_req();
  
  # directory level PerlOptions flags lookup
  $r->subprocess_env unless $r->is_perl_option_enabled('SetupEnv');
  
  # current <Location> value
  $location = $r->location();
  
  # merge a <Location> container in a request object
  $r->location_merge($location);
  
  # create a new Apache2::RequestRec object
  $r = Apache2::RequestRec->new($c);
  
  # tell the client not to cache the response
  $r->no_cache($boolean);
  
  # share perl objects by reference like $r->notes
  $r->pnotes($key => [$obj1, $obj2]);
  
  # get HTML signature
  $sig = $r->psignature($prefix);
  
  # get the global request object (requires PerlOptions +GlobalRequest)
  $r = Apache2::RequestUtil->request;
  
  # insert auth credentials into the request as if the client did that
  $r->set_basic_credentials($username, $password);
  
  # slurp the contents of $r->filename
  my $content = ${ $r->slurp_filename() };
  
  # terminate the current child after this request
  $r->child_terminate();

Description

Apache2::RequestUtil provides the Apache request object utilities API.

API

add_config

Dynamically add Apache configuration at request processing runtime:

  $r->add_config($lines);
  $r->add_config($lines, $override);
  $r->add_config($lines, $override, $path);
  $r->add_config($lines, $override, $path, $override_opts);

Configuration directives are processed as if given in a <Location> block.

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $lines (ARRAY ref)

  An ARRAY reference containing configuration lines per element, without the new line terminators.

• opt arg2: $override ( Apache2::Const override constant )

  Which allow-override bits are set

  Default value is: Apache2::Const::OR_AUTHCFG

• opt arg3: $path ( string )

  Set the Apache2::CmdParms object path component. This is the path of the <Location> block. Some directives need this, for example ProxyPassReverse.

  If an empty string is passed a NULL pointer is passed further at C-level. This is necessary to make something like this work:

    $r->add_config( [
  	 	   '<Directory />',
  		   'AllowOverride Options AuthConfig',
  		   '</Directory>',
                    ], ~0, '' );

  Note: AllowOverride is valid only in directory context.

  Caution: Some directives need a non-empty path otherwise they cause segfaults. Thus, use the empty path with caution.

  Default value is: /

• opt arg4: $override_opts ( Apache2::Const options constant )

  Apache limits the applicable directives in certain situations with AllowOverride. With Apache 2.2 comes the possibility to enable or disable single options, for example

    AllowOverride AuthConfig Options=ExecCGI,Indexes

  Internally, this directive is parsed into 2 bit fields that are represented by the $override and $override_opts parameters to add_config. The above example is parsed into an $override with 2 bits set, one for AuthConfig the other for Options and an $override_opts with 2 bits set for ExecCGI and Indexes.

  When applying other directives, for example AuthType or Options the appropriate bits in $override must be set. For the Options directive additionally $override_opts bits must be set.

  The $override and $override_opts parameters to add_config are valid while applying $lines.

  $override_opts is new in Apache 2.2. The mod_perl implementation for Apache 2.0 lets you pass the parameter but ignores it.

  Default for $override_opts is: Apache2::Const::OPT_UNSET | Apache2::Const::OPT_ALL | Apache2::Const::OPT_INCNOEXEC | Apache2::Const::OPT_SYM_OWNER | Apache2::Const::OPT_MULTI

  That means, all options are allowed.

• ret: no return value
• since: 2.0.00, $path and $override_opts since 2.0.3

See also: $s->add_config

For example:

  use Apache2::RequestUtil ();
  use Apache2::Access ();

  $r->add_config(['require valid-user']);

  # this regards the current AllowOverride setting
  $r->add_config(['AuthName secret',
                  'AuthType Basic',
                  'Options ExecCGI'],
                 $r->allow_override, $path, $r->allow_override_opts);

as_string

Dump the request object as a string

  $dump = $r->as_string();

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• ret: $dump ( string )
• since: 2.0.00

Dumps various request and response headers (mainly useful for debugging)

child_terminate

Terminate the current worker process as soon as the current request is over

  $r->child_terminate();

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• ret: no return value
• since: 2.0.00

This method is not supported in threaded MPMs

default_type

Retrieve the value of the DefaultType directive for the current request. If not set text/plain is returned.

