mod_python.publisher should not discard content for HEAD request.

• Key: MODPYTHON-105
• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Resolution: Fixed
• Priority: Major
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Graham Dumpleton
• Component/s: publisher
• Affects Version/s: 3.2.7
• Fix Version/s: 3.2.7

Description

In addressing MODPYTHON-71, mod_python.publisher code was changed to read:

        if req.method!='HEAD':
            req.write(result)

This change should not really have been made and it should be changed back to what was there before, ie., just:

        req.write(result)

This is because even when HEAD is used, any output is sent through any output filters before Apache finally decides to throw it away. That mod_python.publisher is not allowing the data through, may cause issues for any output filters that are doing something with the output and expect it all to be there.

As an an example of an Apache module that uses output filters to do stuff, there is mod_cache. Luckily in that case, a HEAD request is one of various cases where mod_cache decides it will not use the output. This does not mean though that some other output filter that someone is using might expect content to be there for HEAD.

In summary, one could also say that if a user wants to not output anything for a HEAD request, that is there decision, but mod_python.publisher should not be making that decision for them.

Because HEAD didn't work before 3.2 anyway, it is possibly not essential that this issue be fixed before 3.2 release, but if other changes need to be made, it probably should.