new_host.sh

# This function does three things:
# 1. Cretes a directory for $sitename
# 2. Creates a hosts entry for $sitename
# 3. Creates a virtual-hosts entry for $sitename
#
# Note: Be careful with this function if you aren't comfortable
# with editing these system files yourself. If you enter a url you
# actiually use, say google.com, then whenever you try to go to
# google.com your browser will be pointed to your local google site
# at $HOME/Sites/google.com
#
# The usual way of appending to files would be a standard
# echo 'stuff' >> file.txt
# But that won't work as output redirection happens before sudo
# would be called. Thus sudo echo 'stuff' >> file.txt won't work
# and we need to use tee with the append flag.
function new_host {
  sudo -v # Force user to have admin privelages
  sitename=$1 # Rename var for clarity

  # Set the vhosts entry. Note that indentation is important. Needs everything
  # right up against the edge, otherwise the last 'ENTRY' line will print as well.
  vhosts_entry=$(cat <<ENTRY
<VirtualHost *:80>
    DocumentRoot "$HOME/Sites/$sitename"
    ServerName $sitename
</VirtualHost>
ENTRY)

  # 1.
  echo "Creating directory $HOME/Sites/$sitename"
  mkdir $HOME/Sites/$sitename
  echo "" #newline

  # 2.
  echo "Creating new hosts entry at /private/etc/hosts:"
  echo "127.0.0.1 $sitename" | sudo tee -a /private/etc/hosts
  echo "" #newline

  # 3.
  echo "Creating new virtual-hosts entry at /private/etc/apache2/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf:"
  echo "$vhosts_entry" | sudo tee -a /private/etc/apache2/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf

  # Restart apache so changes will take effect
  sudo apachectl restart

  echo "Success! New local environment created at http://$sitename."
}