[users@httpd] custom errors -- problem with 401 error

[DW <dwinner-lists@xxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I am using Apache 2.0.54 on FreeBSD 5.3.

I require username/password authentication for almost all content.

I have been instructed to set up custom error messages on our servers so 
that when a user authentication fails, a more elegent page will appear 
with text indicating that the login failed, name of server, logos of 
client, and an "ok" button that returns to the home page to try again.

I have tried to modify the:

    ErrorDocument 401 /error/HTTP_UNAUTHORIZED.html.var

directive in httpd.conf to point to my custom html page, but with little 
success.

This works:

ErrorDocument 401 "Login failed, please try again."

or anything with text in there works. But then that does not meet my 
instructions to present a more elegent error page.

I've tried:

ErrorDocument 401 /error/mycustom401error.html

But Apache can't serve an error page from a location that has been 
authenticated to (chicken-and-egg problem?)

And if I try this:

ErrorDocument 401 http://alternate_url_that_doesnt_require_auth

Apache yells at me and says that I can't do redirects for 401 errors !!??

Please help -- any ideas?

Thanks,
DW

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