  $content_type = $r->default_type();

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )

  The current request

• ret: $content_type ( string )

  The default type

• since: 2.0.00
• removed from the httpd API in version 2.3.2

dir_config

$r->dir_config() provides an interface for the per-directory variable specified by the PerlSetVar and PerlAddVar directives, and also can be manipulated via the APR::Table methods.

  $table  = $r->dir_config();
  $value  = $r->dir_config($key);
  @values = $r->dir_config->get($key);
  $r->dir_config($key, $val);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• opt arg2: $key ( string )

  Key string

• opt arg3: $val ( string )

  Value string

• ret: ...

  Depends on the passed arguments, see further discussion

• since: 2.0.00

The keys are case-insensitive.

  $apr_table = $r->dir_config();

dir_config() called in a scalar context without the $key argument returns a HASH reference blessed into the APR::Table class. This object can be manipulated via the APR::Table methods. For available methods see the APR::Table manpage.

  $value = $r->dir_config($key);

If the $key argument is passed in the scalar context only a single value will be returned. Since the table preserves the insertion order, if there is more than one value for the same key, the oldest value assosiated with the desired key is returned. Calling in the scalar context is also much faster, as it'll stop searching the table as soon as the first match happens.

  @values = $r->dir_config->get($key);

To receive a list of values you must use get() method from the APR::Table class.

  $r->dir_config($key => $val);

If the $key and the $val arguments are used, the set() operation will happen: all existing values associated with the key $key (and the key itself) will be deleted and $value will be placed instead.

  $r->dir_config($key => undef);

If $val is undef the unset() operation will happen: all existing values associated with the key $key (and the key itself) will be deleted.

document_root

Retrieve the document root for this server

  $docroot = $r->document_root();
  $docroot = $r->document_root($new_root);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )

  The current request

• opt arg1: $new_root

  Sets the document root to a new value only for the duration of the current request.

  Note the limited functionality under threaded MPMs.

• ret: $docroot ( string )

  The document root

• since: 2.0.00

get_handlers

Returns a reference to a list of handlers enabled for a given phase.

  $handlers_list = $r->get_handlers($hook_name);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $hook_name ( string )

  a string representing the phase to handle (e.g. PerlLogHandler)

• ret: $handlers_list (ref to an ARRAY of CODE refs)

  a list of handler subroutines CODE references

• since: 2.0.00

See also: $s->add_config

For example:

A list of handlers configured to run at the response phase:

  my @handlers = @{ $r->get_handlers('PerlResponseHandler') || [] };

get_limit_req_body

Return the limit on bytes in request msg body

  $limit = $r->get_limit_req_body();

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )

  The current request

• ret: $limit (integer)

  the maximum number of bytes in the request msg body

• since: 2.0.00

get_server_name

Get the current request's server name

  $server = $r->get_server_name();

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )

  The current request

• ret: $server ( string )

  the server name

• since: 2.0.00

For example, consruct a hostport string:

  use Apache2::RequestUtil ();
  my $hostport = join ':', $r->get_server_name, $r->get_server_port;

get_server_port

Get the current server port

  $port = $r->get_server_port();

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )

  The current request

• ret: $port ( integer )

  The server's port number

• since: 2.0.00

For example, consruct a hostport string:

  use Apache2::RequestUtil ();
  my $hostport = join ':', $r->get_server_name, $r->get_server_port;

get_status_line

Return the Status-Line for a given status code (excluding the HTTP-Version field).

  $status_line = Apache2::RequestUtil::get_status_line($status);

• arg1: $status (integer)

  The HTTP status code

• ret: $status_line ( string )

  The Status-Line

  If an invalid or unknown status code is passed, "500 Internal Server Error" will be returned.

