Apache Cookbook, 2nd Edition

Showing Forbidden Files

Problem

Password-protected files and directories don’t show up in the directory listing.

Solution

If you’re running Apache 2.2, place the following IndexOptions directive in a <Directory> block referring to the directory in question, or in a .htaccess file in that directory:

IndexOptions +ShowForbidden

If you’re running Apache 2.0, there is no solution.

Discussion

Starting with Apache 2.0, directory listings attempt to protect protected documents. So if a file or directory requires password authentication, it is not shown in a directory listing.

In Apache 2.0, this is simply how things work. There is no way to have forbidden files or directories shown in directory listings.

In Apache 2.2, the ShowForbidden argument was added for the IndexOptions directive, specifically to address this request.

See Also

• http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_autoindex.html