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    <title>Apache module mod_so</title>
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      <h3>Apache HTTP Server Version 1.3</h3>
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    <h1 align="CENTER">Module mod_so</h1>

    <p>This module provides for loading of executable code and
    modules into the server at start-up or restart time.</p>

    <p><a href="module-dict.html#Status"
    rel="Help"><strong>Status:</strong></a> Base (Windows);
    Experimental (Unix)<br />
     <a href="module-dict.html#SourceFile"
    rel="Help"><strong>Source File:</strong></a> mod_so.c<br />
     <a href="module-dict.html#ModuleIdentifier"
    rel="Help"><strong>Module Identifier:</strong></a>
    so_module<br />
     <a href="module-dict.html#Compatibility"
    rel="Help"><strong>Compatibility:</strong></a> Available in
    Apache 1.3 and later.</p>

    <h2>Summary</h2>

    <p>This is an experimental module. On selected operating
    systems it can be used to load modules into Apache at runtime
    via the <a href="../dso.html">Dynamic Shared Object</a> (DSO)
    mechanism, rather than requiring a recompilation.</p>

    <p>On Unix, the loaded code typically comes from shared object
    files (usually with <samp>.so</samp> extension), whilst on
    Windows this module loads <samp>DLL</samp> files. This module
    is only available in Apache 1.3 and up.</p>

    <p>In previous releases, the functionality of this module was
    provided for Unix by mod_dld, and for Windows by mod_dll. On
    Windows, mod_dll was used in beta release 1.3b1 through 1.3b5.
    mod_so combines these two modules into a single module for all
    operating systems.</p>

    <h2>Directives</h2>

    <ul>
      <li><a href="#loadfile">LoadFile</a></li>

      <li><a href="#loadmodule">LoadModule</a></li>
    </ul>

    <h2><a id="creating" name="creating">Creating DLL Modules for
    Windows</a></h2>

    <p>The Apache module API is unchanged between the Unix and
    Windows versions. Many modules will run on Windows with no or
    little change from Unix, although others rely on aspects of the
    Unix architecture which are not present in Windows, and will
    not work.</p>

    <p>When a module does work, it can be added to the server in
    one of two ways. As with Unix, it can be compiled into the
    server. Because Apache for Windows does not have the
    <code>Configure</code> program of Apache for Unix, the module's
    source file must be added to the ApacheCore project file, and
    its symbols must be added to the
    <code>os\win32\modules.c</code> file.</p>

    <p>The second way is to compile the module as a DLL, a shared
    library that can be loaded into the server at runtime, using
    the <code><a href="#loadmodule">LoadModule</a></code>
    directive. These module DLLs can be distributed and run on any
    Apache for Windows installation, without recompilation of the
    server.</p>

    <p>To create a module DLL, a small change is necessary to the
    module's source file: The module record must be exported from
    the DLL (which will be created later; see below). To do this,
    add the <code>MODULE_VAR_EXPORT</code> (defined in the Apache
    header files) to your module's module record definition. For
    example, if your module has:</p>
<pre>
    module foo_module;
</pre>

    <p>Replace the above with:</p>
<pre>
    module MODULE_VAR_EXPORT foo_module;
</pre>

    <p>Note that this will only be activated on Windows, so the
    module can continue to be used, unchanged, with Unix if needed.
    Also, if you are familiar with <code>.DEF</code> files, you can
    export the module record with that method instead.</p>

    <p>Now, create a DLL containing your module. You will need to
    link this against the ApacheCore.lib export library that is
    created when the ApacheCore.dll shared library is compiled. You
    may also have to change the compiler settings to ensure that
    the Apache header files are correctly located.</p>

    <p>This should create a DLL version of your module. Now simply
    place it in the <samp>modules</samp> directory of your server
    root, and use the <code><a
    href="#loadmodule">LoadModule</a></code> directive to load
    it.</p>
    <hr />

    <h2><a id="loadfile" name="loadfile">LoadFile</a>
    directive</h2>

    <a href="directive-dict.html#Syntax"
    rel="Help"><strong>Syntax:</strong></a> LoadFile
    <em>filename</em> [<em>filename</em>] ...<br />
     <a href="directive-dict.html#Context"
    rel="Help"><strong>Context:</strong></a> server config<br />
     <a href="directive-dict.html#Status"
    rel="Help"><strong>Status:</strong></a> Base<br />
     <a href="directive-dict.html#Module"
    rel="Help"><strong>Module:</strong></a> mod_so 

    <p>The LoadFile directive links in the named object files or
    libraries when the server is started or restarted; this is used
    to load additional code which may be required for some module
    to work. <em>Filename</em> is either an absolute path or
    relative to <a href="core.html#serverroot">ServerRoot</a>.</p>

    <p>For example:</p>
    <code>LoadFile libexec/libxmlparse.so</code>

    <hr />

    <h2><a id="loadmodule" name="loadmodule">LoadModule</a>
    directive</h2>

    <a href="directive-dict.html#Syntax"
    rel="Help"><strong>Syntax:</strong></a> LoadModule <em>module
    filename</em><br />
     <a href="directive-dict.html#Context"
    rel="Help"><strong>Context:</strong></a> server config<br />
     <a href="directive-dict.html#Status"
    rel="Help"><strong>Status:</strong></a> Base<br />
     <a href="directive-dict.html#Module"
    rel="Help"><strong>Module:</strong></a> mod_so 

    <p>The LoadModule directive links in the object file or library
    <em>filename</em> and adds the module structure named
    <em>module</em> to the list of active modules. <em>Module</em>
    is the name of the external variable of type
    <code>module</code> in the file, and is listed as the <a
    href="module-dict.html#ModuleIdentifier">Module Identifier</a>
    in the module documentation. Example (Unix, and for Windows as
    of Apache 1.3.15):</p>

    <blockquote>
      <code>LoadModule status_module modules/mod_status.so</code>
    </blockquote>

    <p>Example (Windows prior to Apache 1.3.15, and some 3rd party
    modules):</p>

    <blockquote>
      <code>LoadModule foo_module modules/ApacheModuleFoo.dll<br />
      </code>
    </blockquote>

    <p><strong>Note that all modules bundled with the Apache Win32
    binary distribution were renamed as of Apache version
    1.3.15</strong>.</p>

    <p>Win32 Apache modules are often distributed with the old
    style names, or even a name such as libfoo.dll. Whatever the
    name of the module, the LoadModule directive requires the exact
    filename, no assumption is made about the filename
    extension.</p>
        <hr />

    <h3 align="CENTER">Apache HTTP Server Version 1.3</h3>
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