The Configuration Folder


Contents / Initial Configuration / The Administration Area / Editing Configuration Files

SWS is based on a simple configuration model: you may have more than one use for your server, so you may want to configure it more than one way. SWS provides the ability to create and maintain any number of unique and separate configuration files, which can be started and run as you need them.

For example, you may want a default configuration to run as a baseline file. You may want a second to take advantage of the virtual hosting features of SWS and assign multiple hosts to a single port. And, you may want a third to emphasize statistics-gathering and logging for better tuning and server performance. Whatever your needs might be, SWS makes it possible to create and use any number of configuration files.

Initial Configuration

When you first install SWS it takes its initial configuration from the default configuration file, /etc/http/httpd.conf. This file:

Once SWS is running using the default configuration file, you can customize the operation of your server by creating new configuration files. If not already displayed, select Folders -> Configuration to display the Configuration screen in the Administration Area or choose Config -> New... to create a new configuration.

The Administration Area

When you select the Configuration folder, the Administration Area changes to display three parts:

The Configuration Status Bar

The Configuration Status Bar displays the name of the server configuration currently being edited. The file name displayed is a file in the configuration directory.

SWS will read and store all configuration files in the configuration directory (/etc/http/ by default). You can set the location of the directory by starting /usr/lib/http with the -config_dir flag.

The Configuration Menu Bar

Menus contain commands used to do operations on SWS configuration files. There are three Configuration menus: Config, Hosts, and Ports.

The Configuration Cards

The Configuration folder has three (or more) tabbed cards that allow you to select different parts of the server to configure. These include:

Editing Configuration Files

SWS configuration files can be edited using both the SWS Administration Console or by manually editing the files.

NOTE: When you save a configuration file with the Administration Console, and SWS restarts for any reason, it will hang because it will see two different versions of configuration files. To get around this, if you try to save a configuration file with the Administration Console, you will see a dialog box instructing you to edit the /etc/init.d/http script to reflect this new configuration file name change permanently.

It is also possible for more than one person to administer SWS at a time, if for example, more than one person knows the administration password. If this happens, a dialog box appears to warn users of a potential conflict.

To Create a New Configuration File

  1. In the Folders area, select Configuration.
  2. Select New from the Config Menu. This pops up a box which asks for a name for the new configuration. The file will be saved with this name in the configuration directory.
  3. A new configuration with only built in server defaults will be loaded.
  4. Select the feature you want to configure by choosing one of the tabbed cards.
  5. Make changes to the current configuration by entering new parameters into the fields of the card.
  6. Save the new configuration by selecting Save from the Config menu.

To Change An Existing Configuration File

  1. In the Folders area, select Configuration.
  2. Select Open from the Config Menu. This pops up a box with a list of configuration files. Select the one you want to change and click on the Open button.
  3. Select the feature you want to configure by choosing one of the tabbed cards.
  4. Make changes to the current configuration by entering new parameters into the fields of the card.
  5. Save the configuration by selecting Save from the Config menu. This pops up a box with the name of the current configuration.
  6. Click on the Save button.