---
name: "HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libhtml-mason-perl"
version: "1:1.60-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler"
---

# HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler(3pm)

Mason/mod\_perl interface

## NAME

HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler - Mason/mod\_perl interface

## SYNOPSIS

```
    use HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler;
    my $ah = HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler->new (..name/value params..);
    ...
    sub handler {
        my $r = shift;
        $ah->handle_request($r);
    }
```

## DESCRIPTION

The ApacheHandler object links Mason to mod\_perl (version 1 or 2), running components in response to HTTP requests. It is controlled primarily through parameters to the **new()** constructor.

## PARAMETERS TO THE new() CONSTRUCTOR

- apache\_status\_title

  Title that you want this ApacheHandler to appear as under Apache::Status.  Default is "HTML::Mason status".  This is useful if you create more than one ApacheHandler object and want them all visible via Apache::Status.

- args\_method

  Method to use for unpacking GET and POST arguments. The valid options are 'CGI' and 'mod\_perl'; these indicate that a `"CGI.pm"` or `"Apache::Request"` object (respectively) will be created for the purposes of argument handling.

  'mod\_perl' is the default under mod\_perl-1 and requires that you have  installed the `"Apache::Request"` package.  Under mod\_perl-2, the default is 'CGI' because `"Apache2::Request"` is still in development.

  If args\_method is 'mod\_perl', the `$r` global is upgraded to an Apache::Request object. This object inherits all Apache methods and adds a few of its own, dealing with parameters and file uploads.  See `"Apache::Request"` for more information.

  If the args\_method is 'CGI', the Mason request object (`$m`) will have a method called `"cgi_object"` available.  This method returns the CGI object used for argument processing.

  While Mason will load `"Apache::Request"` or `"CGI"` as needed at runtime, it is recommended that you preload the relevant module either in your *httpd.conf* or *handler.pl* file, as this will save some memory.

- decline\_dirs

  True or false, default is true. Indicates whether Mason should decline directory requests, leaving Apache to serve up a directory index or a `"FORBIDDEN"` error as appropriate. See the allowing directory requests section of the administrator's manual for more information about handling directories with Mason.

- interp

  The interpreter object to associate with this compiler. By default a new object of the specified interp\_class will be created.

- interp\_class

  The class to use when creating a interpreter. Defaults to HTML::Mason::Interp.

## ACCESSOR METHODS

All of the above properties, except interp\_class, have standard accessor methods of the same name: no arguments retrieves the value, and one argument sets it, except for args\_method, which is not settable.  For example:

```
    my $ah = HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler->new;
    my $decline_dirs = $ah->decline_dirs;
    $ah->decline_dirs(1);
```

## OTHER METHODS

The ApacheHandler object has a few other publicly accessible methods that may be of interest to end users.

- handle\_request ($r)

  This method takes an Apache or Apache::Request object representing a request and translates that request into a form Mason can understand. Its return value is an Apache status code.

  Passing an Apache::Request object is useful if you want to set Apache::Request parameters, such as POST\_MAX or DISABLE\_UPLOADS.

- prepare\_request ($r)

  This method takes an Apache object representing a request and returns a new Mason request object or an Apache status code.  If it is a request object you can manipulate that object as you like, and then call the request object's `"exec"` method to have it generate output.

  If this method returns an Apache status code, that means that it could not create a Mason request object.

  This method is useful if you would like to have a chance to decline a request based on properties of the Mason request object or a component object.  For example:

  ```
      my $req = $ah->prepare_request($r);
      # $req must be an Apache status code if it's not an object
      return $req unless ref($req);
      return DECLINED
          unless $req->request_comp->source_file =~ /\.html$/;
      $req->exec;
  ```

- request\_args ($r)

  Given an Apache request object, this method returns a three item list. The first item is a hash reference containing the arguments passed by the client's request.

  The second is an Apache request object.  This is returned for backwards compatibility from when this method was responsible for turning a plain Apache object into an Apache::Request object.

  The third item may be a CGI.pm object or `"undef"`, depending on the value of the args\_method parameter.