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<title>apxs - APache eXtenSion tool</title>

<summary>

<p><code>apxs</code> is a tool for building and installing extension

modules for the Apache HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server. This is

achieved by building a dynamic shared object (DSO) from one or more source

or object <var>files</var> which then can be loaded into the Apache server

under runtime via the <directive module="mod_so">LoadModule</directive>

directive from <module>mod_so</module>.</p>

<p>So to use this extension mechanism your platform has to support the DSO

feature and your Apache <code>httpd</code> binary has to be built with the

<module>mod_so</module> module. The <code>apxs</code> tool automatically

complains if this is not the case. You can check this yourself by manually

running the command</p>

<example>

$ httpd -l

</example>

<p>The module <module>mod_so</module> should be part of the displayed list.

If these requirements are fulfilled you can easily extend your Apache

server's functionality by installing your own modules with the DSO mechanism

by the help of this <code>apxs</code> tool:</p>

<example>

$ apxs -i -a -c mod_foo.c<br />

gcc -fpic -DSHARED_MODULE -I/path/to/apache/include -c mod_foo.c<br />

ld -Bshareable -o mod_foo.so mod_foo.o<br />

cp mod_foo.so /path/to/apache/modules/mod_foo.so<br />

chmod 755 /path/to/apache/modules/mod_foo.so<br />

[activating module `foo' in /path/to/apache/etc/httpd.conf]<br />

$ apachectl restart<br />

/path/to/apache/sbin/apachectl restart: httpd not running, trying to start<br />

[Tue Mar 31 11:27:55 1998] [debug] mod_so.c(303): loaded module foo_module<br />

/path/to/apache/sbin/apachectl restart: httpd started<br />

$ _

</example>

<p>The arguments <var>files</var> can be any C source file (.c), a object

file (.o) or even a library archive (.a). The <code>apxs</code> tool

automatically recognizes these extensions and automatically used the C

source files for compilation while just using the object and archive files

for the linking phase. But when using such pre-compiled objects make sure

they are compiled for position independent code (PIC) to be able to use them

for a dynamically loaded shared object. For instance with GCC you always

just have to use <code>-fpic</code>. For other C compilers consult its

manual page or at watch for the flags <code>apxs</code> uses to compile the

object files.</p>

<p>For more details about DSO support in Apache read the documentation of

<module>mod_so</module> or perhaps even read the

<code>src/modules/standard/mod_so.c</code> source file.</p>

</summary>

<seealso><a href="apachectl.html">apachectl</a></seealso>

<seealso><a href="httpd.html">httpd</a></seealso>

<section id="synopsis"><title>Synopsis</title>

<p><code><strong>apxs</strong> -<strong>g</strong>

[ -<strong>S</strong> <var>name</var>=<var>value</var> ]

-<strong>n</strong> <var>modname</var></code></p>

<p><code><strong>apxs</strong> -<strong>q</strong>

[ -<strong>S</strong> <var>name</var>=<var>value</var> ]

<var>query</var> ...</code></p>

<p><code><strong>apxs</strong> -<strong>c</strong>

[ -<strong>S</strong> <var>name</var>=<var>value</var> ]

[ -<strong>o</strong> <var>dsofile</var> ]

[ -<strong>I</strong> <var>incdir</var> ]

[ -<strong>D</strong> <var>name</var>=<var>value</var> ]

[ -<strong>L</strong> <var>libdir</var> ]

[ -<strong>l</strong> <var>libname</var> ]

[ -<strong>Wc,</strong><var>compiler-flags</var> ]

[ -<strong>Wl,</strong><var>linker-flags</var> ]

<var>files</var> ...</code></p>

<p><code><strong>apxs</strong> -<strong>i</strong>

[ -<strong>S</strong> <var>name</var>=<var>value</var> ]

[ -<strong>n</strong> <var>modname</var> ]

[ -<strong>a</strong> ]

[ -<strong>A</strong> ]

<var>dso-file</var> ...</code></p>

<p><code><strong>apxs</strong> -<strong>e</strong>

[ -<strong>S</strong> <var>name</var>=<var>value</var> ]

[ -<strong>n</strong> <var>modname</var> ]

[ -<strong>a</strong> ]

[ -<strong>A</strong> ]

