So, in my bid to put the predicate language through the paces, I've been
testing out all the rewrite rules I've ever used with mod_rewrite or Tuckey
Rewrite to see if Undertow's handlers are up to the task.
I've run into an issue again with probably the most common rewrite rule of
any CFML app using an MVC framework, which is a rule that creates so-called
"SES" URLs and force all requests through a front controller design
pattern.
Basically
site.com/home/about
gets rewritten to
site.com/index.cfm/home/about
Here you can see how this rule is typically accomplished in Apache httpd,
Nginx, IIS, and Tuckey:
https://coldbox.ortusbooks.com/the-basics/routing/requirements/rewrite-rules
The hang up is that* any incoming path that maps to an actual file* skips
the rewrite rule. That way* /images/logo.jpg* doesn't get rewritten.
So here was my first stab at it with Undertow's predicate language-- it
seemed simple enough:
not file and not directory -> rewrite('/index.cfm/%{RELATIVE_PATH}')
But our old friend the servlet of course is nowhere to be found since my
"file" and "directory" predicates were executing in the root handler
chain
so there is no concept of a servlet's context root with which to resolve
file system paths.
So basically, I understand exactly why this doesn't work, but I feel that
we need to find a way to make this work. This is a feature that pretty
much every rewrite engine I've ever used has-- the ability to test the file
system to see if a file or directory exists. Can we discuss the following
options?
- Find a way for the root handler chain to access the deployment's
resource manager
- Find a way for the rewrite handler to correctly affect not only the
exchange but also (optionally) the HttpServletRequest so it's possible to
rewrite the URL inside of the servlet's handler chain. I know for certain
this is possible because the Tuckey Rewrite engine is implemented as a
servlet filter.
I would prefer the first option since I do like having the predicates in
the root handler chain so it can run as early as possible.
Thanks!
~Brad
*Developer Advocate*
*Ortus Solutions, Corp *
E-mail: brad(a)coldbox.org
ColdBox Platform:
http://www.coldbox.org
Blog:
http://www.codersrevolution.com