Re: [Exist-open] Setting up a web page with existDB: basic instructions

[Joe W. <jo...@gm...>]

Hi Rusty,

> However I would like the PHP *arhictecture* where when the web server
> gets a request for a static file named foo.xql, it says, "Hmm, that
> looks like an XQuery file. Let me run it through the query processor
> before I send it back tot he client."

This is how eXist already treats requests for .xql files, out of the
box.  You're not saying it isn't, are you?

> And when it gets a request for a
> regular .html file it just sends it without bothering the database.

I defer to Jim's suggestions on caching, but I do wonder if anyone has
tested the extra 'load' on the eXist database for serving static files
- html, js, css, etc.  At what point does this cause a bottleneck?

> Extra bonus points if the server can respond to a request for foo.html
> with either foo.html or foo.xql depending on which one exists.

Sounds like a perfect job for URL rewriting.  Insert this in the
relevant controller.xql:

  if (ends-with($exist:resource, '.html)) then
    if (exists(doc(concat($exist:controller, $exist:root, $exist:path)))) then
      urlrewrite:ignore()
    else if (util:binary-doc-available(replace(concat($exist:controller,
$exist:root, $exist:path), '.html$', '.xql'))) then
      urlrewrite:forward(replace(concat($exist:controller,
$exist:root, $exist:path), '.html$', '.xql'))

Note that I've used shorthand urlrewrite:ignore() and
urlrewrite:forward() instead of the full XML dispatch elements.

> 3. Easier to start with a bunch of static files and slowly convert
> them over to database-driven.

Absolutely - makes sense!

Joe