Apache Vhosts

The Uniform Server Zero XI is configured for name-based virtual hosting. This allows you to run any number of web sites from a single IP address. Each domain-name you host must first be registered and an "A" record created on a DNS server. This "A" record translates the domain-name to your IP address.

Note: For testing, "A" records are simulated using Uniform Server's PAC file (and or PC's hosts files) for details see Server Name.

Overview
Inform Apache to use Vhosts
Adding a Vhost
Vhost additional Apache directives
Hosts file automatic update
Create Apache Vhost -Detail
Internet access
Delete Apache Vhost -Detail

Features

The main features of The Uniform Server’s Vhost configuration menu are:

Include separate log files and server alias
Auto enable when first vhost created
Auto disable when last vhost deleted
Port tracking follows main server port (defaults to port 80)
Writes host name to Uniform Server's PAC file when vhost created
Deletes host name from Uniform Server's PAC when vhost deleted
If option enabled writes host name to PCs hosts when vhost created
If option enabled deletes host name from PCs hosts when vhost deleted

Overview

Vhosts are configured using a separate configuration file UniServerZ\core\apache2\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf.
This file requires enabling in Apache’s main configuration file UniServerZ\core\apache2\conf\httpd.conf

Search this file for the following line:

#Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf

Remove the hash "#" to enable as shown below:

Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf

Note: The above is automatically performed when using The Uniform Server Zero’s Vhost configuration menu.

Inform Apache to use Vhosts

Apache requires the directive <VirtualHost address:port> which instructs it to use virtual hosts and resolve an address on the specified port. The Uniform Server Zero uses *:${AP_PORT}, where the * is a wildcard meaning use all addresses and ${AP_PORT} is an environment variable that defaults to port 80. If you change the main server port using Apache > Change Apache Ports > Change Apache Port all Vhosts using ${AP_PORT} are automatically moved to this new port.

Port 80 is the standard web server listening port. This can be changed if required, for example, to port 8080 replace *:${AP_PORT} with *:8080. You need to manually edit the configuration file httpd-vhosts.conf

A separate VirtualHost directive is required for each Vhost used. If a diferent port is specified e.g. *:8080 a seperate Listen directive must be included.

 Listen 8080

The main configuration file (httpd.conf) does not contain a Listen 8080 directive it is required and added to this vhost configuration

Adding a Vhost

Each virtual host requires a separate configuration block. These blocks inherit their configuration from the main configuration file httpd.conf. Specifying an Apache directive in a Vhost block overrides that of the main configuration file. The advantage of this inheritance is to reduce number of Apache directives required for each Vhost. The absolute minimum required is to specify a DocumentRoot and ServerName.

Apache resolves a Vhost by matching its port and ServerName. On finding a match, the server's content is fetched from the folder specified by DocumentRoot. If it cannot find a match, it uses the first Vhost defined (the default). Note: to avoid conflicts, Apache uses a _default_ directive for the address of this first virtual host.

Example: to add a virtual host for fred.com on port 8080 and to serve content from folder UniServerZ\vhosts\fred, the minimum configuration required is:

 Listen 8080
<VirtualHost _default_:${AP_PORT}>
  DocumentRoot ${US_ROOTF_WWW}
  ServerName ${US_SERVERNAME}
  ErrorLog "logs/error.log"
  CustomLog "logs/access.log" common
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost *:8080>
 DocumentRoot ${US_ROOTF}/vhosts/fred123
 ServerName fred.com
</VirtualHost>

The default Vhost maps to The Uniform Server’s folder www using environment variable ${US_ROOTF_WWW}. If you wish, this can be changed as well as the server name.

The new Vhost fred.com maps to folder UniServerZ\vhosts\fred. This can be any folder you wish. All vhost root folders are created in the folder vhosts. This is not a strict requirment, but it is provided for portability (as when using a USB memory stick).

Note: Port 8080 is shown as an example. Generally all Vhosts would use the standard port 80 using environment variable ${AP_PORT} (As mentioned above this is the main server port).

Vhost additional Apache directives

Other Apache directives can be included in a Vhost block. Common directives are shown in this example block:
Note: These are manually added by editing the VHost configuration file.

<VirtualHost *:${AP_PORT}>
 ServerAdmin webmaster@fred.com
 DocumentRoot ${US_ROOTF}/vhosts/fred123
 ServerName fred.com
 ServerAlias www.fred.com *.fred.com
 ErrorLog logs/fred.com-error.log
 CustomLog logs/fred.com-access.log common
 <Directory "${HOME}\vhosts\fred123">
   Options Indexes Includes 
   AllowOverride All   
   Require all granted 
 </Directory> 
</VirtualHost>

ServerAlias Allows you to access the server using sub-domains. Each sub-domain must have a corresponding DNS entry.

