Build Your Own Mac OS X Apache/mod_perl Server

Kathryn writes "An article by David Wheleer on O'Reilly's MacDev Center, Build Your Own Apache Server with mod_perl, covers issues to consider as you begin working with Apple's Apache install -- key information for any serious mod_perl-based Web development work on Mac OS X."

Instructions

[nizcolas]

These directions appear to be geared toward the consumer jaguar release. Are these instructions the same for os x server?

Re:Instructions

[Hungus]

It is geared twords consumer releases. I also would like to see more articles like this with an eye on the server release of OS X.

Re:Instructions

[Twirlip of the Mists]

I can't swear to it, because I'm not in front of an OS X Server system right now, but I'm pretty sure OS X Server and vanilla OS X are identical as far as this article is concerned. OS X Server includes many more applications, and some "helper" applications to manage things like starting and stopping daemons, but the actually web server software itself is the same.

Again, I could be wrong about this. It's possible that I'm confused, in which case I apologize in advance.

Re:Instructions

[jbrownc1]

As long as it's OS X Server version 10.2 or better.

How many people does this apply to?

[L. VeGas]

Oh, all right. Some people might actually do this, but it reminds me of that old saying about how every problem looks like a nail when all you have is a hammer.

Re:Why don't you just get a REAL server OS...

[nuckin futs]

yep. definitely a much safer, and more secure [securityfocus.com] choice.

www.entropy.ch

[selderrr]

just go to that URL. Download package. Doubleclick. Follow instructions.

done.
Jeez, some nerds have their heads so far up their spine they start by assuming every webthingie must be complex and needs a book.

AMP (apache, mysql, php) in macworld Nov.2002

[awerg]

There is an article in the November issue of macworld [macworld.com] about setting up a Apache, php, mysql web server.

I tried to find the article on-line but was unsuccessful. Maybe someone else can find it and put in a link.

mod_perl DSO unstable?

[red5]

The documentation is written under the false assumption that mod_perl as a DSO is unstable. I have been using mod_perl as a DSO for some time now and it works fine for me. I've herd of issues with it one Solaris/x86 but thats about it. IMHO all 3rd party modules should be compiled as DSOs.

Also the article fails to mention the advantages of running a local proxy with the mod_proxy_add_forward module. [freshmeat.net]

Re:mod_perl DSO unstable?

[jbrownc1]

Perhaps the assumption is false, but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence out there that suggests otherwise. I have seen reports of issues with OS X and mod_perl as a DSO in the documentation for RT:Request Tracker, for one, where they recommend compiling mod_perl statically. I've seen it in a few other places as well. Now, I don't know for sure if it's true or not, but I usually leave it up to folks with more time and sense of adventure to figure out, since I just need the stuff to work right.

Re:mod_perl DSO unstable?

[ChrisDolan]

I don't know about stability, but here's an anecdote of how mod_perl as dylib hurt me: I upgraded to 5.6.1 shortly after getting 10.1.4 (IIRC) and took all of the cinfigure defaults. This overwrote the 5.6.0 libperl.dylib with the 5.6.1 version. Boom! No more mod_perl, since mod_perl.c is linked pretty closely with a particular version of Perl. It took a LOT of careful cp'ing off the install disk to recover.

This is mostly the fault of Apple's braindead perl install which neglects to include a "5.6.0" component to the perl tree. When I went to 5.8.0, I used "prefix=/perl" and left Apple's 5.6.0 (and mod_perl) untouched, except for replacing /usr/bin/perl.

[disclaimer: I haven't read the article yet]

As Goldblum said...

[cei]

Step one: Open the control panel
Step two: Turn on Personal Web Sharing
Step three: There's no step three! There's no step three!

Apache & mod_perl are preinstalled in OS X. Sure, there are things you can do to tweak them, but you're given a hell of a head start by Apple...

Re:As Goldblum said...

[commodoresloat]

I thought Step Three was "Profit!!"

Not quite....

[red5]

If you look at the httpd.conf file. The line to load the mod_perl so is commented out.

You'll have to open it up in your favorite text editor and change:
#LoadModule perl_module libexec/httpd/libperl.so

To this:
LoadModule perl_module libexec/httpd/libperl.so