PR:

  <LI><A HREF="#run">Running Apache for Windows</A>

  <LI><A HREF="#use">Using Apache for Windows</A>

  <LI><A HREF="#cmdline">Running Apache for Windows from the Command Line</A>

  <LI><A HREF="#signal">Signalling Apache when running</A>

  <LI><A HREF="#comp">Compiling Apache for Windows</A>

</UL>

which should be set before you start really using Apache. However to

get started quickly the files should work as installed.

<H2><A NAME="inst">Running Apache for Windows</A></H2>

<H2><A NAME="run">Running Apache for Windows</A></H2>

There are two ways you can run Apache:

    you want Apache to automatically start when you machine boots, and to

    keep Apache running when you log-off.

 <LI>From a console window. This is the only option available for

 <LI>From a <a ref="#cmdline">console window</a>. This is the only option available for

    Windows 95 users.

</UL>

work from the command line.

<P>

When working with Apache it is important to know how it will find the

configuration files. During installation, a registry key will have

been installed. For the 1.3 beta releases the key is:

configuration files.  Apache will try one of the following, in this order.

<PRE>

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Apache Group\Apache\1.3 beta\ServerRoot

</PRE>

<ul>

<li>A ServerRoot directive via a -C switch.

<li>The -f switch on the command line.

<li>The -d switch on the command line.

<li>A registry entry, created if you did a binary install.

<li>The server root compiled into the server.

</ul>

While for the final 1.3.0 release it is called:

<P>

The server root compiled into the server is usually "/apache".

invoking apache with the -v switch will display this value

labeled as HTTPD_ROOT.

<P>

Your current working directory when Apache is started up has no

effect on Apache's behavior.

<P>

Under windows, when invoked from the start menu or the Service Manager Apache is

usually passed no arguments.  So using the registry entry is the perfered

technique.

<P>

During a binary installation, a registry key will have

been installed, for example:

<PRE>

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Apache Group\Apache\1.3.0\ServerRoot

</PRE>

(The use of different keys lets you install later versions without

affect any previous versions already installed. For example, when

1.3.1 comes out it will use "1.3.1" instead of "1.3.0" in the registry

key, so you can install and test 1.3.1 without affecting you existing

1.3.0 installation. Note however that Windows NT service manager only

ever allows one service with the same name, so you cannot install the

newer version as a service whilst the older version is still

installed).

For the 1.3 beta releases the key was:

<PRE>

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Apache Group\Apache\1.3 beta\ServerRoot

</PRE>

<P>

This key is compiled into the server and can enable you to test 

new versions without affecting the current version.  Of course

you must take care not to install the new version on top of the

old version in the file system.  You can not run two invocations

of Apache on Windows simultaneously.

<P>

If you did not do a binary install then Apache will in some

senarios complain that about the missing registry key.  This

warning can be ignored if it otherwise was able to find it's

configuration files.

<P>

The value of this key is the "ServerRoot" directory, containing the

<SAMP>conf</SAMP> directory. When Apache starts it will read the

<SAMP>httpd.conf</SAMP> file from this directory. If this file

directory in the <SAMP>httpd.conf</SAMP> file to the new location.

<P>

To run Apache from the command line as a console application, use the

following command:

    apache -s

</PRE>

(The -s option is not required by Windows 95, but on Windows NT it

prevents Apache waiting to see if Apache is running as a

service). Apache will execute, and will remain running until it

is stopped by pressing control-C.

Apache will execute, and will remain running until it is stopped by pressing

control-C.  (The -s option is not required by Windows 95, but on Windows NT it

prevents Apache waiting to see if Apache is running as a service.)

<P>

To install Apache as a Windows NT service, use the following:

To install Apache as a Windows NT service as follows:

<PRE>

    apache -i

    apache -u

</PRE>

If you want to run an installation of Apache in a directory other than

the one in the registry key as above, use the <CODE>-f</CODE>

command-line to specify the path to the <SAMP>httpd.conf</SAMP> file,

or the <CODE>-d</CODE> option to specify the server root

directory. These options can be used with any of the other flags as

listed above. Again note that once Apache has read the

<SAMP>httpd.conf</SAMP> file it will then start using the directory

given on the <SAMP>ServerRoot</SAMP> directive line instead of the -f

or -d command line argument.

<H2><A NAME="signal">Signalling Apache when running</A></H2>

<P>When Apache is running you may request that it reread it's

configuration files as follows:

<PRE>

    apache -Z @@whatever?@@>

</PRE>

and to request that it shutdown gracefully, via:

<PRE>

    apache -Z @@whatever?@@>

</PRE>

and you can force it to stop via:

<PRE>

    apache -Z @@whatever?@@

</PRE>

<P>

Other techinques of shutting down the server (e.g. using the

task manager to "End Process", distroying the command 

window containing the server, or using control-C to interupt

it) all have the downside of @@whatever@@.

<H2><A NAME="comp">Compiling Apache for Windows</A></H2>

<P>If you do not have nmake, or wish to install in a different directory,

   be sure to use a similar naming scheme.</P>

<P>

Before running the server you must fill out the conf directory.

Copy the *.conf-dist-win from the distribution conf directory

and rename *.conf.  Edit the @@ServerRoot@@ entries to your

actual server root (for example "C:\apache").  Copy over

the conf/magic and conf/mime.types files as well.

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