added an optional service url prefix to later support namespaces

4 files changed, 237 insertions, 227 deletions

diff --git a/askbot/startup_procedures.py b/askbot/startup_procedures.py
index 621c9e8b..b7ad47bf 100644
--- a/askbot/startup_procedures.py
+++ b/askbot/startup_procedures.py
@@ -896,6 +896,14 @@ def test_messages_framework():
         errors = ('Add to the INSTALLED_APPS section of your settings.py:\n "django.contrib.messages"', )
         print_errors(errors)
 
+def test_service_url_prefix():
+    errors = list()
+    prefix = getattr(django_settings, 'ASKBOT_SERVICE_URL_PREFIX', '')
+    message = 'Service url prefix must have > 1 letters and must end with /'
+    if prefix:
+        if len(prefix) == 1 or (not prefix.endswith('/')):
+            print_errors((message,))
+
 def run_startup_tests():
     """function that runs
     all startup tests, mainly checking settings config so far
@@ -922,6 +930,7 @@ def run_startup_tests():
     test_multilingual()
     #test_csrf_cookie_domain()
     test_secret_key()
+    test_service_url_prefix()
     test_staticfiles()
     test_template_loader()
     test_template_context_processors()
diff --git a/askbot/tests/search_state_tests.py b/askbot/tests/search_state_tests.py
index 27622629..44074441 100644
--- a/askbot/tests/search_state_tests.py
+++ b/askbot/tests/search_state_tests.py
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ class SearchStateTests(AskbotTestCase):
             user_logged_in=False
         )
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:unanswered/sort:age-desc/query:alfa/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/',
+            'scope:unanswered/sort:age-desc/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/query:alfa/',
             ss.query_string()
         )
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:unanswered/sort:age-desc/query:alfa/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/',
+            'scope:unanswered/sort:age-desc/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/query:alfa/',
             ss.deepcopy().query_string()
         )
 
@@ -74,11 +74,11 @@ class SearchStateTests(AskbotTestCase):
             user_logged_in=False
         )
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:all/sort:age-desc/query:alfa/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/',
+            'scope:all/sort:age-desc/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/query:alfa/',
             ss.query_string()
         )
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:all/sort:age-desc/query:alfa/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/',
+            'scope:all/sort:age-desc/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/query:alfa/',
             ss.deepcopy().query_string()
         )
 
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ class SearchStateTests(AskbotTestCase):
             user_logged_in=True
         )
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:followed/sort:age-desc/query:alfa/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/',
+            'scope:followed/sort:age-desc/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/query:alfa/',
             ss.query_string()
         )
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:followed/sort:age-desc/query:alfa/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/',
+            'scope:followed/sort:age-desc/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/query:alfa/',
             ss.deepcopy().query_string()
         )
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class SearchStateTests(AskbotTestCase):
             user_logged_in=False
         )
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:all/sort:relevance-desc/query:hejho/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/',
+            'scope:all/sort:relevance-desc/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/query:hejho/',
             ss.query_string()
         )
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class SearchStateTests(AskbotTestCase):
             user_logged_in=False
         )
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:all/sort:activity-desc/query:hejho/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/',
+            'scope:all/sort:activity-desc/tags:miki,mini/author:12/page:2/query:hejho/',
             ss.query_string()
         )
 
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class SearchStateTests(AskbotTestCase):
     def test_query_escaping(self):
         ss = self._ss(query=' alfa miki maki +-%#?= lalala/: ') # query coming from URL is already unescaped
 
-        qs = 'scope:all/sort:activity-desc/query:alfa%20miki%20maki%20+-%25%23%3F%3D%20lalala%2F%3A/page:1/'
+        qs = 'scope:all/sort:activity-desc/page:1/query:alfa%20miki%20maki%20+-%25%23%3F%3D%20lalala%2F%3A/'
         self.assertEqual(qs, ss.query_string())
         self.assertEqual(qs, ss.deepcopy().query_string())
 
