Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) is a set of methods based on the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) that facilitates collaboration between users in editing and managing documents and files stored on World Wide Web servers. WebDAV was defined in RFC 4918 by a working group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
The WebDAV protocol makes the Web a readable and writable medium, in line with Tim Berners-Lee’s original vision. It provides a framework for users to create, change and move documents on a server (typically a web server or “web share”). The most important features of the WebDAV protocol include:
locking (“overwrite prevention”)
properties (creation, removal, and querying of information about author, modified date et cetera);
name space management (ability to copy and move Web pages within a server’s namespace)
collections (creation, removal, and listing of resources)
I used Apache to experience the WebDAV. The server was built and installed from source with:
The “prefix”, “layout”, “mpm” switch is not necessary, since these are the default values under Unix. Now modify the configure files to support WebDAV access:
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# cd /usr/local/apache2
# sudo mkdir var uploads
# sudo chown -R daemon:daemon var uploads
# sudo bin/htdigest -c user.passwd DAV-upload user
# sudo bin/htdigest user.passwd DAV-upload admin
The “var” and “uploads” directory, the “DAV-upload” realm, “user.passwd” file, “user” and “admin” user account are referred by “conf/extra/webdav.conf”. While the “daemon” user and group are referred by “conf/httpd.conf”.
Then modify “httpd.conf” to include “webdav.conf” the apache server. It a single include directive. Now start the apache server by running:
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# sudo bin/apachectl start
Our WebDAV directory is /uploads. So here’s the address on how to access it:
– In nautilus: dav://192.168.1.100/uploads
– In konquer: webdav://192.168.1.100/uploads
– In windows: Go to –> My Network Places –> Add a network place –> Internet or network address –> Enter (http://<user>:<password>@192.168.1.100/uploads) –> Finish!
a) Setup Perl environment, add %Perl%/bin to %PATH%.
b) Also add awk, path tools to %PATH%.
c) Decompress the apache source code to %Apache%, D:Apache maybe.
d) Decompress the zlib into srclib subdirectory named zlib.
e) Decompress the openssl into srclib subdirectory named openssl.
f) Now the source tree should look like:
l) Build Apache using command line:
Now you can buid Apache by:
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# nmake -f Makefile.win _apache[d|r]
And install Apache by:
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# nmake -f Makefile.win install[d|r]
m) Build Apache using Visual Studio 2005:
There’s also a flaw in the *.vcproj conversion of *.dsp through Visual Studio 2005. We must run a perl script to fix it first:
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# perl srclibaprbuildcvtdsp.pl -2005
Now, everything are OK. In Visual Studio 2005, open the Apache.dsw and convert all *.dsp files to *.vcproj files. Then build the project “BuildBin”. The project “InstallBin” project will distribute all the project in the Apache solution.
4. Debugging with Visual Studio 2005
It’s quite simple. After build the project “InstallBin”, open the property page of the “httpd” project. Switch to “Debugging” tab, change the Command value into your binary of installed directory. Now, add breakpoints, and press F5 to start your tracing or debugging.
