apache/docs/manual/mod/mod_userdir.xml

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<modulesynopsis metafile="mod_userdir.xml.meta">

<name>mod_userdir</name>
<description>User-specific directories</description>
<status>Base</status>
<sourcefile>mod_userdir.c</sourcefile>
<identifier>userdir_module</identifier>

<summary>
<p>This module allows user-specific directories to be accessed using the
<code>http://example.com/~user/</code> syntax.</p>
</summary>

<seealso><a href="../urlmapping.html">Mapping URLs to the
Filesystem</a></seealso>
<seealso><a href="../howto/public_html.html">public_html
tutorial</a></seealso>

<directivesynopsis>

<name>UserDir</name>
<description>Location of the user-specific directories</description>
<syntax>UserDir <em>directory-filename</em></syntax>
<contextlist><context>server config</context> <context>virtual
host</context></contextlist>

<usage>

    <p>The <directive>UserDir</directive> directive sets the real
    directory in a user's home directory to use when a request for a
    document for a user is received. <em>Directory-filename</em> is
    one of the following:</p>

    <ul>
      <li>The name of a directory or a pattern such as those shown
      below.</li>

      <li>The keyword <code>disabled</code>. This turns off
      <em>all</em> username-to-directory translations except those
      explicitly named with the <code>enabled</code> keyword (see
      below).</li>

      <li>The keyword <code>disabled</code> followed by a
      space-delimited list of usernames. Usernames that appear in
      such a list will <em>never</em> have directory translation
      performed, even if they appear in an <code>enabled</code>
      clause.</li>

      <li>The keyword <code>enabled</code> followed by a
      space-delimited list of usernames. These usernames will have
      directory translation performed even if a global disable is
      in effect, but not if they also appear in a
      <code>disabled</code> clause.</li>
    </ul>

    <p>If neither the <code>enabled</code> nor the
    <code>disabled</code> keywords appear in the
    <code>Userdir</code> directive, the argument is treated as a
    filename pattern, and is used to turn the name into a directory
    specification. A request for
    <code>http://www.foo.com/~bob/one/two.html</code> will be
    translated to:</p>

<table>
<tr><th>UserDir directive used</th>
<th>Translated path</th></tr>
<tr><td>UserDir public_html</td><td>~bob/public_html/one/two.html</td></tr>
<tr><td>UserDir /usr/web</td><td>/usr/web/bob/one/two.html</td></tr>
<tr><td>UserDir /home/*/www</td><td>/home/bob/www/one/two.html</td></tr>
</table>

    <p>The following directives will send redirects to the client:</p> 

<table>
<tr><th>UserDir directive used</th>
<th>Translated path</th></tr>
<tr><td>UserDir http://www.foo.com/users</td><td>http://www.foo.com/users/bob/one/two.html</td></tr>
<tr><td>UserDir
http://www.foo.com/*/usr</td><td>http://www.foo.com/bob/usr/one/two.html</td></tr>
<tr><td>UserDir
http://www.foo.com/~*/</td><td>http://www.foo.com/~bob/one/two.html</td></tr>
</table> 

<note>
      <strong>Be careful when using this directive; for instance,
      <code>"UserDir ./"</code> would map <code>"/~root"</code> to
      <code>"/"</code> - which is probably undesirable. It is strongly
      recommended that your configuration include a "<code>UserDir
      disabled root</code>" declaration.  See also the <directive
      module="core">Directory</directive> directive and the <a
      href="../misc/security_tips.html">Security Tips</a> page for
      more information.</strong>
</note>

<p>Additional examples:</p>

<p>To allow a few users to have <code>UserDir</code> directories, but
not anyone else, use the following:</p>

<example>
UserDir disabled<br />
UserDir enabled user1 user2 user3
</example>

<p>To allow most users to have <code>UserDir</code> directories, but
deny this to a few, use the following:</p>

<example>
UserDir enabled<br />
UserDir disabled user4 user5 user6
</example>

<p>It is also possible to specify alternative user directories.
If you use a command like:</p>
<example>
Userdir public_html /usr/web http://www.foo.com/
</example>
<p>With a request for http://www.foo.com/~bob/one/two.html, will try to 
find the page at ~bob/public_html/one/two.html first, then
/usr/web/bob/one/two.html, and finally it will send a redirect
to http://www.foo.com/bob/one/two.html.</p>
<p>If you add a redirect, it must be the last alternative in the list.
Apache cannot determine if the redirect succeeded or not, so if you have
the redirect earlier in the list, that will always be the alternative
that is used.</p>

<p>User directory substitution is not active by default in versions
2.1.4 and later.  In earlier versions, <code>UserDir public_html</code>
was assumed if no <directive module="mod_userdir">UserDir</directive>
directive was present.</p>

</usage>

<seealso><a href="../howto/public_html.html">public_html
tutorial</a></seealso>

</directivesynopsis>
</modulesynopsis>