</contextlist>
<usage>
- <p>While processing a request, the server looks for
- the first existing configuration file from this list of names in
- every directory of the path to the document, if distributed
+ <p>The AccessFileName directive allows you to change the name of the file
+ that will be considered for per-directory configuration overrides, in the
+ event that <directive module="core">AllowOverride</directive> is enabled
+ for that directory.</p>
+
+ <note type="warning">We do not recommend that you change this value, and
+ especially that you do not list multiple possible file names, as it makes
+ troubleshooting more difficult for anyone not familiar with your local
+ settings.</note>
+
+ <p>While processing a request, the server looks for files with the name
+ (or names) defined in <code>AccessFileName</code>
+ in every directory of the path to the document, if distributed
configuration files are <a href="#allowoverride">enabled for that
- directory</a>. For example:</p>
-
- <highlight language="config">
-AccessFileName .acl
- </highlight>
-
- <p>Before returning the document
+ directory</a>. For example Before returning the document
<code>/usr/local/web/index.html</code>, the server will read
- <code>/.acl</code>, <code>/usr/.acl</code>,
- <code>/usr/local/.acl</code> and <code>/usr/local/web/.acl</code>
- for directives unless they have been disabled with:</p>
+ <code>/.htaccess</code>, <code>/usr/.htaccess</code>,
+ <code>/usr/local/.htaccess</code> and <code>/usr/local/web/.htaccess</code>
+ for directives.</p>
+
+ <p>For this reason, the default configuration file contains the following stanza:</p>
<highlight language="config">
<Directory "/">
AllowOverride None
</Directory>
</highlight>
+
+ <p>This configuration block helps prevent unnecessary file accesses in directories
+ outside of your <directive module="core">DocumentRoot</directive>. See also the note
+ about this in the <code>AllowOverride</code> directive documentation.</p>
+
</usage>
<seealso><directive module="core">AllowOverride</directive></seealso>
<seealso><a href="../configuring.html">Configuration Files</a></seealso>
<contextlist><context>directory</context></contextlist>
<usage>
- <p>When the server finds an <code>.htaccess</code> file (as
- specified by <directive module="core">AccessFileName</directive>),
- it needs to know which directives declared in that file can override
- earlier configuration directives.</p>
+ <p>When the server finds a distributed configuration file (Usually called
+ <code>.htaccess</code> - configurable by the <directive
+ module="core">AccessFileName</directive>), it needs to know which directives
+ declared in that file can override earlier configuration directives.</p>
<note><title>Only available in <Directory> sections</title>
<directive>AllowOverride</directive> is valid only in