How to Map Apache Virtual Hosts to CFIDE
There are certain features in Coldfusion, specifically but not limited to CF8, that require direct access to the CFIDE folder. Note that it is possible to run your CF8 apps with Apache HTTP Server without having direct access to CFIDE. But when you decide to try a new feature of CF8, like the AJAX functionality (CFGRID for example) it will
To prevent this from happening to you, here is how you map to the CFIDE folder from all of your apache-based virtual hosts. First let me point out that my webroot/documentroot is set for C:\www and I have a virtual host configured for localhost pointed to C:\www. My CFIDE folder is located in C:\www. If your CFIDE folder is located somewhere else or even outside of your webroot/documentroot, then change the mappings to the settings required for your environment.
- Open the httpd.conf file in Notepad. It can be found in the conf folder in the Apache folders. For a default install, it is typically C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\conf
- There are a number of commented lines inside the
tags. Find where it says: Options, Indexes, FollowSymLinks and add a # in front of it. Then on the next line, make sure there is no # and add: Options Indexes Includes MultiViews FollowSymLinks - Scroll down to find the alias_module. Inside you will see commented out this line: # Alias /webpath /full/filesystem/path. Add a new line without a # like this Alias /CFIDE "C:/www/CFIDE"
- Scroll down to the Directory tag just below the alias_module tags, and copy the following code: <Directory "C:/Program Files/Apache Software Foundation/Apache2.2/cgi-bin">Paste the code, below that which you just copied, and change the first line to the correct path, and change the next line
AllowOverride None
Options None
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory><Directory "C:/www/CFIDE">
Options Indexes Includes MultiViews FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>
Once completed, restart Apache. Now if you add the following in the URL, following your virtual host path
/CFIDE/Administrator/index.cfm
it should pull up the CF Administrator. Here is an example for a virtual host configured for myAppLocal If the CF Admin login displays, you have successfully mapped your virtual hosts to the CFIDE folder.
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Alias /CFIDE/scripts "<true path to scripts>"
<Directory "<true path to scripts>">
Options None
AllowOverride None
</Directory>
Ray Camden apparently doesn't see much a security risk with it since he emailed me the code I used to get it working. The way I see it, it is no more of a security risk than having CFIDE in the webroot. Either way, you have to have a username and password to access CF Admin.
The CFGRID tag was not working for me and this solution worked for me. I was unaware that the scripts folder inside of CFIDE is the directory that causes CF8's AJAX features to function properly. Having deduced this from your comment, I see the value in mapping to it directly now.