• since: 2.0.00

For example:

  use Apache2::RequestUtil ();
  print Apache2::RequestUtil::get_status_line(400);

will print:

  400 Bad Request

is_initial_req

Determine whether the current request is the main request or a sub-request

  $is_initial = $r->is_initial_req();

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )

  A request or a sub-request object

• ret: $is_initial ( boolean )

  If true -- it's the main request, otherwise it's a sub-request

• since: 2.0.00

is_perl_option_enabled

check whether a directory level PerlOptions flag is enabled or not.

  $result = $r->is_perl_option_enabled($flag);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $flag ( string )
• ret: $result ( boolean )
• since: 2.0.00

For example to check whether the SetupEnv option is enabled for the current request (which can be disabled with PerlOptions -SetupEnv) and populate the environment variables table if disabled:

  $r->subprocess_env unless $r->is_perl_option_enabled('SetupEnv');

See also: PerlOptions and the equivalent function for server level PerlOptions flags.

location

Get the path of the <Location> section from which the current Perl*Handler is being called.

  $location = $r->location();

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• ret: $location ( string )
• since: 2.0.00

location_merge

Merge a given <Location> container into the current request object:

  $ret = $r->location_merge($location);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $location ( string )

  The argument in a <Location> section. For example to merge a container:

    <Location /foo>
        ...
    </Location>

  that argument will be /foo

• ret: $ret ( boolean )

  a true value if the merge was successful (i.e. the request $location match was found), otherwise false.

• since: 2.0.00

Useful for insertion of a configuration section into a custom Apache2::RequestRec object, created via the Apache2::RequestRec->new() method. See for example the Command Server protocol example.

new

Create a new Apache2::RequestRec object.

  $r = Apache2::RequestRec->new($c);
  $r = Apache2::RequestRec->new($c, $pool);

• obj: Apache2::RequestRec ( Apache2::RequestRec class name )
• arg1: $c (Apache2::Connection object)
• opt arg2: $pool

  If no $pool argument is passed, $c->pool is used. That means that the created Apache2::RequestRec object will be valid as long as the connection object is valid.

• ret: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• since: 2.0.00

It's possible to reuse the HTTP framework features outside the familiar HTTP request cycle. It's possible to write your own full or partial HTTP implementation without needing a running Apache server. You will need the Apache2::RequestRec object in order to be able to reuse the rich functionality supplied via this object.

See for example the Command Server protocol example which reuses HTTP AAA model under non-HTTP protocol.

no_cache

Add/remove cache control headers:

  $prev_no_cache = $r->no_cache($boolean);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $boolean ( boolean )

  A true value sets the no_cache request record member to a true value and inserts:

    Pragma: no-cache
    Cache-control: no-cache

  into the response headers, indicating that the data being returned is volatile and the client should not cache it.

  A false value unsets the no_cache request record member and the mentioned headers if they were previously set.

• ret: $prev_no_cache ( boolean )

  Should you care, the no_cache request record member value prior to the change is returned.

• since: 2.0.00

This method should be invoked before any response data has been sent out.

pnotes

Share Perl variables between Perl HTTP handlers

  # to share variables by value and not reference, $val should be a lexical.
  $old_val  = $r->pnotes($key => $val);
  $val      = $r->pnotes($key);
  $hash_ref = $r->pnotes();

Note: sharing variables really means it. The variable is not copied. Only its reference count is incremented. If it is changed after being put in pnotes that change also affects the stored value. The following example illustrates the effect:

  my $v=1;                     my $v=1;
  $r->pnotes( 'v'=>$v );       $r->pnotes->{v}=$v;
  $v++;                        $v++;
  my $x=$r->pnotes('v');       my $x=$r->pnotes->{v};

In both cases $x is 2 not 1. See also Apache2::SafePnotes on CPAN.

