config/3142: apachectl configtest reported config OK but would not start...

[David Nicol <dn...@tipjar.com>]

>Number:         3142
>Category:       config
>Synopsis:       apachectl configtest reported config OK but would not start...
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    apache
>State:          open
>Class:          change-request
>Submitter-Id:   apache
>Arrival-Date:   Mon Oct  5 08:50:01 PDT 1998
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     dnconsult@tipjar.com
>Organization:
apache
>Release:        1.3.2
>Environment:
Fully patched red hat linux 5.0 on pentium, 1.3.2 source built with gcc,
inexperienced administrator.
>Description:
apachectl configtest reported config OK, but would not start. A look at the
error-log showed, a directory referred to in a logging directive did not exist.

Due to inexperience there was a delay in locating the log file which contained
the relevant messages containing the key to the exact misconfiguration.

grep -i log httpd.conf | less 
provided the correct file, but several minutes passed during which many name-based
virtual hosts were not accessible.
>How-To-Repeat:
Add an ErrorLog directive to a <VirtualHost> section specifying to a file
in a nonexistent directory.
>Fix:
Feature-requests:

1:  display path to active error-log file when httpd will not start

2:  extend apachectl configtest to test directories for existence
    and sane permissions, like innd's "inncheck", even going so far as
    to generate a shell script to correct simple directory existence and
    permissions problems.
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted:
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