apache fc3 questions: starting apache & file permissions

[mexicoshanty]

hi everyone,

ive been playing with apache and i have a few questions that i cant seem to find the answer to.

What is the correct method to start apache in fc3, if i follow the apache documentation it tells me to execute ´apachectl start´, but i get a command not found. I did a search and found apachectl is located in /usr/sbin/. When i execute it, it returns to the command line almost instantly as it should, but apache does not start. The only way ive found to start apache has been through system settings -> server settings -> services then starting httpd. Apache appears to be working properly, but i have concerns as this is not recommended in the documentation.

My document root /var/www/html is owned by root and has the file permissions 755, for ease of use id like to be able to modify files in /var/www and all subdirectories without root privileges, should i change the permissions? What do you recommend i do? I just dont want to open up a security hole.

I tried to setup another virtual host with the document root /home/user/www/html but when i access this host i get a 403 forbidden error message. Im stumped as what could be causing this. SELinux allows read access to the home directory and file permissions were set at 755

Thanks, best regards mexicoshanty

[brahms]

To start apache:

service httpd start

This is the command line version of what you've been doing. The FC installation of Apache is designed to be run this way.
These are the permissions you need to set for a folder to be accessible by apache.

drwxr-xr-x  root root system_u:object_r:home_root_t       /home
drwxr-x--x  user user user_u:object_r:user_home_dir_t     /home/user/
drwxr-x--x  user user user_u:object_r:httpd_sys_content_t /home/user/www
drwxr-xr-x  user user user_u:object_r:httpd_sys_content_t /home/user/www/html/

Use

ls -lZd

to see what they are now, and

chmod
chown
chcon

to set your permissions like this and it will work. Post back if you need more information.

[harper]

hi !
yes....this is exactely my pb (setting up apache in FC3 ), but i did not get everything
my document root is /var/www/html, in the httpd.conf i'm NOT setting up USER_DIR or virtual host, but i run apache as root , however i can't get apache the exact permission to write to compile dirercotory (i'm trying to use SMARTY templates),
can you please tell what should be exactely the code in:
chmod
chown
chcon
thank u very much forur help