[mp2] httpd.conf block problems

[Warren Young]

I've got a working Apache::ASP application that has been used mainly on 
more-or-less stock Red Hat Linux 7.2 and 7.3 systems (Apache 1.3.2x, 
mod_perl 1.26, perl 5.6.1).  I tried moving it to a Red Hat Linux 9 
system (Apache 2.0.40, mod_perl 1.99_07, perl 5.8.0) and it failed.

The bugs I'm seeing are tickled by the <Perl> block I've been using in 
httpd.conf on the RH7 systems.  This block contains an 
Apache::ASP->Loader() directive, which precompiles all of the scripts 
before the httpd children are forked off, for efficiency.  If I comment 
this optional <Perl> block out, httpd starts up fine.

The first bug is a known one: apparently, recent mod_perls are sensitive 
to the syntax of the <Perl> tag: they require a space in it, like this: 
<Perl >  I hope this is just a bug that hasn't risen to the top of the 
priority list yet, and that the mod_perl folk don't intend to keep this 
sytax.

Once that was fixed, I found a new problem.  I recieved errors like this:

Syntax error on line 1059 of /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf:
Bareword "Apache::OK" not allowed while "strict subs" in use at 
/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.0//i386-linux-thread-multi/Apache/PerlSection.pm 
line 47.!BEGIN not safe after errors--compilation aborted at 
/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.0//i386-linux-thread-multi/Apache/PerlSection.pm 
line 58.!Compilation failed in require at (eval 57) line 3.!

Line 1059 is the </Perl> line.  If I comment out the "use strict" 
directive at the top of PerlSection.pm, this problem goes away.  I'm not 
sure what the correct fix is, but I hope this is enough information to 
lead one of the mod_perl developers to a solution.

I replaced the mod_perl Red Hat shippped with v1.99_09 while chasing 
this problem, so that's the version I changed.