Mailing List Archive

> Since 1.4 should be released this week (fingers-crossed), I think we
> need a consensus on the variable names. After it comes out, its going
> to be much harder to change.

> To my knowledge, Apache still uses REDIRECT_, while 1.4 uses ERROR_
> The reasons being that the error document has been redirected to by
> the request or because the request was in error. Especially with B18,
> which means legitimate redirects don't die(), I'm not sure which is more
> accurate.

The Apache philosophy is that all redirects now contain information
about the eariler request, held in the REDIRECT_ prefixed variables.
Custom error/problem responses can be configured to use a local
redirect, and as such, they are no different to any other type of
redirect.

As I've said before, the term "ERROR_" is potentially misleading since
not all calls to die() are a result of an error, e.g. authentication
failure isn't a server error, it's just a denial of service based on
a lack of authentication.

*I* don't want to see Apache use "ERROR_", but I'm prepared to be
overruled by the majority. Only Randy and I expressed any preference
regarding the name, and "REDIRECT_" was chosen. I assumed everyone
else on this list was either happy with the name, or just didn't
care what it was called.

> Another thing that maybe should be included is a variable which says which
> of the password domain was violated, since this information could be useful
> to the script writer as well. Just a thought.

It's proabably worth passing on any info that die() was given about the
problem/error. If I undertand what you're suggesting, then this would
be included.

Maybe "REDIRECT_CAUSE" or "REDIRECT_SYMPTOM" ?

I see no problem with using "REDIRECT_" as the prefix. The web master
will know that (s)he's using the local redirect feature to intercept
problems/errors, so why not refer to the new variables by this name ?..
and if NCSA ever follows Apache and adds CGI variables for other redirects,
you'll need to name them.


robh

[REDIRECT vs ERROR]
> As I've said before, the term "ERROR_" is potentially misleading since
> not all calls to die() are a result of an error, e.g. authentication
> failure isn't a server error, it's just a denial of service based on
> a lack of authentication.
>
> *I* don't want to see Apache use "ERROR_", but I'm prepared to be
> overruled by the majority. Only Randy and I expressed any preference
> regarding the name, and "REDIRECT_" was chosen. I assumed everyone
> else on this list was either happy with the name, or just didn't
> care what it was called.

REDIRECT is better, for the reason stated above.

Ay. [maintaining a low profile right now 'cuz work is *mental*]

Andrew Wilson URL: http://www.cm.cf.ac.uk/User/Andrew.Wilson/
Elsevier Science, Oxford Office: +44 01865 843155 Mobile: +44 0589 616144

On Mon, 1 May 1995, Andrew Wilson wrote:
> [REDIRECT vs ERROR]
> > As I've said before, the term "ERROR_" is potentially misleading since
> > not all calls to die() are a result of an error, e.g. authentication
> > failure isn't a server error, it's just a denial of service based on
> > a lack of authentication.
> >
> > *I* don't want to see Apache use "ERROR_", but I'm prepared to be
> > overruled by the majority. Only Randy and I expressed any preference
> > regarding the name, and "REDIRECT_" was chosen. I assumed everyone
> > else on this list was either happy with the name, or just didn't
> > care what it was called.
>
> REDIRECT is better, for the reason stated above.
>
> Ay. [maintaining a low profile right now 'cuz work is *mental*]

I'll throw in my +1 as well for REDIRECT. Consider, NCSA, that with
HTTP/1.1 an imagemap script could redirect internally to a CGI-script
rather than force the client to make a second request, and in that
situation the redirect is not an error at all (and that the script might
need the info that the imagemap script had access to).

Brian

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