There has been a lot of discussion advocating for pnotes sharing variables by value and not reference. Sharing by reference can create 'spooky action at a distance' effects when the sharing is assumed to share a copy of the value. Tim Bunce offers the following summary and suggestion for sharing by value.

What's wrong with this code:

  sub foo {
      my ($r, $status, $why) = @_;
      $r->pnotes('foo', ($why) ? "$status:$why" : $status);
      return;
  }

Nothing, except it doesn't work as expected due to this pnotes bug: If the same code is called in a sub-request then the pnote of $r->prev is magically updated at a distance to the same value!

Try explain why that is to anyone not deeply familar with perl internals!

The fix is to avoid pnotes taking a ref to the invisible op_targ embededed in the code by passing a simple lexical variable as the actual argument. That can be done in-line like this:

  sub mark_as_internally_redirected {
      my ($r, $status, $why) = @_;
      $r->pnotes('foo', my $tmp = (($why) ? "$status:$why" : $status));
      return;
  }

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• opt arg1: $key ( string )

  A key value

• opt arg2: $val ( SCALAR )

  Any scalar value (e.g. a reference to an array)

• ret: (3 different possible values)

  if both, $key and $val are passed the previous value for $key is returned if such existed, otherwise undef is returned.

  if only $key is passed, the current value for the given key is returned.

  if no arguments are passed, a hash reference is returned, which can then be directly accessed without going through the pnotes() interface.

• since: 2.0.00

This method provides functionality similar to (Apache2::RequestRec::notes), but values can be any Perl variables. That also means that it can be used only between Perl modules.

The values get reset automatically at the end of each HTTP request.

Examples:

Set a key/value pair:

  $r->pnotes(foo => [1..5]);

Get the value:

  $val = $r->pnotes("foo");

$val now contains an array ref containing 5 elements (1..5).

Now change the existing value:

  $old_val = $r->pnotes(foo => ['a'..'c']);
  $val = $r->pnotes("foo");

$old_val now contains an array ref with 5 elements (1..5) and $val contains an array ref with 3 elements 'a', 'b', 'c'.

Alternatively you can access the hash reference with all pnotes values:

  $pnotes = $r->pnotes;

Now we can read what's in there for the key foo:

  $val = $pnotes->{foo};

and as before $val still gives us an array ref with 3 elements 'a', 'b', 'c'.

Now we can add elements to it:

  push @{ $pnotes{foo} }, 'd'..'f';

and we can try to retrieve them using the hash and non-hash API:

  $val1 = $pnotes{foo};
  $val2 = $r->pnotes("foo");

Both $val1 and $val2 contain an array ref with 6 elements (letters 'a' to 'f').

Finally to reset an entry you could just assign undef as a value:

  $r->pnotes(foo => undef);

but the entry for the key foo still remains with the value undef. If you really want to completely remove it, use the hash interface:

  delete $r->pnotes->{foo};

psignature

Get HTML describing the address and (optionally) admin of the server.

  $sig = $r->psignature($prefix);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec )
• arg1: $prefix ( string )

  Text which is prepended to the return value

• ret: $sig ( string )

  HTML text describing the server. Note that depending on the value of the ServerSignature directive, the function may return the address, including the admin information or nothing at all.

• since: 2.0.00

request

Get/set the ( Apache2::RequestRec object ) object for the current request.

  $r = Apache2::RequestUtil->request;
       Apache2::RequestUtil->request($new_r);

• obj: Apache2 (class name)

  The Apache class name

• opt arg1: $new_r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• ret: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• since: 2.0.00

The get-able part of this method is only available if PerlOptions +GlobalRequest is in effect or if Apache2->request($new_r) was called earlier. So instead of setting PerlOptions +GlobalRequest, one can set the global request from within the handler.

push_handlers

Add one or more handlers to a list of handlers to be called for a given phase.