<var>dso-file</var> ...</code></p>

</section>

<section id="options"><title>Options</title>

<section id="options.common"><title>Common Options</title>

<dl>

<dt><code>-n <var>modname</var></code></dt>

<dd>This explicitly sets the module name for the <code>-i</code> (install)

and <code>-g</code> (template generation) option. Use this to explicitly

specify the module name. For option <code>-g</code> this is required, for

option <code>-i</code> the <code>apxs</code> tool tries to determine the

name from the source or (as a fallback) at least by guessing it from the

filename.</dd>

</dl>

</section>

<section id="options.query"><title>Query Options</title>

<dl>

<dt><code>-q</code></dt>

<dd>Performs a query for <code>apxs</code>'s knowledge about certain

settings. The <var>query</var> parameters can be one or more of the

following strings: <code>CC</code>, <code>CFLAGS</code>,

<code>CFLAGS_SHLIB</code>, <code>INCLUDEDIR</code>, <code>LD_SHLIB</code>,

<code>LDFLAGS_SHLIB</code>, <code>LIBEXECDIR</code>,

<code>LIBS_SHLIB</code>, <code>SBINDIR</code>, <code>SYSCONFDIR</code>,

<code>TARGET</code>.

<p>Use this for manually determining settings. For instance use</p>

<example>

INC=-I`apxs -q INCLUDEDIR`

</example>

<p>inside your own Makefiles if you need manual access to Apache's C

header files.</p></dd>

</dl>

</section>

<section id="options.conf"><title>Configuration Options</title>

<dl>

<dt><code>-S <var>name</var>=<var>value</var></code></dt>

<dd>This option changes the apxs settings described above.</dd>

</dl>

</section>

<section id="options.template"><title>Template Generation Options</title>

<dl>

<dt><code>-g</code></dt>

<dd>This generates a subdirectory <var>name</var> (see option

<code>-n</code>) and there two files: A sample module source file named

<code>mod_<var>name</var>.c</code> which can be used as a template for

creating your own modules or as a quick start for playing with the

apxs mechanism. And a corresponding <code>Makefile</code> for even easier

build and installing of this module.</dd>

</dl>

</section>

<section id="options.dso"><title>DSO Compilation Options</title>

<dl>

<dt><code>-c</code></dt>

<dd>This indicates the compilation operation. It first compiles the C

source files (.c) of <var>files</var> into corresponding object files (.o)

and then builds a dynamically shared object in <var>dsofile</var> by

linking these object files plus the remaining object files (.o and .a) of

<var>files</var>. If no <code>-o</code> option is specified the output

file is guessed from the first filename in <var>files</var> and thus

usually defaults to <code>mod_<var>name</var>.so</code>.</dd>

<dt><code>-o <var>dsofile</var></code></dt>

<dd>Explicitly specifies the filename of the created dynamically shared

object. If not specified and the name cannot be guessed from the

<var>files</var> list, the fallback name <code>mod_unknown.so</code> is

used.</dd>

<dt><code>-D <var>name</var>=<var>value</var></code></dt>

<dd>This option is directly passed through to the compilation command(s).

Use this to add your own defines to the build process.</dd>

<dt><code>-I <var>incdir</var></code></dt>

<dd>This option is directly passed through to the compilation command(s).

