=head1 NAME

Apache::RequestRec -- A Perl API for Apache request object

=head1 SYNOPSIS

  use Apache::RequestRec;
  sub handler{
      my $r = shift;
      
      my $s = $r->server;
      my $dir_config = $r->dir_config;
      ...
  }

=head1 DESCRIPTION

C<Apache::RequestRec> provides the Perl API for Apache request object.

=head1 API

Function arguments (if any) and return values are shown in the
function's synopsis.

=head2 server()

  $s = $r->server;

Gets the C<Apache::Server> object for the server the request C<$r> is
running under.

=head2 dir_config()

dir_config() provides an interface for the per-directory variable
specified by the C<PerlSetVar> and C<PerlAddVar> directives, and also
can be manipulated via the C<L<APR::Table|docs::2.0::api::APR::Table>>
methods.

The keys are case-insensitive.

  $apr_table = $r->dir_config();

dir_config() called in a scalar context without the C<$key> argument
returns a I<HASH> reference blessed into the
C<L<APR::Table|docs::2.0::api::APR::Table>> class. This object can be
manipulated via the C<L<APR::Table|docs::2.0::api::APR::Table>>
methods. For available methods see
the C<L<APR::Table|docs::2.0::api::APR::Table>> manpage.

  @values = $r->dir_config($key);

If the C<$key> argument is passed in the list context a list of all
matching values will be returned. This method is ineffective for big
tables, as it does a linear search of the table. Thefore avoid using
this way of calling dir_config() unless you know that there could be
more than one value for the wanted key and all the values are wanted.

  $value = $r->dir_config($key);

If the C<$key> argument is passed in the scalar context only a single
value will be returned. Since the table preserves the insertion order,
if there is more than one value for the same key, the oldest value
assosiated with the desired key is returned. Calling in the scalar
context is also much faster, as it'll stop searching the table as soon
as the first match happens.

  $r->dir_config($key => $val);

If the C<$key> and the C<$val> arguments are used, the set() operation
will happen: all existing values associated with the key C<$key> (and
the key itself) will be deleted and C<$value> will be placed instead.

  $r->dir_config($key => undef);

If C<$val> is I<undef> the unset() operation will happen: all existing
values associated with the key C<$key> (and the key itself) will be
deleted.

=head2 ap_auth_type()

C<$r-E<gt>ap_auth_type> gets or sets the I<ap_auth_type> slot in the
request record.

  $r->ap_auth_type('Basic');

or

  my $auth_type = $r->ap_auth_type;

I<ap_auth_type> holds the authentication type that has been negotiated
between the client and server during the actual request.  Generally,
I<ap_auth_type> is populated automatically when you call 
C<$r-E<gt>get_basic_auth_pw> so you don't really need to worry
too much about it,  but if you want to roll your own authentication
mechanism then you will have to populate I<ap_auth_type> yourself.

Note that C<$r-E<gt>ap_auth_type> was C<$r-E<gt>connection-E<gt>auth_type>
in the mod_perl 1.0 API.

=head2 main()

  $main_r = $r->main;

If the current request is a sub-request, this method returns a blessed
reference to the main request structure. If the current request is the
main request, then this method returns undef.

To figure out whether you are inside a main request or a
sub-request/internal redirect, use
C<L<$r-E<gt>is_initial_req|docs::2.0::api::Apache::RequestUtil/is_initial_req__>>.


=cut