A new file was created on Z: for the sole purpose of having a designated file for Apache to seek. The file is called Z:\files\development\ApacheSmokeSignal.txt.
The httpd-vhosts.conf file was modified as follows: <If "-d Z:/files/development/ApacheSmokeSignal.txt"> <VirtualHost *:8080> DocumentRoot "Z:/files/xampp/htdocs" <Directory "Z:/files/xampp/htdocs"> Options Indexes Require all granted </Directory> </VirtualHost> </If> With this update, Apache starts so long as Z: is attached to the PC. However, when Z: is not attached Apache does not start and these lines appear in the XAMPP Control Panel console: 9:54:20 PM [Apache] Error: Apache shutdown unexpectedly. 9:54:20 PM [Apache] This may be due to a blocked port, missing dependencies, 9:54:20 PM [Apache] improper privileges, a crash, or a shutdown by another method. 9:54:20 PM [Apache] Press the Logs button to view error logs and check 9:54:20 PM [Apache] the Windows Event Viewer for more clues 9:54:20 PM [Apache] If you need more help, copy and post this 9:54:20 PM [Apache] entire log window on the forums There are no entries in error.log with a Wed Aug 21 21:54 or later timestamp. Is the syntax for the If tag incorrect or was the wrong unary operator selected? ________________________________ From: Nigel B. Peck <nigelbp...@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 9:45 PM To: users@httpd.apache.org <users@httpd.apache.org> Subject: Re: [users@httpd] conditionally create a Virtual Host? On Wed, 21 Aug 2019 at 7:21 pm, Heather Lotz <kno...@hotmail.com<mailto:kno...@hotmail.com>> wrote: Greetings, In my development environment on a Windows 10 PC I have added the following to Apache's configuration files - To httpd.conf: Listen 8080 To httpd-vhosts.conf: <VirtualHost *:8080> DocumentRoot "Z:/files/xampp/htdocs" <Directory "Z:/files/xampp/htdocs"> Options Indexes Require all granted </Directory> </VirtualHost> Note that Z: is mapped to an external storage device. With this setup, Apache successfully accesses C: on port 80 and Z: on port 8080. However, if the external storage device is not attached to the computer, Apache will not start. Is there a way to check if Z: is present, and only create the virtual host if that device is plugged in so that Apache always starts? If so, how can this be achieved? I reckon you could wrap the <VirtualHost> in an<If> that checks for the existence of z:/ using an appropriate operator from: https://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/expr.html#unnop Nigel B. Peck Web Technologies and Linux Admin Mentor https://codementor.io/nigelbpeck
