Apache Symbolic Link Error

[Richard Collyer]

Hi,

I'm trying to get apache to use users areas. If I use a dir named
public_html in the users area then it works fine. If I try and use a sym
link to link to another folder then it refuses to work. I get a "403
Forbidden - You don't have permission to access /~richard/test.html on
this server."

I'm certain its a problem with permissions but i am not sure how to
solve it. Tried modding the folders to 775 (both the link and the www
folder) but to no avail. Trying to make it so that only apache running
as group/user : www) and the person whos space it is can read the files.
Ok they are in the public_html so everyone can read them but would
rather they did it over the internet so to keep the php code  etc safe.

Cheers in advance.
Richard

extra info below.

Using apache 1.3.33

I'm using the following /home/richard/public_html to point to
/home/httpd/vhosts/users/richard/www/

the sym link perms are: lrwxr-xr-x  1 richard  www           37 Dec 29 19:39 public_html -> /home/httpd/vhosts/users/richard/www/

the folder perms are: drwxrwx---  2 richard  www  512 Dec 29 19:10 www

and the settings in my httpd.conf are:

# Ive tried it with both FollowSymLinks and SymLinksIfOwnerMatch but
both produce same response.

	<Directory /home/*/public_html>
    		AllowOverride FileInfo AuthConfig Limit
    		Options MultiViews Indexes IncludesNoExec FollowSymLinks

		#   Removed From Line Above: SymLinksIfOwnerMatch
		#    <Limit GET POST OPTIONS PROPFIND>
		#        Order allow,deny
		#        Allow from all
		#    </Limit>
		#    <LimitExcept GET POST OPTIONS PROPFIND>
		#        Order deny,allow
		#        Deny from all
		#    </LimitExcept>
	</Directory>

--
Richard Collyer <richard at firebadger.net>