[Zope] Apache/Zope newbie setup help

[Michel Pelletier]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Randy Edwards [mailto:redwards@golgotha.net]
> Sent: Monday, May 24, 1999 8:10 PM
> To: zope@zope.org
> Subject: [Zope] Apache/Zope newbie setup help
> 
> 
> Hi Folks,
> 
>    I've been toying with Zope on an NT server machine for a 
> few days and I'm
> interested enough to try it on the real server, my Debian 
> GNU/Linux box
> running Apache-SSL 1.3.6.4.
> 
>    I've read the install and webserver.txt docs but I still 
> don't have the
> configuration just right.  I can access Zope alright, and I 
> put the rewrite
> rule in and that seems to be working.  What I'm having a 
> problem with is the
> access.
> 

You are not alone, this particular step in Zope configuration has been
dificult for many.  Unfortunatly, the documentation is sparse, and the
behavior of various zope Apache interactions is not entirely known
enough to document thorougly.  It is impossible to test and document
Zope's behavior with each version of Apache, much less each *recent*
version of Apache.

>    A couple of stupid questions, if you don't mind.  What 
> apache config file
> should the <Location...> block be put into; I'm assuming access.conf,
> correct?  (And yes, I'm restarting apache to reread the 
> config files (in case
> you're wondering).)

The apache I am most familiar with (the version escapes me) had a
consolidated configuration file, httpd.conf.  In reality the three file
system is a holdover from NCSA server, and Apache just concatinates the
three files anyway into one interal configuration, so the most recent
versions of Apache have depreciated all but the primary (httpd.conf)
file.

Since it sounds like your Apache is older than the ones we have worked
with (by nature of it's three file setup) you'll have to play with this
a bit.  First thing I would recommend doing is downloading Zap (avilable
from the standard Download page on www.zope.org) and studing it's
zap.conf file.  Zap is a precompiled and preconfigured Zope + Apache for
glibc6 linux systems.  It's config file should give you a bit of a clue.
Then, I would recommend turning on your RewriteLog, and setting the
RewriteLogLevel to 9, and carefully looking at the log output (if you
can't figure it out, send 1) your conf file (just relevant portions,
please) 2) your rewriteloglovel 9 output (just a couple of hits) and 3)
the exact circumstances in which it fails for you).

This brings me to a second point.  Someone out there *please* take a
day's worth of time to help us sanify this whole Apache situation.
There must be someone who is expert enough in Apache matters to make
things easier on all of us.  All of us know that Zope works just fine
with Apache, and most of us run it in this configuration, therefore the
effort needed to come up with clear documentation on how to get Zope
working with Apache in most configurations should be near
optimal-minimum.  Whomever can write up a good tutorial on Zope + Apache
matters and problem solving in a FAQ like format, will get a Zope
T-shirt, attribution in the webserver.txt file, an area on www.zope.org
to post your information, and the infinite respect of the Digital
Creations team as a True Hero(tm) of Zope.

> 
>    Though I get an authentication prompt, I just get an 
> "Authentication
> failed.  Retry?" prompt in Netscape.  In the location block, I have
> AuthUserFile pointed at /usr/local/zope/access, which is the 
> edited access
> file for my zope install.  Does this sound correct?

Nope. It sounds like you are trying to get Apache to do the
authorization for you.  This is generally the wrong position to take
unless you can't under any circumstances compile in or load in the
rewrite module (you do have the rewrite module loaded right? Try 'httpd
-l') .  Don't use AuthUserFile at all, study the conf file that comes
with Zap.  In any case your stated config won't work at all, because
Apache expects crypt()'ed passwords in the AuthUserFile, and Zope
expects plain text.
> 
>    Any tid-bits, smacks with a clue-bat, tips, and pointers 
> to documentation
> would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

*Smack* study the zap.conf file. *Smack* study the zap.conf file.
*Smack* study the zap.conf file.

-Michel
> 
> -- 
>  Regards,                | Windows98 (noun): 32 bit extensions and a
>  .                       | graphical shell for a 16 bit patch to an 8
>  Randy                   | bit operating system originally coded for
>  (redwards@golgotha.net) | a 4 bit microprocessor written by a 2 bit
>  http://www.golgotha.net | company that can't stand 1 bit of 
> competition.
> 
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