Working with Apache’s XAMPP server can sometimes throw up error messages that might seem daunting at first glance. One of the errors is “This setting can be configured in the file ‘httpd-xampp.conf'”. It occurs while trying to access server tools like phpMyAdmin. One of the causes is a wrong syntax in ‘httpd-xampp.conf’ file. We can can resolve this error by reviewing that file and fixing what could be the cause
What is XAMPP?
XAMPP is a free, open-source software package that allows you to easily set up a local web server on your computer. The name XAMPP stands for Cross-Platform (X), Apache (A), MariaDB (M), PHP (P), and Perl (P), the collection of software it bundles together.
What Does The Error Mean?
The error message “This setting can be configured in the file ‘httpd-xampp.conf’ typically indicates that there is a misconfiguration or missing parameter in the ‘httpd-xampp.conf’ file. This file is a crucial component of the XAMPP server as it contains directives (instructions) that tell the server how to function.
What are the cases that trigger “This setting can be configured in the file ‘httpd-xampp.conf”?
Case 1: Incorrect Directive Syntax
If a directive has been incorrectly formatted, it could lead to an error. For instance, consider the following code snippet:
<Directory "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmin"
AllowOverride AuthConfig
Require local
ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
<Directory>
There are two mistyped syntaxes here, the opening directory tag on the first line is missing “>”, and the closing directory tag on the last line is missing a forward slash.
Case 2: New XAMPP Security Concept
XAMPP versions after 1.7.3 have a new security concept that restricts access to certain parts of the server, including phpMyAdmin, from outside localhost. This restriction can often lead to the ‘httpd-xampp.conf’ error.
In the following directive code:
<Directory "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmin">
AllowOverride AuthConfig
Require local
ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
</Directory>
This line:
Require local
in this case, is one which triggers the error.
Case 3: Incorrect Location Directive
The location directive is used to control access to directories. An incorrect location directive can lead to the ‘httpd-xampp.conf’ error.
So in the following directive code:
<Directory "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmi">
AllowOverride AuthConfig
Require local
ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
</Directory>
the path “C:/xampp/phpMyAdmi” is not the correct path to phpMyAdmin because it’s missing the last character in this case.
Walking through the solutions
Locating the ‘httpd-xampp.conf’ file
Obviously, we need to know how to find and open the “httpd-xampp.conf” file first, The easy way is to open it from the XAMPP interface like in the following screenshot:
Now we need to choose the third option “Apache (httpd-xampp.conf)”, then it will be opened in a text editor and you can start editing it.
Case 1: Solution: Incorrect Directive Syntax
In this case, we need to fix the directive syntax by re-adding the missing characters or correcting a typo, so the directive after the fix should be like the following:
<Directory "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmin">
AllowOverride AuthConfig
Require local
ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
</Directory>
We added the forward slash for the closing directory tag and “>” to close the opening directory tag, so the syntax is without problems now.
Case 2: Solution: New XAMPP Security Concept
In this case, we need to change the “Require” value which is “local” to a value that allows other machines to access phpMyAdmin on our server. We have to change it to “all granted” so the whole directive code will be like the following:
<Directory "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmin">
AllowOverride AuthConfig
Require all granted
ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
</Directory>
Here we have modified the phpMyAdmin directive, and we can use the same method to grant other machines access to other directives if we need to achieve that for any reason.
Case 3: Incorrect Location Directive
In this case, the fix can be obvious like re-adding the ‘n’ character of phpMyAdmin, but in other cases, we might need to go to the path manually and check whether the file is there or not. The directive after the path fix will be like the following:
<Directory "C:/xampp/phpMyAdmin">
AllowOverride AuthConfig
Require local
ErrorDocument 403 /error/XAMPP_FORBIDDEN.html.var
</Directory>
Restart Apache/MySQL and clear cache
After any change is made to the config file, we will need to restart Apache and MySQL to reflect the new changes. We can do that from the XAMPP control panel by pressing on the stop button for each one to stop them, then pressing again on the start button to re-run them again, like in the following screenshot:
Furthermore, clearing the browser cache will give us a fresh start and will contribute to solving the issues.
After solving all the issues of the ‘httpd-xampp.conf’ file, saving the changes, clearing the browser cache, and restarting Apache and MySQL, you will be able to open phpMyAdmin or any other resource without problems like the following screenshot:
Good Practices
To avoid such issues in the future, adopt the following practices:
- Always make a backup of configuration files before editing them.
- Don’t edit configuration files unless necessary.
- Use comments to document changes.
- Check for syntax errors after editing.
Conclusion
While the error message “This setting can be configured in the file ‘httpd-xampp.conf'” can initially seem daunting, it’s often a simple fix. By understanding the causes, knowing where to find the configuration file, and learning how to correctly edit it, you can quickly get your XAMPP server back up and running.
Remember, errors are a part of the learning process. They allow us to understand the systems we work with better and help us improve our problem-solving skills. So next time you see this error, consider it a chance to learn more about XAMPP and Apache’s server configurations. Happy troubleshooting!