RE: what is lock-null resource

"Dr. Michael Evans" <mike.evans@glowebs.com> wrote:
> A null resource is defined as a resource which responds
> with a 404 (Not Found) to any HTTP/1.1 or DAV method except
> for PUT, MKCOL, OPTIONS and LOCK

ö

and UNLOCK.

> In other words, a null resource is one that does not physically
> exist on the server, but whose URL does.

I can't let that sentence go <g>.

The protocol does not state which resources physically exist and which do
not, that is the perogative of the server implementation.  Given that the
lock null resource has all the mandatory DAV properties I would imagine
that many server implementations _would_ have to 'physically' persist a
lock null resource.

As for the URL physically existing, "As far as HTTP is concerned, Uniform
Resource Identifiers are simply formatted strings which identify--via name,
location, or any other characteristic--a resource." [RFC2616]

> Locking a null resource has the effect of reserving the URL.
> In this way, a write-locked null resource (or lock-null
> resource) ensures that no other user can use the specified
> URL until it is unlocked.

Tim