How to install mod_perl 2.0.9 in Apache 2.4 on OS X Yosemite?

Question

With the release of OS X 10.10 Yosemite, Apple upgraded its Apache server to version 2.4.

At release time, mod_perl 2.0.8 was incompatible with Apache 2.4, and mod_perl 2.0.9 had not yet been officially released (more info).

So, Apache was included without mod_perl.

I work locally on a web site using perl and need to install mod_perl.

I'm an experienced programmer, but I have never done anything like this before and have only my main machine to work on. I don't mind spending some time to figure this out, but I can't afford to bork my local server.

How does one install mod_perl on OS X Yosemite?

Sub-questions:

• which version should I install?
• do I download it to the install location or elsewhere?
• where do I install it?
• are there other dependencies that need to be installed beforehand?
• do I have to re-create the apache install or is the mod_perl installation self-contained?

I'm experienced in bash and very comfortable using Terminal.

Cryolite

I'm wondering this myself. I tried yesterday to compile it from source (github.com/apache/mod_perl/tree/trunk) The git repo didn't have some dependencies so I grabbed those from the 2.0 source (apache.org/dist/perl/mod_perl-2.0-current.tar.gz). I was able to run perl Makefile.PL and make but make test failed and I was unable to run make install. no mod_perl.so file was created (which is required for the make test step. I gave up for now, perhaps you'll have better luck. – Manpower

Answer 1

mod_perl 2.0.8 (latest stable) won't cut it--it's unaware of the deprecation of MPM_NAME in apache 2.4.x Download the latest dev via svn:

svn checkout https://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/perl/modperl/trunk/ mod_perl-2.0

The Changes file lists this version as 2.0.9-dev

Xcode 6.01 won't cut it--it's apache headers will make mod_perl think you're running apache 2.2.26; get Xcode 6.1 (released Oct 20).

Makefile.PL will still have trouble finding ap_release.h (to get your apache version). It's here:

/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.10.sdk/usr/include/apache2/ap_release.h

Makefile.PL will look by default in /usr/include/apache2. It will also look for apr headers in /usr/include/apr-1 because the Yosemite-included /usr/bin/apr-1-config will tell it that's where they are (they're actually in /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.10.sdk/usr/include/apr-1 )

/usr/bin/apr-1-config --includedir
/usr/include/apr-1

I tried setting env vars MP_AP_PREFIX and MP_APR_CONFIG appropriately, but those values seemed to be ignored. So I made things easier on myself:

$ sudo ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.10.sdk/usr/include/apache2 /usr/include/apache2

$ sudo ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.10.sdk/usr/include/apr-1 /usr/include/apr-1

(thanks to Sean Coyne) Per Jason A. Crome's blog post "llvm/clang on OS X defaults to C99, but mod_perl expects the 89 "standard"

$ perl Makefile.PL MP_CCOPTS=-std=gnu89; make ; sudo make install

The LoadModule line for mod_perl has been removed from Yosemite's /etc/apache2/httpd.conf file.
Add

LoadModule perl_module libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so

to the module section of /etc/apache2/httpd.conf

Manchukuo

I followed these steps and it seemed to compile correctly, it did build the mod_perl.so file, but I see the following when running apachectl configtest: httpd: Syntax error on line 111 of /private/etc/apache2/httpd.conf: Cannot load libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so into server: dlopen(/usr/libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so, 10): Symbol not found: _modperl_handler_anon_add\n Referenced from: /usr/libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so\n Expected in: flat namespace\n in /usr/libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so – Manpower

OK, figured it out. Apparently clang defaults to the wrong standard for mod_perl, so you need to run perl Makefile.PL MP_CCOPTS=-std=gnu89 ; make ; sudo make install instead. Credit: blogs.perl.org/users/jason_a_crome/2012/04/… – Manpower

Just found this myself from Jason Crome [link]blogs.perl.org/users/jason_a_crome/2012/04/… – Manchukuo

@AndrewSwift Dan's answer works. He has edited it to make the change I mentioned. – Manpower

It worked! Thanks so much. I will write up a simple answer with a list of the steps and a few notes, but choose this answer as correct. – Cryolite

And to solve the permission problems (changing from apache2.2 to apache 2.4) you have to replace 'Order allow,deny Allow from all' by 'Require all granted' (see #21552340) – Cecilla

Thanks for this. Twelve years later, Apache still hasn't fixed this problem, and mod_perl 2.x (released in 2023) has the same issue. Not sure whether to laugh or cry. Probably cry. – Engels

Answer 2

This is a simplified version of Dan Deal's answer, with a few notes for less experienced developers.

You'll need to install Xcode 6.1 from the Mac App Store. Xcode is suite of tools developed by Apple for developing iOS and OS X software. It takes up almost 6gb but can be deleted after this installation.

Start Xcode once to agree to Apple's terms.

