SUPPORT

=head1 SUPPORT

=over 3

=item MAIL LIST

For comments, questions, bug-reports, announcements, etc., send mail
to I<modperl@apache.org>.
To subscribe to this list (which you must do to send mail to the
list), send a mail message to I<majordomo@apache.org> with the body:

 subscribe modperl

Please note that mails on the mailinglist go out with a reply-to
header, so you have to be subscribed to get the answers.

We also have a mailinglist just for announcements. Subscribe my
sending a message to I<majordomo@apache.org> with the body:

 subscribe modperl-announce

(Thanks to Brian Behlendorf)
(Thanks also to Mark A. Imbriaco who maintained the original list for 2 years)

=item MAIL LIST ARCHIVES

There are several modperl list archives, choose your favorite:

Thanks to Ken Williams:
 
 http://forum.swarthmore.edu/epigone/modperl

Thanks to James Cooper:

 http://outside.organic.com/mail-archives/modperl/

Thanks to Hank Leininger:

 http://www.progressive-comp.com/Lists/?l=apache-modperl&r=1#apache-modperl

Thanks to FindMail:

 http://www.findmail.com/listsaver/modperl/

=back

=head1 REPORTING PROBLEMS

=over 3

=item HOMEWORK

Make sure you've done your homework before reporting a problem.
Check the mail archive, read cgi_to_mod_perl.pod, the FAQ and other
pod documents in the distribution.

=item HOW

When debugging, always start httpd with the C<-X> switch so only one
process is started.

Always check the error_log.

=item WHERE

Please send mail to modperl@apache.org

=item WHAT

Always include this information:

Output of C<perl -v; perl -V>

Version of mod_perl

Version of apache

Server configuration details

relevant sections of your ErrorLog (make test's is: t/logs/error_log)

If 'make test' fails, the output of 'make test TEST_VERBOSE=1'

Depending on the nature of your problem, you may also be asked:

-Does 'make test' pass 100%?

-Does your script still work under CGI?

-Do you have a *small* test script that illustrates the problem?

-Can you get a backtrace (if httpd is dumping core)?

=item CORE DUMPS

If you get a core dump, please send a backtrace if possible.
Before you try, build mod_perl with perl Makefile.PL PERL_DEBUG=1
which will:
 -add `-g' to EXTRA_CFLAGS
 -turn on PERL_TRACE
 -set PERL_DESTRUCT_LEVEL=2 (additional checks during Perl cleanup)
 -link against libperld if it exists

Here's how to get a backtrace:

 % cd mod_perl-x.xx
 % touch conf/srm.conf
 % gdb ../apache_x.xx/src/httpd
 (gdb) run -X -f `pwd`/t/conf/httpd.conf -d `pwd`/t
 [now make request that causes core dump]
 (gdb) bt

You can also attach to an already running process like so:

 % gdb httpd <process id number>

This attach approach is helpful when debugging a "spinning" process.
You can also get a Perl stacktrace of a "spinning" process by install a 
C<$SIG{USR1}> handler in your code, like so:

 $SIG{USR1} = \&Carp::confess

While the process is spinning, send it a I<USR1> signal:

 % kill -USR1 <process id number>

Sometimes gdb can make heads or tails of the core file, try this:
 
 % gdb -core core

If the dump is happening in libperl a -DDEBUGGING enabled libperl
would help show us what's really happening. 

Go to your Perl source tree:

 % rm *.[oa]
 % make LIBPERL=libperld.a
 % cp libperld.a $Config{archlibexp}/CORE

$Config{archlibexp} is:

 % perl -V:archlibexp

Rebuild httpd/mod_perl with PERL_DEBUG=1, let's see a new backtrace.

=back