Associating Scripts with HTTP Methods and MIME Types

# Processing all GIF images through a CGI script # before serving them Action image/gif /cgi-bin/filter.cgi # Associating specific HTTP methods with a CGI # script Script PUT /cgi-bin/upload.cgi

In addition to the directives mentioned in the previous section, Apache provides directives that simplify associating specific MIME types, file extensions, or even specific HTTP methods with a particular CGI. The mod_actions module, included in the base distribution and compiled by default, provides the Action and Script directives, shown in this example:

• The Action directive accepts two arguments. The first argument is a handler or a MIME content type; the second points to the CGI program to handle the request.

• The Script directive associates certain HTTP request methods with a CGI program.

The information about the original requested document is passed to the CGI via the PATH_INFO (document URL) and PATH_TRANSLATED (document path) environment variables.

As with the example from the previous section, the directory containing the destination CGI must be marked as allowing CGI execution with either a ScriptAlias directive or the ExecCGI parameter to the Options directive.