In Terminal, change to any temporary directory then download mod_perl 2.0.9-dev: (Caution - the 'any temporary directory' must be on your root volume and must not have any space characters in the directory name; otherwise the make scripts will fail later on)

svn checkout https://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/perl/modperl/trunk/ mod_perl-2.0

Change to the newly created mod_perl directory:

cd mod_perl-2.0

Tell the installer where to look for parts:

/usr/bin/apr-1-config --includedir /usr/include/apr-1
sudo ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.10.sdk/usr/include/apache2 /usr/include/apache2
sudo ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.10.sdk/usr/include/apr-1 /usr/include/apr-1

(ln -s makes a symbolic link, and the apr-1-config program is used to retrieve information about the apr library, and is typically used to compile and link against the library.)

(Caution - on some Yosemite installations the /usr/include directory does not exist; you may have to create it by cd /usr;mkdir include)

Make mod_perl:

perl Makefile.PL MP_CCOPTS=-std=gnu89; make ; sudo make install

Delete the temporary folder mod_perl-2.0.

Tell apache to include mod_perl in the apache httpd.conf:

sudo vi /etc/apache2/httpd.conf (or)
sudo nano /etc/apache2/httpd.conf

Add the following line at the end of the list of includes, near line 170:

LoadModule perl_module libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so

Save, quit, and restart apache:

sudo apachectl restart

Cryolite

I tried to install the way you suggest it, but when running "sudo apachectl configtest" I get "httpd: Syntax error on line 171 of /private/etc/apache2/httpd.conf: Cannot load libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so into server: dlopen(/usr/libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so, 10): image not found". I downloaded the mod_perl to /Users/my.name/tmp and had to run "sudo perl Makefile.PL MP_CCOPTS=-std=gnu89; make ; sudo make install" to make the install work. Any suggestions? – Infare

Does "my.name" contain a space? I can't tell from the last part of your comment if you succeeded at the end. – Cryolite

No space, the result can be found here #27828224 – Infare

Please put a link here if you repost it to ServerFault. – Cryolite

Where is Makefile.PL located? Or in which directory must I be located when I run the "sudo perl Makefile.PL ..."? – Louisville

Well, I found it another directory down, and had to navigate to be there to run the perl Makefile.PL command. mod_perl.so was creaed and placed in the proper place, and I added the LoadModule statement to httpd.conf, and restarted apache, BUT none of my perl-scripts run in my browsers. – Louisville

I believe I found the reason none of my perl-scripts were executing. The "httpd.conf" had a #-commented out LoadModule command: LoadModule cgi_module libexec/apache2/mod_cgi.so – Louisville

Answer 3

Extra screwing around required in El Capitan!

In El Capitan, Apple prevents users from writing to anywhere under /usr/ except /usr/local/

Referencing Dan Deal's and Andrew Swift's answers above, and assuming you have Xcode 7 and the El Capitan (10.11) SDK installed:

sudo ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.11.sdk/usr/include/apache2 /usr/local/include/apache2
sudo ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.11.sdk/usr/include/apr-1 /usr/local/include/apr-1

Will soft-link the Xcode headers to /usr/local/include.

---

Next, we need to tell Makefile.PL where to find the headers (since it assumes /usr/include by default).

sudo cp /usr/sbin/apxs /usr/local/bin

to make a copy of the APXS tool which Makefile.PL uses to locate the apache headers. Now edit it:

sudo vi /usr/local/bin/apxs        (or)
sudo nano /usr/local/bin/apxs

locate the line which says:

my $prefix         = get_vars("prefix");

and replace it with:

my $prefix         = "/usr/local";

---

Ensure that /usr/local/bin is in your path before /usr/sbin, so that it picks up the one you just modified:

export PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH

Now you can go ahead and build mod_perl:

perl Makefile.PL MP_CCOPTS=-std=gnu89; make ; sudo make install

Finally, when you edit your httpd.conf, you need to explicitly pass the full path to mod_perl.so, as it's not in the directory that apache expects to find it:

LoadModule perl_module /usr/local/libexec/apache2/mod_perl.so

Paunchy

Great! I had already installed it before upgrading to El Capitan, and my previous installation continued to work after the upgrade. This will be very helpful to people who start fresh. – Cryolite

Interesting — I had too, and it broke. – Paunchy

I started with the first beta and kept upgrading. Did you install the final copy or a beta? – Cryolite

I went straight from Yosemite to El Cap GM, so that could be the source of the difference. I assume you left SIP (“rootless”) on? – Paunchy

Yes, El Cap is functioning with SIP active. I actually tried to deactivate it but I couldn't get my Mac to restart in recovery mode. – Cryolite

Still not there in El Cap. Everything seems to build OK but my test perl cgi script doesn't run, just shows source code. On Yosemite I also had a line in my httpd.conf "LoadModule cgi_module libexec/apache2/mod_cgi.so" as well as the "LoadModule perl_module..." but that doesn't exist so I can't just add it. Not Perl specific as a test Python cgi also doesn't function. Anyone tell me what I'm missing? – Cerumen

Not sure how I screwed up but I was was wrong in my comment, above, about cgi. Line 157 in the httpd.conf file in /etc/apache2 has "#LoadModule cgi_module..." and all you need to do is uncomment it to get cgis (perl, python or whatever) to run from your CGI-executables folder. This may be peripheral to the perl_module in the question, but would be useful as part of more general mac/unix setup instructions. Anyone suggest where I might posted it so it gets noticed/indexed? – Cerumen

Answer 4

Thanks for all the pointers above. Here's a solution/receipe, building from source without symbolic linking to odd files within Xcode, and avoiding the 'Expected in: flat namespace' error.

