Help for Request Routing

Use this form to create or modify a set of rules for your server to use when mapping URL requests to a file. You can use a list of mapping rules to define a virtual layout of your server's Web resources. The server uses the virtual layout to map requests to actual files. This enables you to change the physical location of your files and directories without any impact to your requesters. Having a virtual layout also lets your server present resources from other file systems and servers as part of its own set of resources.

The server takes the requested URL and processes it through the list of mapping rules. The order of the rules within the list is important because processing starts from the top of the list and continues down. Processing ends when the request is accepted, rejected, or redirected to another server. It is possible for a Map action to change the URL during the processing. The server then uses the new URL for processing subsequent rules.

If you are using multiple IP addresses or virtual hosts, you can specify a different set of mapping rules for the server to use depending on the address a request comes in on or the host for which a request is made.

For example, you might want to specify that a request beginning /cgi-bin/ received on address 9.67.106.79 or received for hostA is mapped to the /customerA/cgi/ directory, and the same request received on address 9.83.100.45 or received for hostB, is mapped to the /customerB/cgi/ directory.

Mapping rules contain the following parts:

Action- the server recognizes the following mapping rule actions. The description of each action explains what the server does when a request contains a URL that matches the rule's Request Template.
- Map - the server changes the URL according to the Replacement File Path. The server then compares the new URL to the Request Template on subsequent rules.
- Pass - the server accepts the request. The Replacement File Path is optional with the Pass action. If a Replacement File Path is used, the server uses it to change the URL before accepting the request. The server does not compare the URL to any subsequent rules.
- Fail - the server rejects the request. The server does not compare the URL to any subsequent rules.
- Exec - the server accepts the request and runs a CGI script program identified by the Replacement File Path. The server does not compare the URL to any subsequent rules.
- Redirect - the server sends the request to another server identified by the Replacement File Path. The Replacement File Path must contain a full URL. The server does not notify the requester that the request is actually being answered by another server. The server does not compare the URL to any subsequent rules.
- NameTrans - The server accepts the request and runs an ICAPI application identified by the Replacement File Path during the Name Translation step of request processing. The server does not compare the URL to any subsequent rules.
- Service - The server accepts the request and runs an ICAPI application identified by the Replacement File Path during the Service step of request processing. The server does not compare the URL to any subsequent rules.
  Note: It is advisable to use the Request Routing form to ensure correct placement of the Service directive in the configuration file.
Request Template - the server compares requested URLs to the Request Templates in the mapping rules. A Request Template is required for each Action. The Request Template can contain the asterisk (*) wildcard character.
Replacement File Path - when a URL matches the Request Template, the server changes the URL according to the Replacement File Path. Replacement File Path is required for the Map, Exec, and Redirect actions; it is optional for the Pass action; it is not used for the Fail action. If the Request Template uses a wildcard, the Replacement File Path can also use a wildcard. If a wildcard is present on both, the part of the URL matching the wildcard is used as is. If a wildcard is present only on Replacement File Path, the part of the URL matching the wildcard is replaced. The Exec action requires a wildcard at the end of both the Request Template and Replacement File Path. The part of the Replacement File Path before the wildcard identifies the path where the CGI script program is located. The part of the URL that matches the wildcard is the name of the CGI script program.

To insert a new mapping rule:

Select either Insert before or Insert after .
Select an Index number.
Your choices in steps 1 and 2 indicate the position you want the item to have in the list. For example, if you select Insert before and Index 2, the item will be second in the list. If you select Insert after and Index 4, the item will be fifth in the list.
Enter the new mapping rule by selecting an Action and filling in the URL request template and Replacement file path fields.
See the Mapping Rules earlier in this help information for a description of the parts of a mapping rule.
Optionally specify the server IP address or host name to associate with the mapping rule.
Click Apply to update your server with the changes you made to the form
or
Click Reset to return to the values that were on the form before you made the changes.

To replace a mapping rule:

Select Replace.
Select the Index number of the item you want to replace.
Enter the new mapping rule by selecting an Action and filling in the URL request template and Replacement file path fields.
See the Mapping Rules earlier in this help information for a description of the parts of a mapping rule.
Optionally specify the server IP address or host name to associate with the mapping rule.
Click Apply to update your server with the changes you made to the form
or
Click Reset to return to the values that were on the form before you made the changes.

To remove a mapping rule:

Select Remove.
Select the Index number of the item you want to remove.
Click Apply to update your server with the changes you made to the form
or
Click Reset to return to the values that were on the form before you made the changes.