Can I make a single Perl module act as multiple kinds of mod_perl handlers?

Question

I'm writing a series of related mod_perl handlers for various login-related functions in Apache, so my Apache config file looks like this (for example)

PerlAccessHandler MyApache::MyAccess    
PerlAuthenHandler MyApache::MyAuthen
PerlAuthzHandler MyApache::MyAuthz

Each of the modules (MyAccess, MyAuthen, MyAuthz) defines a

sub handler() {}

Which mod_perl calls at the relevant point in the processing of the request.

What I'd like to know is whether there is a way of doing this with one Perl module rather than three (it's just tidier and less work for users to install one module instead of 3)?

Is there some way to define the name of the handler method, perhaps. Or is there a way of detecting from within the handler() code which sort of handling I'm supposed to be doing?

Answer 1

Looks like one possibility might be using the push_handlers() call and setting up the handlers in code rather than in the apache conf file

See here: http://tinyurl.com/bwdeew

Answer 2

It appears from the mod_perl 2.0 docs that you can use the "method" syntax to do what you're wanting (I've not tested this):

PerlAccessHandler MyApache::MyLoginModule->access_handler
PerlAuthenHandler  MyApache::MyLoginModule->authen_handler
PerlAuthzHandler MyApache::MyLoginModule->authz_handler

I believe this will cause mod_perl to call each of the named methods in a static way on your MyApache::MyLoginModule class.

You can also create an object to be used when calling a handler method if you want to:

<Perl>
  use MyApache::MyLoginModule;
  $MyApache::MyLoginModule::access = MyApache::MyLoginModule->new(phase => 'access');
  $MyApache::MyLoginModule::authen = MyApache::MyLoginModule->new(phase => 'authen');
  $MyApache::MyLoginModule::authz = MyApache::MyLoginModule->new(phase => 'authz');
</Perl>

PerlAccessHandler $MyApache::MyLoginModule::access->handler
PerlAuthenHandler $MyApache::MyLoginModule::authen->handler
PerlAuthzHandler $MyApache::MyLoginModule::authz->handler

This approach would allow you to have a single handler method that could have different behavior based on the properties of the object set up upon object creation.

*Disclaimer: It's been a while since I've worked with this part of mod_perl configuration so your results may vary!*