Disabling a C Apache handler with mod_perl

[Mutant]

Hi,

I have an Apache 1.3 setup where a C module does some stuff during the HeaderParser phase. I'd like to conditionally disable this.

My first thought was to write a mod_perl handler for the HeaderParser phase, that runs before the C handler, and if it should be disabled, returns 'OK' from the handler, meaning no other handlers execute during this phase. However, it seems this only works in certain phases, not including HeaderParser (all registered handlers get executed, regardless of what they return).

Is there anyway I can prevent the C handler from running?

After my handler has disabled the C handler, I need Apache to run the rest of the request process as per normal (including any other custom handlers that may be defined). I can't modify the C handler (it's 3rd party code).

Thanks in advance.

[perrin]

Try this:

$r->set_handlers( PerlHeaderParserHandler => [ \&OK ] );

There's some discussion of it in the docs. If that doesn't work, you can try manipulating the configuration from mod_perl on the fly, i.e. only add the C handler for that phase when you want it, from a perl handler that runs earlier.

[Mutant]

Thanks...

I don't think set_handlers() (and similar methods) will work here, because they only appear to deal with mod_perl handlers, not C handlers.

How do I go about modifying the Apache config on the fly? AFAICT, the methods relating to config in the Apache object are read-only.

[perrin]

You can set C handlers. For example, this tells apache to use the standard file handler:

$r->handler('default-handler');