Ignore part of URL to force caching?

Server NGINX
1

I would like to “override” the intent of the app server that is
basically disabling any caching of the backend file. For example, they
are embedding a “noCache=#######” parameter at the end of the URL (there
are other parameters following, but if I can check the url up-to the “?”
that would suit me fine).

This is actually a dynamically generated SWF file, but the file is then
constant for a reasonable amount of time such that I’d like to cache it
for a few minutes.

Is there a way in a specific “location” to tell nginx to ignore the
parameters (or any portion of the URL) when determining the cached
object for that URL? In other words, tell nginx to cache content for
that location, say only 5min, and ignore all parameters when determining
whether to cache and how to match cached content?

If I’m not explaining myself properly, please let me know and I’ll try
another route. :slight_smile:

Thanks in advance,
AJ

2

On 4 Out 2012 20h20 CEST, [email protected] wrote:

I would like to “override” the intent of the app server that is
basically disabling any caching of the backend file. For example,
they are embedding a “noCache=#######” parameter at the end of the
URL (there are other parameters following, but if I can check the
url up-to the “?” that would suit me fine).

This is actually a dynamically generated SWF file, but the file is
then constant for a reasonable amount of time such that I’d like to
cache it for a few minutes.

Is there a way in a specific “location” to tell nginx to ignore the
parameters (or any portion of the URL) when determining the cached
object for that URL? In other words, tell nginx to cache content
for that location, say only 5min, and ignore all parameters when
determining whether to cache and how to match cached content?

If I understand correctly. Inside your main cached location you can do:

if ($request_uri ~* noCache) {
return 418;
}

error_page 418 =200 @other-cached-location;

And add @other-cached-location:

location @other-cached-location {
# Set your cache parameters here and serve the content.
}

— appa

3

On Thu, Oct 04, 2012 at 02:20:30PM -0400, AJ Weber wrote:

Is there a way in a specific “location” to tell nginx to ignore the
parameters (or any portion of the URL) when determining the cached
object for that URL? In other words, tell nginx to cache content for
that location, say only 5min, and ignore all parameters when determining
whether to cache and how to match cached content?

If I’m not explaining myself properly, please let me know and I’ll try
another route. :slight_smile:

You can use “proxy_cache_key”:
http://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_proxy_module.html#proxy_cache_key

For example, to completly ignore query strings:

location /swf/ {
…
proxy_cache …
proxy_cache_valid 5m;
proxy_cache_key $proxy_host$uri;
}

or to account query strings parameters ONE and TWO:

location /swf/ {
…
proxy_cache …
proxy_cache_valid 5m;
proxy_cache_key $proxy_host$uri?$arg_ONE&$arg_TWO;
}

–
Igor S.

4

On Fri, Oct 05, 2012 at 11:49:12AM +0200, Antnio P. P. Almeida wrote:

cache it for a few minutes.
return 418;
}

error_page 418 =200 @other-cached-location;

And add @other-cached-location:

location @other-cached-location {
# Set your cache parameters here and serve the content.
}

There is proxy_cache_key for this.

–
Igor S.

5

On 5 Out 2012 12h09 CEST, [email protected] wrote:

This is actually a dynamically generated SWF file, but the file is
If I understand correctly. Inside your main cached location you can
location @other-cached-location {

Set your cache parameters here and serve the content.

}

There is proxy_cache_key for this.

I was under the impression that there wasn’t a specific location for
the swf files. If there is in fact the proxy already has all you need
for doing it much easier.

— appa

6

This worked exactly as Igor described.

Thank you!
-AJ