(edit:) To my big surprise the httpd that Apple provides (2.4.16) is now capable of running with my mod_perl!

0 Xcode 7.3 (beta), and command line utils, OS X 10.11.3 El Capitan

1 install perl, with threads:

perlbrew install -f -Dusethreads perl-stable; 

I put perl into /usr/local/perl5/

2 get apr-1.5.2

3 get apr-util-1.5.4

4 get pcre-8.38 (./configure --prefix=/usr/local/pcre; make; make install)

5 get httpd-2.4.9

6 COPY (cp -r -p) the dirs apr-1.5.2 and apr-util-1.5.4 to httpd-2.4.9/srclib/ as 'apr' and 'apr-util' respectively, to be able to use --with-included-apr when building httpd.

7 cd httpd-2.4.9

export CC=/usr/bin/gcc

export CPP=/usr/bin/cpp

./configure --prefix=/usr/local/apache2/ --enable-mods=most --enable-auth-basic --enable-rewrite --with-included-apr --with-pcre=/usr/local/pcre 

make clean 

make 

make install

8 mod_perl-2.0.9

perl Makefile.PL MP_CCOPTS=-std=gnu89 MP_APXS=/usr/local/apache2/bin/apxs

(MP_CCOPTS=-std=gnu89 is VITAL here)

make
make install

Info on build and loaded modules:

# httpd -V
Server version: Apache/2.4.16 (Unix)
Server built:   Jul 31 2015 15:53:26
Server's Module Magic Number: 20120211:47
Server loaded:  APR 1.4.8, APR-UTIL 1.5.2
Compiled using: APR 1.4.8, APR-UTIL 1.5.2
Architecture:   64-bit
Server MPM:     prefork
  threaded:     no
    forked:     yes (variable process count)
Server compiled with....
 -D APR_HAS_SENDFILE
 -D APR_HAS_MMAP
 -D APR_HAVE_IPV6 (IPv4-mapped addresses enabled)
 -D APR_USE_FLOCK_SERIALIZE
 -D APR_USE_PTHREAD_SERIALIZE
 -D SINGLE_LISTEN_UNSERIALIZED_ACCEPT
 -D APR_HAS_OTHER_CHILD
 -D AP_HAVE_RELIABLE_PIPED_LOGS
 -D DYNAMIC_MODULE_LIMIT=256
 -D HTTPD_ROOT="/usr"
 -D SUEXEC_BIN="/usr/bin/suexec"
 -D DEFAULT_PIDLOG="/private/var/run/httpd.pid"
 -D DEFAULT_SCOREBOARD="logs/apache_runtime_status"
 -D DEFAULT_ERRORLOG="logs/error_log"
 -D AP_TYPES_CONFIG_FILE="/private/etc/apache2/mime.types"
 -D SERVER_CONFIG_FILE="/private/etc/apache2/httpd.conf"

# httpd -D DUMP_MODULES
Loaded Modules:
 core_module (static)
 so_module (static)
 http_module (static)
 mpm_prefork_module (static)
 authn_file_module (shared)
 authn_core_module (shared)
 authz_host_module (shared)
 authz_groupfile_module (shared)
 authz_user_module (shared)
 authz_core_module (shared)
 access_compat_module (shared)
 auth_basic_module (shared)
 reqtimeout_module (shared)
 filter_module (shared)
 mime_module (shared)
 log_config_module (shared)
 env_module (shared)
 headers_module (shared)
 setenvif_module (shared)
 version_module (shared)
 proxy_module (shared)
 proxy_connect_module (shared)
 proxy_ftp_module (shared)
 proxy_http_module (shared)
 proxy_fcgi_module (shared)
 proxy_scgi_module (shared)
 proxy_wstunnel_module (shared)
 proxy_ajp_module (shared)
 proxy_balancer_module (shared)
 proxy_express_module (shared)
 slotmem_shm_module (shared)
 lbmethod_byrequests_module (shared)
 lbmethod_bytraffic_module (shared)
 lbmethod_bybusyness_module (shared)
 unixd_module (shared)
 status_module (shared)
 autoindex_module (shared)
 negotiation_module (shared)
 dir_module (shared)
 alias_module (shared)
 rewrite_module (shared)
 perl_module (shared)

Evocator