Users, Groups and Apache Virtual Hosting (With CGI)

[TommyRay]

The explanations for doing what I would like to do, which is set up a server with virtual hosting and CGI access, are NOT CLEAR ENOUGH (at least to me) as far as User, Group and web server are concerned.

I am using FC4 with the Apache 2.0 Web Server

The Install created the group "apache" I believe, but no user "apache". Is this correct?

How do the users get lined up with the apache users home path? Say it is not www or apache but tcws as such:
/home/tcws/

I have created two Linux Boxes and had similar results after extensive attempts due to the small problem, I surmised, that "root" user can not make the entire Web Server structuring, as once a user attempts to access a CGI file, it is "Forbidden".

OK, so, at WHAT POINT do I su (Switch User) to facilitate this?

Do I start as root, make the approrpriate folder (in this case "tcws") and then switch to user tcws to create the subdirectories of user folders?

As root, When I ADDUSER how do I make thier created home directory to be home/tcws/user ?

These users I add, how do they get attached to the "apache" group?

I have vsftpd enabled, will these users be able to FTP into thier respective home folders?




(1) Create a New User named: tcws
adduser tcws
passwd tcws

Next steps, anyone...?

[Giro]

Why not just use the RPMs and then all this is done for you?

[TommyRay]

Hmm, yeah, like why don't I just pay someone to do it for me? Ummm, cuz I would LIKE to learn.

RPMs, plural? They will set up that directory structure FOR me and add it to the httpd.conf file? It did not from what I saw, and I DID use RPM.

Thanx for replying with something though! But do you have answers for my questions, perhaps, please?

-Tom

[Giro]

You need to read up on how to setup Apache there is a quite a bit you dont get and its to much to cover here (as you can see my post answers quite a few and some of them are lazy Q's). I can only point you in the right direction,

The Install created the group "apache" I believe, but no user "apache". Is this correct?

No there should be an apache user, but it might not be apache my debian box its www-data. Look in the config file it will tell you.

How do the users get lined up with the apache users home path?

Use the DocumentRoot directive.

Do I start as root, make the approrpriate folder (in this case "tcws") and then switch to user tcws to create the subdirectories of user folders?

Dont use root use any normal user as long as the files are under the DocumentRoot and world readable. I would use who ever owns the DocumentRoot.

As root, When I ADDUSER how do I make thier created home directory to be home/tcws/user ?

Use Google a bit hey or just type useradd into a shell, you will see the switch is -d <the_dir>.

These users I add, how do they get attached to the "apache" group?

Dont add them to the apache group, again just use who ever owns the DocumentRoot.

I have vsftpd enabled, will these users be able to FTP into thier respective home folders?

Well why not go to the site and look? you might want to chroot them into there home dirs.