# Dispatch.cgi issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [March 30, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dispatch-cgi-issue/90632 "2007-03-30T14:44:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/JPJPJP)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dispatch-cgi-issue/90632/1 "2007-03-30T14:44:10Z")
Hello, I’m very new to Rails. I’ve been trying to set it up on my Linux server. The installation was smooth and painless. I followed the instructions on the Ruby on Rails website. So I’m running Rails 1.2.3, ruby 1.8.4 and Gem 0.9.0. I created a new application: rails testproject I’m trying to use Apache instead of having to use WebBrick because my server already uses Apache. So, it should be using dispatch.cgi via .htaccess. When I visit the page in my browser, I get the standard “Welcome aboard” message. But when I click “About your application’s environment” I get “Application error Rails application failed to start properly”. Digging into Apache’s error log, it is complaining about Premature end of script headers. So, I did some digging and found I should try running dispatch.cgi through the shell. When I do, I get this: [root@fire public]# ./dispatch.cgi Status: 400 Bad Request /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:404:in `to_constant_name': Anonymous modules have no name to be referenced by (ArgumentError) from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:214:in`qualified\_name\_for’ from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:476:in `const_missing' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.2.3/lib/dispatcher.rb:117:in`reset\_after\_dispatch’ from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.2.3/lib/dispatcher.rb:51:in `dispatch’ from ./dispatch.cgi:10 I’ve looked high and low and cannot find anything pointing to what the problem might be. I should note I did try running WebBrick, and through WebBrick everything works fine. So, it’s definitely an issue with dispatch.cgi I just don’t know what. Thanks in advance. JP ---
**Author:** ![JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/JPJPJP)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 2:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dispatch-cgi-issue/90632/2 "2007-03-30T14:50:28Z")
Usually when I get the premature end of header error, I’ve been able to load up script/console and it will crash with a more robust error message letting me know that I’ve forgotten some code in config/environment.rb. If you’re not getting an error with Webrick, I’m not sure. But I’d start looking around in config/environment.rb. It seems that any problems in that file never make it to a non-Apache log whereas bugs in other files are written to the appropriate RAILS\_ENV mode log file. Does that help? 😕 RSL ---
**Author:** ![JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/JPJPJP)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dispatch-cgi-issue/90632/3 "2007-03-30T15:12:31Z")
Thanks Russell. So I did a bit more digging and have found that most people with this issue just abandon SCGI and head for FCGI and things just magically work. Lo and behold I compiled mod\_fastcgi as a DSO for Apache, installed ruby-fcgi, fixed .htaccess and hallelujah, different error! After digging into the development log, it was clear it was a permission error on tmp and after fixing that I get “For security purposes, this information is only available to local requests.” YEY, it works! I’m thinking I don’t even know why they bother to include SCGI since it doesn’t work for 9.5/10 people. Thanks for your quick reply. JP Russell N. wrote: > Usually when I get the premature end of header error, I’ve been able to > load > up script/console and it will crash with a more robust error message > letting > me know that I’ve forgotten some code in config/environment.rb. If > you’re > not getting an error with Webrick, I’m not sure. But I’d start looking > around in config/environment.rb. It seems that any problems in that file > never make it to a non-Apache log whereas bugs in other files are > written to > the appropriate RAILS\_ENV mode log file. Does that help? 😕 > > RSL ---
**Author:** ![JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/JPJPJP)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dispatch-cgi-issue/90632/4 "2007-03-30T15:22:33Z")
Heh. Man, I apologize for having misread your email. I thought you were talking about dispatch.fcgi [with an “f”]. [Stupid slow-acting coffee!] Glad you got things working though. RSL ---
**Author:** ![JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@JPJPJP](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/JPJPJP)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/dispatch-cgi-issue/90632/5 "2007-05-07T19:17:40Z")
I’m experiencing the same problem with my server but since i’m still in the development stage, i prefer working with cgi mode which is more reactive to bugs. So i want to know if there is any configuration to write in the apache files to consider rails applications and .rb files …