Listing 6.1: Simple access control 

 package Apache::GateKeeper;
 # file: Apache/GateKeeper.pm 
 use strict;
 use Apache::Constants qw(:common);
 
 sub handler {
     my $r = shift;
     my $gate = $r->dir_config("Gate");
     return DECLINED unless defined $gate;
     return OK if lc $gate eq 'open';
 
     if (lc $gate eq 'closed') {
         $r->log_reason("Access forbidden unless the gate is open", $r->filename);
         return FORBIDDEN;
     }
 
     $r->log_error($r->uri, ": Invalid value for Gate ($gate)");
     return SERVER_ERROR;
 }
 
 1;
 __END__


The .htaccess file that goes with it 
 PerlAccessHandler Apache::GateKeeper
 PerlSetVar Gate closed