# RoR/mongrel/apache2.2 equivalent to ~ in URL?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-mongrel-apache2-2-equivalent-to-in-url/92011>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [April 14, 2007, 2:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-mongrel-apache2-2-equivalent-to-in-url/92011 "2007-04-14T14:17:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dankitania](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@dankitania](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dankitania)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 2:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-mongrel-apache2-2-equivalent-to-in-url/92011/1 "2007-04-14T14:17:21Z")

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I am trying to host several RoR applications on my desktop machine. I  
am in an academic environment in which I have root access on the  
machine (e.g. I can install software, edit httpd.conf files, etc), but  
I am not able to alter the DNS of the box, nor its IP.

In my httpd.conf, I have UserDir set up, so that with HTML/PHP/…  
it’s easy to get multiple applications with URLs like  
$(HOST)/~$(USER)/app1  
$(HOST)/~$(USER)/app2  
$(HOST)/~$(USER)/app3  
although sometimes I present a simpler URL to my students by using an  
Alias in my httpd.conf.

The point is that in my old (non-RoR) way of working, I can host  
several applications _without_ altering DNS tables or acquiring  
additional IP numbers, neither of which I am permitted to do on the  
network hosting my machine. (I may as well shamefacedly admit that  
I’m an academic, with no funds to host my applications  
commercially … that’s why the solution has to be on the box.)

The subject line is perhaps not too informative, and probably overly  
restrictive (I don’t care about using ~ … I just need multiple  
apps), but I hope my question is clear from the text.

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**Author:** ![dankitania](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@dankitania](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dankitania)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 1:39am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-mongrel-apache2-2-equivalent-to-in-url/92011/2 "2007-04-15T01:39:08Z")

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dankelley wrote:

> although sometimes I present a simpler URL to my students by using an  
> restrictive (I don’t care about using ~ … I just need multiple  
> apps), but I hope my question is clear from the text.

This isn’t exactly like your setup but take a look at this:

[http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/103998#231127](http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/103998#231127)

–  
Michael W.

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**Author:** ![dankitania](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@dankitania](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dankitania)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ror-mongrel-apache2-2-equivalent-to-in-url/92011/3 "2007-04-15T23:12:08Z")

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Yes, I saw your advice there. Actually I also posted there  
(10.04.2007 13:48) with my difficulty: images don’t show up.