  $ok = $r->push_handlers($hook_name => \&handler);
  $ok = $r->push_handlers($hook_name => ['Foo::Bar::handler', \&handler2]);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $hook_name ( string )

  the phase to add the handlers to

• arg2: $handlers ( CODE ref or SUB name or an ARRAY ref )

  a single handler CODE reference or just a name of the subroutine (fully qualified unless defined in the current package).

  if more than one passed, use a reference to an array of CODE refs and/or subroutine names.

• ret: $ok ( boolean )

  returns a true value on success, otherwise a false value

• since: 2.0.00

  See also: $s->add_config

  Note that to push input/output filters you have to use Apache2::Filter methods: add_input_filter and add_output_filter.

Examples:

A single handler:

  $r->push_handlers(PerlResponseHandler => \&handler);

Multiple handlers:

  $r->push_handlers(PerlFixupHandler => ['Foo::Bar::handler', \&handler2]);

Anonymous functions:

  $r->push_handlers(PerlLogHandler => sub { return Apache2::Const::OK });

set_basic_credentials

Populate the incoming request headers table (headers_in) with authentication headers for Basic Authorization as if the client has submitted those in first place:

  $r->set_basic_credentials($username, $password);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $username ( string )
• arg2: $password ( string )
• ret: no return value
• since: 2.0.00

See for example the Command Server protocol example which reuses HTTP AAA model under non-HTTP protocol.

set_handlers

Set a list of handlers to be called for a given phase. Any previously set handlers are forgotten.

  $ok = $r->set_handlers($hook_name => \&handler);
  $ok = $r->set_handlers($hook_name => ['Foo::Bar::handler', \&handler2]);
  $ok = $r->set_handlers($hook_name => []);
  $ok = $r->set_handlers($hook_name => undef);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $hook_name ( string )

  the phase to set the handlers in

• arg2: $handlers (CODE ref or SUB name or an ARRAY ref)

  a reference to a single handler CODE reference or just a name of the subroutine (fully qualified unless defined in the current package).

  if more than one passed, use a reference to an array of CODE refs and/or subroutine names.

  if the argument is undef or [] the list of handlers is reset to zero.

• ret: $ok ( boolean )

  returns a true value on success, otherwise a false value

• since: 2.0.00

See also: $s->add_config

Examples:

A single handler:

  $r->set_handlers(PerlResponseHandler => \&handler);

Multiple handlers:

  $r->set_handlers(PerlFixupHandler => ['Foo::Bar::handler', \&handler2]);

Anonymous functions:

  $r->set_handlers(PerlLogHandler => sub { return Apache2::Const::OK });

Reset any previously set handlers:

  $r->set_handlers(PerlCleanupHandler => []);

or

  $r->set_handlers(PerlCleanupHandler => undef);

slurp_filename

Slurp the contents of $r->filename:

  $content_ref = $r->slurp_filename($tainted);

• obj: $r ( Apache2::RequestRec object )
• arg1: $tainted (number)

  If the server is run under the tainting mode (-T) which we hope you do, by default the returned data is tainted. If an optional $tainted flag is set to zero, the data will be marked as non-tainted.

  Do not set this flag to zero unless you know what you are doing, you may create a security hole in your program if you do. For more information see the perlsec manpage.

  If you wonder why this option is available, it is used internally by the ModPerl::Registry handler and friends, because the CGI scripts that it reads are considered safe (you could just as well require() them).

• ret: $content_ref ( SCALAR ref )

  A reference to a string with the contents

• excpt: APR::Error

  Possible error codes could be: APR::Const::EACCES (permission problems), APR::Const::ENOENT (file not found), and others. For checking such error codes, see the documentation for, for example, APR::Status::is_EACCES and APR::Status::is_ENOENT.

• since: 2.0.00

Note that if you assign to $r->filename you need to update its stat record.

See Also

mod_perl 2.0 documentation.

Copyright

mod_perl 2.0 and its core modules are copyrighted under The Apache Software License, Version 2.0.

Authors

The mod_perl development team and numerous contributors.