Apache .htaccess - ErrorDocument???!!!!

Ok here's the problem... i have got a custom error CGI script from bignosebird.com - but it wont work!!! if i upload the example .htaccess file, all i can get is Error 500! not the custom one either! it disallows ALL access!
example .htaccess:

ErrorDocument 400 /cgi-bin/birdtrap.pl?400
ErrorDocument 401 /cgi-bin/birdtrap.pl?401
ErrorDocument 403 /cgi-bin/birdtrap.pl?403
ErrorDocument 404 /cgi-bin/birdtrap.pl?404
ErrorDocument 500 /cgi-bin/birdtrap.pl?500

can anyone help me? thanx!!!!

email any help to URL please.
thanx for any help!!!!

- Drarok Ithaqua

I would suggest checking the permissions on your cgi-script.

Do you have other cgi scripts that are working?

You should also make sure that httpd.conf will let .htaccess so that.

I would definitely say either your script has the wrong permissions or httpd.conf is configured to deny .htaccess from doing this.

Good Luck

hmmm if my .htaccess was disallowed, surenothing would happen?
when i set it to use that example, all i get is Error 500?
i've tried asking my hosting, to no avail (that's what you get for hosting on a friends hosting comapny, he has real customers to sort out)
and yes i have other scripts working. namely an Ikonboard.

- Drarok Ithaqua

>>hmmm if my .htaccess was disallowed, surenothing would happen?

Incorrect.

[500] error occurs in two situations:

1) Your script error (syntax or logical error), but not permission error, in which you would have gotten [403] instead
2) Server error. This includes a misconfiguration on httpd.conf or mostly .htaccess, using something (trying to override certain directives) in which the permission to do so has not been granted.
Say you have the following lines in /path/to/your/docroot/.htaccess:

<Directory "/path/to/whatever">
blahblah
</Directory>

Directory directive alone is not allowed to be overridden in the first place, therefore returning [500] error.

Start here -> http://httpd.apache.org/docs/mod/co...l#errordocument

Syntax: ErrorDocument error-code document
Context: server config, virtual host, directory, .htaccess
Status: core
Override: FileInfo
Compatibility: The directory and .htaccess contexts are only available in Apache 1.1 and later.

Make sure your server allows FileInfo to be overridden. It not, it's not that nothing would happen but an [500] error in return.

i dont suppose anyone has a simple example .htaccess they have used? i've looked through that page beofre to no avail! im starting to wonder if it could just be the host?

What examples? What's more do you need? Why can't you RTFM?
I already posted:

Syntax: ErrorDocument error-code document
Context: server config, virtual host, directory, .htaccess
Status: core
Override: FileInfo
Compatibility: The directory and .htaccess contexts are only available in Apache 1.1 and later.

Take a close look at the line in bold, in order to override ErrorDocument directive from .htaccess, your server's httpd.conf needs AllowOverride FileInfo.

Say AuthName -> http://httpd.apache.org/docs/mod/core.html#authname

Syntax: AuthName auth-domain
Context: directory, .htaccess
Override: AuthConfig
Status: core

Then AllowOverride AuthConfig is needed.

well thanx for the info, but i read through that page before coming here to annoy you all i'll try bugging my hosting type geezer. last time i asked he said he needed to wait for the admin to be at the server gay.

- Drarok Ithaqua