Loading Changes (Apache: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition)

17.7. Loading Changes

Under mod_cgi and mod_perl Apache::PerlRun you simply have to edit a script and save it to start it working. Under mod_perl and Apache::Registry, the changes will not take effect until you restart Apache or reload your scripts. Stas Beckman (http://perl.apache.org/guide/config.html) gives some very elaborate ways of doing this, including a method of rewriting your Config file via an HTML form. We feel that although this sort of trick may amaze and delight your friends, it may please your enemies even more, who will find there new and exciting ways of penetrating your security. We see nothing wrong with restarting Apache with the script stop_go: it will give anyone who is logged on to your site a surprise:

kill -USR1 `cat logs\httpd.pid`

This reloads Perl, loads the scripts afresh, and reinitializes all variables.