On a UNIX Web server, the URL's are case sensitive. For instance, this
address has a big "B":
http://www.answering-islam.org/Bailey/jihad.html.  If you type in a
small "b" into the browser address field, one gets a 404 File Not
Found Error: http://www.answering-islam.org/bailey/jihad.html.

Is there a translation program that one can install on a Unix server
that would allow URL's to be case IN-sensitive? Then one would be able
to type "B" or "b" and still download the page either way.

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Request for Question Clarification by efn-ga on 11 Jul 2004 10:29 PDT

Hi yoelnatan,

It looks like this problem is probably solvable, but the specific
technique would not be universal for UNIX, but would depend on the web
server software involved.  Can you narrow the question down to a
specific web server product such as Apache?

--efn

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Clarification of Question by yoelnatan-ga on 11 Jul 2004 14:13 PDT

Unix OpenBSD. If this is not specific enough, let me know and I'll
request more information on the specific version #, or whatever.
Thanks you!

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Request for Question Clarification by efn-ga on 11 Jul 2004 19:50 PDT

The web server software is separate from the operating system, and
there is more than one kind of web server software that could run on
an OpenBSD system.  The software relevant to your question is most
likely to be Apache, since it is distributed with the operating system
and is the most popular web server software on OpenBSD.  But just to
be sure, can you confirm that the server in question runs Apache?

Apache has a module called mod_speling (the spelling is deliberate)
which can make URls case insensitive.  Getting it working is pretty
simple if you're happy editing your httpd.conf file.

Firstly you need to make sure the module is being loaded.  Looking at
the default OpenBSD httpd.conf file you should simply need to
umcomment the following line:

LoadModule speling_module     /usr/lib/apache/modules/mod_speling.so

By default it's on line 243 but you may well need to look around for it.

Once you're happy the module is loading you can then start enabling
the feature for you're website(s).  The config option you'll need is:

CheckSpelling On

Which can be used in a few different ways:

- If you want it apply to every website on the server then put it in
the Main Server of your httpd.conf

- If you want to use it only on some VirtualHosts then you can put the
option within the relevant <VirtualHost> tags

- If you only want it to apply to parts of a website you can place the
option between <Directory> tags or you can also use a .htaccess file
providing that "Options All" is set.

Some Links
==========

Mod_speling documentation:
<http://httpd.apache.org/docs/mod/mod_speling.html>

The httpd.conf that comes with OpenBSD:
<http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/src/usr.sbin/httpd/conf/httpd.conf?annotate=1.17>

General Apache configuration documentation:
<http://httpd.apache.org/docs/configuring.html>

From what I can gather, the answer is awesome.

According to NetCraft that site he references is running Apache 1.3.26

forge

Hi,

I had the same problem and didn't have access to the server, since I
was using a remote host. So I made a javascript-based 404-file that
converts the URL to lowercase. So when somebody types in the correct
URL, but with the wrong cases, this 404-file is called and redirects
to the same URL, only in lowercase. A cookie makes sure that it only
tries once, then if it is called again you get a file not
found-message.

In order for this to work, you have to name all files and folders with
lowercase letters.

You can find the script and an explanation on how to install it on:
http://www.forbrugerportalen.dk/sider/casesensitive404-english.htm

Hi, I'm the person who asked the Google Answers question. I'm an
intermediary who is just passing the information on to the interested
party. Thanks for the responses. If and when I hear back that the
answers I received were great advice, I'll give you guys top rating. 
Right now I haven't heard anything back yet.  To me your answers sound
great!  Thanks!