Re: Using or working around File::MMagic under mod_perl

["Perrin Harkins" <suppressed>]

Hi Mark,

> What's interesting is that the same version of File::MMagic works
> correctly on a different machine. I suspect that some other module
> loaded has changed a global variable that File::MMagic depends on.
>
> Someone has a bug report and patch to that effect here:
> http://rt.cpan.org/Public/Bug/Display.html?id=11121

Hmm, if someone is changing $/ without localizing it in a persistent
interpreter like mod_perl or FastCGI, it's pretty much guaranteed to
break something.  I don't think File::MMagic should be expected to
defend against that kind of insanity.

> File::MMagic is used by Data::FormValidator's "file_format" constraint
> for file uploads, so some other people may be using indirectly under
> mod_perl as well.

Under mod_perl, it is possible to get this from apache without using
File::MMagic, by using a subrequest.  There's some more discussion
here:
http://modperl.com/book/chapters/ch8.html#Reimplementing_I_mod_mime_in_Pe

> Could it simply be a matter of fixing the use of the DATA handle, as
> Stats suggest here?

Yes, very likely.

- Perrin