[Zope] Documentation problems - how to pass on lessons learned?

[Dieter Maurer]

Patrick Kirk wrote at 2004-2-29 16:09 +0000:
> ...
>Now the requirement to issue a "httpd -l" command ("apache -l" on 
>Debian) should be right up there as first requirement in the zope.org 
>documentation.  It isn't.

There is no requirement to issue "httpd -l". In fact, I did not
even know that there is something like this (but I have set up
numerous virtual hosts).

I probably did not need this command, because I worked with the
documentation. I knew that "RewriteRule" comes from "mod_rewrite"
and that it is not bad to read its documentation before using
it. The "mod_rewrite" documentation states that "[P]" effectively
uses "mod_proxy". It is clear (without need for any documentation)
that a used module must be available. Therefore, I ensured
that the corresponding "AddModule" and "LoadModule" were
available.


That said, I am almost sure, that you have not yet found the reason
for the problems: Apache would have complained in a much more
expressive way when these necessary modules had not been available.
I expect (almost sure), that Apache would not have started,
when it would see a "RewriteRule" without "mod_rewrite".
It might be possible that a missing "mod_proxy" would only
be detected when the corresponding "RewriteRule" were executed,
but you would get a prominent entry in the Apache log file.


I analyse problems with "RewriteRules" by activating the
"RewriteLog" feature (temporarily). The rewrite logfile provides
valuable insight.


>How do I get this suggestion to someone in zope.org?

Just tried "httpd -l". It is worthless (at least without additional
arguments). It did not report the
myriads of modules loaded by my default Apache configuration.

-- 
Dieter