WTF? Apache <if> directive ... doesn't work?!

sundialsvcs · 03-16-2016, 08:32 AM

Look at this, please, and tell me why the Error directive is reached:

Code:

<if "'prod' !~ /prod|dev|test/" >
  Error "This message should not appear"
</if>

A Perl "one-liner" confirms that the syntax of the regex is correct, and that it should (of course) match the string. Therefore, the result of the "does not match" operator should be false.

Actually, this set of directives produces this message whether the relational operator is "match" or "not-match!"

I am also encountering syntax-errors when evaluating a directive of this form:

Code:

<if ${DEFINED_SYMBOL} =~ ... >

... if it is indeed a symbol created by [font=courier]Define DEFINED_SYMBOL foobar[/code]. (And, yes, "${}" is correct in this case, not %{} ...)

The syntax-error complains about the !~ (or =~ symbol, saying that it expected a left-parentheis, unless the symbol-reference is enclosed in single quotes:

Code:

<if '${DEFINED_SYMBOL}' =~ ... >

This is Apache 2.4 current release (Ubuntu). It is simply inconceivable to me that Apache could have a directive that literally doesn't work, but I seem to be being pushed toward that conclusion.

cliffordw · 03-16-2016, 10:27 AM

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs

Look at this, please, and tell me why the Error directive is reached:

Code:

<if "'prod' !~ /prod|dev|test" >
  Error "This message should not appear"
</if>

It looks like you might be missing a closing "/" for the regex here?

sundialsvcs · 03-16-2016, 10:51 AM

Bah, that was just a tpyo

on my part, while creating this post, which I have since corrected.

cliffordw · 03-16-2016, 11:50 AM

Hi,

Regarding the regex syntax, this seems to work for me:

Code:

<If "'prod' =~ m#(prod|dev|test)#" >
  #Error "This message should not appear"
  Header set APPLICATION_ENV prod
</If>
<Else>
  Header set APPLICATION_ENV unknown
</Else>

sundialsvcs · 03-17-2016, 07:34 AM

The regex syntax seems to be accepted in either case, but the outcome appears to be wrong.

Like I've said, this seems to be "such a 'bad [tangle of] Apache bug[s]" that I do not believe it. My "BOZO bit" is flipped. I presume that this parser has been thoroughly tested, for many years, and why should it change? But ...

cliffordw · 03-17-2016, 09:57 AM

The outcome was correct for me. Running apache2-2.4.18.

sundialsvcs · 03-17-2016, 12:54 PM

Interesting. This Linux (Ubuntu server ...) is running 2/2.4.14. I'll look through the Apache closed-bugs list to see if this is something that appeared and has been corrected.

(But, again ... "BOZO! BOZO! BOZO!" ... how could such a thing ever have been broken?") I'm reaching the conclusion that it must be seriously-incorrect behavior on Apache's part, but I can't believe that such an error could ever make it to public release.