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class SearchStateTests(AskbotTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(ss.stripped_query, ss.deepcopy().stripped_query)
 
         self.assertEqual(
-            'scope:all/sort:activity-desc/query:%22%40anna%20haha%20%40%22maria%20fernanda%22%20%40%27diego%20maradona%27%20hehe%20%5Buser%3Akarl%20%20marx%5D%20hoho%20%20user%3A%27%20george%20bush%20%20%27/page:1/',
+            'scope:all/sort:activity-desc/page:1/query:%22%40anna%20haha%20%40%22maria%20fernanda%22%20%40%27diego%20maradona%27%20hehe%20%5Buser%3Akarl%20%20marx%5D%20hoho%20%20user%3A%27%20george%20bush%20%20%27/',
             ss.query_string()
         )
 
diff --git a/askbot/urls.py b/askbot/urls.py
index 32867615..f71962f1 100644
--- a/askbot/urls.py
+++ b/askbot/urls.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from askbot import views
 from askbot.feed import RssLastestQuestionsFeed, RssIndividualQuestionFeed
 from askbot.sitemap import QuestionsSitemap
 from askbot.skins.utils import update_media_revision
+from askbot.utils.url_utils import service_url
 
 admin.autodiscover()
 #update_media_revision()#needs to be run once, so put it here
@@ -28,562 +29,549 @@ sitemaps = {
     'questions': QuestionsSitemap
 }
 