Each Vhost can have a separate ErrorLog and CustomLog log file. If you do not specify these log files, the main server log files are used.

Note: Separate log files will eat into your file allocation resources, depending on the total number of Vhosts you wish to host. This may become an issue .

Hosts file automatic update

To test your web site without being connected to the Internet the default operation of Uniform Server Zero XI is to add an entry to your PC’s hosts file. However this is not consistent with portability. This functionality is disabled as follows:

Edit file C:\UniServerZ\home\us_config\us_config.ini
Locate section [HOSTS]
Change the following line: EditHostsFileEnabled=True To: EditHostsFileEnabled=False

The following assumes default operation hosts file automatic update enabled.

Create Apache Vhost -Detail

The following sub-menu allows you to quickly create a virtual host.

Apache > Apache Vhosts > Create Apache Vhost

This example creates a Vhost for fred.com and its corresponding root folder fred123:

A) Enter root folder name fred123. The folder you wish to use as your server root folder. B) Enter server name fred.com. This is the domain name you registered with a registrar. It is the name you enter in a browser to access your web site excluding the http:// part. C) Click Create Vhost button to create your virtual host. Win 7 and 8 users, at the User Account Control pop-up click Yes to allow changes to this computer. Note: For new configuration to be recognised you must restart your Apache server. The following actions are taken:
The Apache configuration file httpd.conf is checked and the Vhost include file section is enabled as shown on right. If already enabled no action is taken.	##====== VIRTUAL HOST =========== #To enable uncomment next line Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf
A new document root folder is created full path shown on right. If folder already exists no action is taken.	C:\UniserverZ\vhosts\fred123
Files shown on the right are copied to root folder fred123. If they already exists no action is taken.	.htaccess favicon.ico
A new Vhost block as shown on the right is added to the Apache Vhost configuration file UniServerZ\core\apache2\conf\extra\httpd- vhosts.conf If Vhost block already exists no action is taken.	<VirtualHost :${AP_PORT}> ServerAdmin webmaster@fred.com DocumentRoot ${US_ROOTF}/vhosts/fred123 ServerName fred.com ServerAlias www.fred.com .fred.com ErrorLog logs/fred.com-error.log CustomLog logs/fred.com-access.log common <Directory "${HOME}\vhosts\fred123"> Options Indexes Includes AllowOverride All Require all granted </Directory> </VirtualHost>
An entry as shown on the right is added to Uniform Server's PAC file. For PAC file (proxy.pac) details and alternative see Server Name	if (shExpMatch(host, "*fred.com")) return "PROXY 127.0.0.1:80";
If option enabled an entry as shown on the right is added to PCs hosts file. Win 7 and 8 users, at the User Account Control pop-up click Yes to allow changes to this computer.	127.0.0.1 fred.com

Note: Internet access
The .htaccess file created in the new root folder (C:\UniserverZ\vhosts\fred123)
restricts access to local host. To allow others on the Internet to access your
website this file requires editing as shown on right:

Locate these lines:

Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
Allow from 127.0.0.1
Allow from ::1

Comment out the lines as shown:

#Order Deny,Allow
#Deny from all
#Allow from 127.0.0.1
#Allow from ::1

Delete Apache Vhost -Detail

The following sub-menu allows you to quickly delete a virtual host.

Apache > Apache Vhosts > Delete Apache Vhost

This example deletes the Vhost fred.com and its corresponding root folder fred123:

A) From the list select fred.com the Vhost you wish to delete. B) Click Delete Vhost button. Win 7 and 8 users, at the User Account Control pop-up click Yes to allow changes to this computer. C) Note: To cancel click Cancel Selection button. The following actions are taken:
The Vhost block shown on the right is deleted from the Apache Vhost configuration file UniServerZ\core\apache2\conf\extra\httpd- vhosts.conf If Vhost block already deleted no action is taken.	<VirtualHost :${AP_PORT}> ServerAdmin webmaster@fred.com DocumentRoot ${US_ROOTF}/vhosts/fred123 ServerName fred.com ServerAlias www.fred.com .fred.com ErrorLog logs/fred.com-error.log CustomLog logs/fred.com-access.log common <Directory "${HOME}\vhosts\fred123"> Options Indexes Includes AllowOverride All Require all granted </Directory> </VirtualHost>
A pop-up is displayed requesting confirmation to delete the root folder and all its content. Clicking Yes the folder as shown on the right and all its content are deleted. If No was clicked or window closed no action is taken.	C:\UniserverZ\vhosts\fred123
The entry as shown on the right is deleted from Uniform Server's PAC file.	if (shExpMatch(host, "*fred.com")) return "PROXY 127.0.0.1:80";
If option enabled the entry as shown on the right is deleted from PCs hosts file. Win 7 and 8 users, at the User Account Control pop-up click Yes to allow changes to this computer.	127.0.0.1 fred.com

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