Use this to add your own include directories to search to the build

process.</dd>

<dt><code>-L <var>libdir</var></code></dt>

<dd>This option is directly passed through to the linker command. Use this

to add your own library directories to search to the build process.</dd>

<dt><code>-l <var>libname</var></code></dt>

<dd>This option is directly passed through to the linker command. Use this

to add your own libraries to search to the build process.</dd>

<dt><code>-Wc,<var>compiler-flags</var></code></dt>

<dd>This option passes <var>compiler-flags</var> as additional flags to

the compiler command. Use this to add local compiler-specific options.</dd>

<dt><code>-Wl,<var>linker-flags</var></code></dt>

<dd>This option passes <var>linker-flags</var> as additional flags to

the linker command. Use this to add local linker-specific options.</dd>

</dl>

</section>

<section id="options.dsoinstall">

<title>DSO Installation and Configuration Options</title>

<dl>

<dt><code>-i</code></dt>

<dd>This indicates the installation operation and installs one or more

dynamically shared objects into the server's <var>modules</var>

directory.</dd>

<dt><code>-a</code></dt>

<dd>This activates the module by automatically adding a corresponding

<directive module="mod_so">LoadModule</directive> line to Apache's

<code>httpd.conf</code> configuration file, or by enabling it if it

already exists.</dd>

<dt><code>-A</code></dt>

<dd>Same as option <code>-a</code> but the created <directive

module="mod_so">LoadModule</directive> directive is prefixed with a hash

sign (<code>#</code>), <em>i.e.</em>, the module is just prepared for

later activation but initially disabled.</dd>

<dt><code>-e</code></dt>

<dd>This indicates the editing operation, which can be used with the

<code>-a</code> and <code>-A</code> options similarly to the

<code>-i</code> operation to edit Apache's <code>httpd.conf</code>

configuration file without attempting to install the module.</dd>

</dl>

</section>

</section>

<section id="examples"><title>Examples</title>

<p>Assume you have an Apache module named <code>mod_foo.c</code> available

which should extend Apache's server functionality. To accomplish this you

first have to compile the C source into a shared object suitable for loading

into the Apache server under runtime via the following command:</p>

<example>

$ apxs -c mod_foo.c<br />

gcc -fpic -DSHARED_MODULE -I/path/to/apache/include -c mod_foo.c<br />

ld -Bshareable -o mod_foo.so mod_foo.o<br />

$ _

</example>

<p>Then you have to update the Apache configuration by making sure a

<directive module="mod_so">LoadModule</directive> directive is present to

load this shared object. To simplify this step <code>apxs</code> provides

an automatic way to install the shared object in its "modules" directory

and updating the <code>httpd.conf</code> file accordingly. This can be

achieved by running:</p>

<example>

$ apxs -i -a mod_foo.c<br />

cp mod_foo.so /path/to/apache/modules/mod_foo.so<br />

chmod 755 /path/to/apache/modules/mod_foo.so<br />

[activating module `foo' in /path/to/apache/etc/httpd.conf]<br />

$ _

</example>

<p>This way a line named</p>

<example>

LoadModule foo_module modules/mod_foo.so

</example>

<p>is added to the configuration file if still not present. If you want to

have this disabled per default use the <code>-A</code> option,

<em>i.e.</em></p>

<example>

$ apxs -i -A mod_foo.c

</example>

<p>For a quick test of the apxs mechanism you can create a sample Apache

module template plus a corresponding Makefile via:</p>

<example>

$ apxs -g -n foo<br />

Creating [DIR] foo<br />

Creating [FILE] foo/Makefile<br />

Creating [FILE] foo/mod_foo.c<br />

$ _

</example>

<p>Then you can immediately compile this sample module into a shared object

and load it into the Apache server:</p>

<example>

$ cd foo<br />

$ make all reload<br />

apxs -c mod_foo.c<br />

gcc -fpic -DSHARED_MODULE -I/path/to/apache/include -c mod_foo.c<br />

ld -Bshareable -o mod_foo.so mod_foo.o<br />

apxs -i -a -n "foo" mod_foo.so<br />

cp mod_foo.so /path/to/apache/modules/mod_foo.so<br />

chmod 755 /path/to/apache/modules/mod_foo.so<br />

[activating module `foo' in /path/to/apache/etc/httpd.conf]<br />

apachectl restart<br />

/path/to/apache/sbin/apachectl restart: httpd not running, trying to start<br />

[Tue Mar 31 11:27:55 1998] [debug] mod_so.c(303): loaded module foo_module<br />

/path/to/apache/sbin/apachectl restart: httpd started<br />

$ _

</example>

<p>You can even use <code>apxs</code> to compile complex modules outside the

Apache source tree, like PHP3:</p>

<example>

$ cd php3<br />

$ /configure --with-shared-apache=/apache-1.3<br />

$ apxs -c -o libphp3.so mod_php3.c libmodphp3-so.a<br />

gcc -fpic -DSHARED_MODULE -I/tmp/apache/include -c mod_php3.c<br />

ld -Bshareable -o libphp3.so mod_php3.o libmodphp3-so.a<br />

$ _

</example>

<p>because <code>apxs</code> automatically recognized C source files and

object files. Only C source files are compiled while remaining object

files are used for the linking phase.</p>

</section>

</manualpage>