+#prefix is optional, recommended when a variable url prefix
+#is used to subdivide the forum into namespaces
+#in this case it is safer to use a special prefix to all urls
+#except those that are namespaced
+PREFIX = getattr(settings, 'ASKBOT_SERVICE_URL_PREFIX', '')
+
 APP_PATH = os.path.dirname(__file__)
 urlpatterns = patterns('',
     url(r'^$', views.readers.index, name='index'),
+    # BEGIN Questions (main page) urls. All this urls work both normally and through ajax
+    url(
+        # Note that all parameters, even if optional, are provided to the view. Non-present ones have None value.
+        (r'^%s' % _('questions') +
+            r'(%s)?' % r'/scope:(?P<scope>\w+)' +
+            r'(%s)?' % r'/sort:(?P<sort>[\w\-]+)' +
+            r'(%s)?' % r'/tags:(?P<tags>[\w+.#,-]+)' + # Should match: const.TAG_CHARS + ','; TODO: Is `#` char decoded by the time URLs are processed ??
+            r'(%s)?' % r'/author:(?P<author>\d+)' +
+            r'(%s)?' % r'/page:(?P<page>\d+)' +
+            r'(%s)?' % r'/query:(?P<query>.+)' +  # INFO: query is last, b/c it can contain slash!!!
+        r'/$'),
+        views.readers.questions,
+        name='questions'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/' % _('question/'),
+        views.readers.question,
+        name='question'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s$' % _('tags/'),
+        views.readers.tags,
+        name='tags'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s$' % _('users/'),
+        views.users.show_users,
+        name='users'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s%s(?P<group_id>\d+)/(?P<group_slug>.*)/$' % (_('users/'), _('by-group/')),
+        views.users.show_users,
+        kwargs = {'by_group': True},
+        name = 'users_by_group'
+    ),
+    #todo: rename as user_edit, b/c that's how template is named
+    url(
+        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('users/'), _('edit/')),
+        views.users.edit_user,
+        name ='edit_user'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/(?P<slug>.+)/%s$' % (
+            _('users/'),
+            _('subscriptions/'),
+        ),
+        views.users.user,
+        kwargs = {'tab_name': 'email_subscriptions'},
+        name = 'user_subscriptions'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/(?P<slug>.+)/%s$' % (
+            _('users/'),
+            _('select_languages/'),
+        ),
+        views.users.user_select_languages,
+        name = 'user_select_languages'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/(?P<slug>.+)/$' % _('users/'),
+        views.users.user,
+        name='user_profile'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s$' % _('groups/'),
+        views.users.groups,
+        name='groups'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s$' % _('users/update_has_custom_avatar/'),
+        views.users.update_has_custom_avatar,
+        name='user_update_has_custom_avatar'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s$' % _('badges/'),
+        views.meta.badges,
+        name='badges'
+    ),
+    url(
+        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)//*' % _('badges/'),
+        views.meta.badge,
+        name='badge'
+    ),
     url(
         r'^sitemap.xml$',
         'django.contrib.sitemaps.views.sitemap',
         {'sitemaps': sitemaps},
         name='sitemap'
     ),
-    #no translation for this url!!
-    url(r'^import-data/$', views.writers.import_data, name='import_data'),
-    url(r'^%s$' % _('about/'), views.meta.about, name='about'),
-    url(r'^%s$' % _('faq/'), views.meta.faq, name='faq'),
-    url(r'^%s$' % _('privacy/'), views.meta.privacy, name='privacy'),
-    url(r'^%s$' % _('help/'), views.meta.help, name='help'),
+    #feeds
+    url(r'^feeds/rss/$', RssLastestQuestionsFeed(), name="latest_questions_feed"),
+    url(r'^feeds/question/(?P<pk>\d+)/$', RssIndividualQuestionFeed(), name="individual_question_feed"),
+    url(r'^%s$' % _('feedback/'), views.meta.feedback, name='feedback'),
     url(
+        '^custom\.css$',
+        views.meta.config_variable,
+        kwargs = {
+            'variable_name': 'CUSTOM_CSS',
+            'mimetype': 'text/css'
+        },
+        name = 'custom_css'
+    ),
+    url(
+        '^custom\.js$',
+        views.meta.config_variable,
+        kwargs = {
+            'variable_name': 'CUSTOM_JS',
+            'mimetype': 'text/javascript'
+        },
+        name = 'custom_js'
+    ),
+    #no translation for this url!!
+    service_url(r'^import-data/$', views.writers.import_data, name='import_data'),
+    service_url(r'^%s$' % _('about/'), views.meta.about, name='about'),
+    service_url(r'^%s$' % _('faq/'), views.meta.faq, name='faq'),
+    service_url(r'^%s$' % _('privacy/'), views.meta.privacy, name='privacy'),
+    service_url(r'^%s$' % _('help/'), views.meta.help, name='help'),
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('answers/'), _('edit/')),
         views.writers.edit_answer,
         name='edit_answer'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('answers/'), _('revisions/')),
         views.readers.revisions,
         kwargs = {'post_type': 'answer'},
         name='answer_revisions'
     ),
-
-    # BEGIN Questions (main page) urls. All this urls work both normally and through ajax
-
-    url(
-        # Note that all parameters, even if optional, are provided to the view. Non-present ones have None value.
-        (r'^%s' % _('questions') +
-            r'(%s)?' % r'/scope:(?P<scope>\w+)' +
-            r'(%s)?' % r'/sort:(?P<sort>[\w\-]+)' +
-            r'(%s)?' % r'/tags:(?P<tags>[\w+.#,-]+)' + # Should match: const.TAG_CHARS + ','; TODO: Is `#` char decoded by the time URLs are processed ??
-            r'(%s)?' % r'/author:(?P<author>\d+)' +
-            r'(%s)?' % r'/page:(?P<page>\d+)' +
-            r'(%s)?' % r'/query:(?P<query>.+)' +  # INFO: query is last, b/c it can contain slash!!!
-        r'/$'),
-        views.readers.questions,
-        name='questions'
-    ),
     # END main page urls
-
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^api/get_questions/',
         views.commands.api_get_questions,
         name='api_get_questions'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^get-thread-shared-users/',
         views.commands.get_thread_shared_users,
         name='get_thread_shared_users'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^get-thread-shared-groups/',
         views.commands.get_thread_shared_groups,
         name='get_thread_shared_groups'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^moderate-group-join-request/',
         views.commands.moderate_group_join_request,
         name='moderate_group_join_request'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^save-draft-question/',
         views.commands.save_draft_question,
         name = 'save_draft_question'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^save-draft-answer/',
         views.commands.save_draft_answer,
         name = 'save_draft_answer'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^share-question-with-group/',
         views.commands.share_question_with_group,
