Re^4: mod_perl handler for file downloads: good call or bad

[Errto]

I've been looking over the link sent by Fletch and it really doesn't look like that's the case. The Authz seems to depend on a successful pass of the Authen pahse, which in turn requires the directory to be protected with either Basic or Digest authentication as configured in httpd.conf My application uses neither Basic nor Digest authentication but rather a third-party authentication module that communicates the user ID in a custom manner. The issue is not showing a login page but rather that I have to reject the request if the user ID (as determined through my custom method) should not have access to the resource.

[perrin]

No, you really can use any kind of auth you like. There are many examples in the mod_perl docs and books, and on CPAN. For example, try the sample chapter from mod_perl Developer's Cookbook or Writing Apache Modules.

[clinton]

That's what I thought, but when looking at it, you have three return options:
• OK - in which case authz has been succesful and apache will continue on to serve the requested file
• DECLINED - which says: well, I don't know, can somebody else please figure it out (ie run the other authz handlers)
• HTTP_UNAUTHORIZED - which says, NO. But the browser responds to that with a basic authentication popup, which isn't what he wants

Short of returning a redirect to a login form, I couldn't figure out how you would override the browser's standard response to a 401 error status.

Do you have any ideas?

Thanks

Clint

[perrin]

Seriously, you can do whatever you like. This is basic mod_perl functionality. Maybe it would help you to look at a complete example. Check out Apache::AuthCookie. It displays a form by defining a custom response for 401 errors. There are other ways to do it, like a redirect.

[clinton]

Hmm- it looks like you have a point there. In which case it may be easier to use a standard PerlRequestHandler, and if they are allowed access, use $r->sendfile($filename) to send the file.

Clint