Make XAMPP / Apache serve file outside of htdocs folder

Question

Is it possible to configure xampp to serve up a file outside of the htdocs directory?

For instance, say I have a file located as follows:

C:\projects\transitCalculator\trunk\TransitCalculator.php

and my xampp files are normally served out from:

C:\xampp\htdocs\

(because that's the default configuration) Is there some way to make Apache recognize and serve up my TransitCalculator.php file without moving it under htdocs? Preferably I'd like Apache to serve up/have access to the entire contents of the projects directory, and I don't want to move the projects directory under htdocs.

edit: edited to add Apache to the question title to make Q/A more "searchable"

Answer 1

Ok, per pix0r's, Sparks' and Dave's answers it looks like there are three ways to do this:

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Virtual Hosts

1. Open C:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf.
2. Un-comment ~line 19 (NameVirtualHost *:80).

3. Add your virtual host (~line 36):

   <VirtualHost *:80>
       DocumentRoot C:\Projects\transitCalculator\trunk
       ServerName transitcalculator.localhost
       <Directory C:\Projects\transitCalculator\trunk>
           Order allow,deny
           Allow from all
       </Directory>
   </VirtualHost>
   

4. Open your hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts).

5. Add

   127.0.0.1 transitcalculator.localhost #transitCalculator
   

   to the end of the file (before the Spybot - Search & Destroy stuff if you have that installed).

6. Save (You might have to save it to the desktop, change the permissions on the old hosts file (right click > properties), and copy the new one into the directory over the old one (or rename the old one) if you are using Vista and have trouble).
7. Restart Apache.

Now you can access that directory by browsing to http://transitcalculator.localhost/.

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Make an Alias

1. Starting ~line 200 of your http.conf file, copy everything between <Directory "C:/xampp/htdocs"> and </Directory> (~line 232) and paste it immediately below with C:/xampp/htdocs replaced with your desired directory (in this case C:/Projects) to give your server the correct permissions for the new directory.

2. Find the <IfModule alias_module></IfModule> section (~line 300) and add

   Alias /transitCalculator "C:/Projects/transitCalculator/trunk"
   

   (or whatever is relevant to your desires) below the Alias comment block, inside the module tags.

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Change your document root

1. Edit ~line 176 in C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf; change DocumentRoot "C:/xampp/htdocs" to #DocumentRoot "C:/Projects" (or whatever you want).

2. Edit ~line 203 to match your new location (in this case C:/Projects).

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Notes:

• You have to use forward slashes "/" instead of back slashes "\".
• Don't include the trailing "/" at the end.
• restart your server.