         name='share_question_with_group'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^share-question-with-user/',
         views.commands.share_question_with_user,
         name='share_question_with_user'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^get-users-info/',
         views.commands.get_users_info,
         name='get_users_info'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^get-editor/',
         views.commands.get_editor,
         name='get_editor'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s%s$' % (_('questions/'), _('ask/')),
         views.writers.ask,
         name='ask'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('questions/'), _('edit/')),
         views.writers.edit_question,
         name='edit_question'
     ),
-    url(#this url is both regular and ajax
+    service_url(#this url is both regular and ajax
         r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('questions/'), _('retag/')),
         views.writers.retag_question,
         name='retag_question'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('questions/'), _('close/')),
         views.commands.close,
         name='close'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('questions/'), _('reopen/')),
         views.commands.reopen,
         name='reopen'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('questions/'), _('answer/')),
         views.writers.answer,
         name='answer'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^vote$',
         views.commands.vote,
         name='vote'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('questions/'), _('revisions/')),
         views.readers.revisions,
         kwargs = {'post_type': 'question'},
         name='question_revisions'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^comment/upvote/$',
         views.commands.upvote_comment,
         name = 'upvote_comment'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^post/delete/$',
         views.commands.delete_post,
         name = 'delete_post'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^post_comments/$',
         views.writers.post_comments,
         name='post_comments'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^edit_comment/$',
         views.writers.edit_comment,
         name='edit_comment'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^comment/delete/$',
         views.writers.delete_comment,
         name='delete_comment'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^comment/get_text/$',
         views.readers.get_comment,
         name='get_comment'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^comment/convert/$',
         views.writers.comment_to_answer,
         name='comment_to_answer'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^answer/repost-as-comment-under-question/$',
         views.writers.repost_answer_as_comment,
         kwargs={'destination': 'comment_under_question'},
         name='repost_answer_as_comment_under_question'
     ),
-    url(#post only
+    service_url(#post only
         '^answer/repost-as-comment-under-previous-answer/$',
         views.writers.repost_answer_as_comment,
         kwargs={'destination': 'comment_under_previous_answer'},
         name='repost_answer_as_comment_under_previous_answer'
     ),
-    url(#post only
+    service_url(#post only
         r'^answer/publish/$',
         views.commands.publish_answer,
         name='publish_answer'
     ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s$' % _('tags/'),
-        views.readers.tags,
-        name='tags'
-    ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s$' % _('tags/subscriptions/'),
         views.commands.list_bulk_tag_subscription,
         name='list_bulk_tag_subscription'
     ),
-    url(#post only
+    service_url(#post only
         r'^%s$' % _('tags/subscriptions/delete/'),
         views.commands.delete_bulk_tag_subscription,
         name='delete_bulk_tag_subscription'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s$' % _('tags/subscriptions/create/'),
         views.commands.create_bulk_tag_subscription,
         name='create_bulk_tag_subscription'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<pk>\d+)/$' % _('tags/subscriptions/edit/'),
         views.commands.edit_bulk_tag_subscription,
         name='edit_bulk_tag_subscription'
     ),
-
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s$' % _('suggested-tags/'),
         views.meta.list_suggested_tags,
         name = 'list_suggested_tags'
     ),
-
-    #feeds
-    url(r'^feeds/rss/$', RssLastestQuestionsFeed(), name="latest_questions_feed"),
-    url(r'^feeds/question/(?P<pk>\d+)/$', RssIndividualQuestionFeed(), name="individual_question_feed"),
-
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^%s$' % 'moderate-suggested-tag',
         views.commands.moderate_suggested_tag,
         name = 'moderate_suggested_tag'
     ),
     #todo: collapse these three urls and use an extra json data var
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^%s%s$' % ('mark-tag/', 'interesting/'),
         views.commands.mark_tag,
         kwargs={'reason':'good','action':'add'},
         name='mark_interesting_tag'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^%s%s$' % ('mark-tag/', 'ignored/'),
         views.commands.mark_tag,
         kwargs={'reason':'bad','action':'add'},
         name='mark_ignored_tag'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^%s%s$' % ('mark-tag/', 'subscribed/'),
         views.commands.mark_tag,
         kwargs={'reason':'subscribed','action':'add'},
         name='mark_subscribed_tag'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^unmark-tag/',
         views.commands.mark_tag,
         kwargs={'action':'remove'},
         name='unmark_tag'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^set-tag-filter-strategy/',
         views.commands.set_tag_filter_strategy,
         name = 'set_tag_filter_strategy'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^get-tags-by-wildcard/',
         views.commands.get_tags_by_wildcard,
         name = 'get_tags_by_wildcard'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^get-tag-list/',
         views.commands.get_tag_list,
         name = 'get_tag_list'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^load-object-description/',
         views.commands.load_object_description,
         name = 'load_object_description'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^save-object-description/',
         views.commands.save_object_description,
         name = 'save_object_description'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^add-tag-category/',
         views.commands.add_tag_category,
         name = 'add_tag_category'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^rename-tag/',
         views.commands.rename_tag,
         name = 'rename_tag'
     ),
-    url(#
+    service_url(#
         r'^delete-tag/',
         views.commands.delete_tag,
         name = 'delete_tag'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^save-group-logo-url/',
         views.commands.save_group_logo_url,
         name = 'save_group_logo_url'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^delete-group-logo/',
         views.commands.delete_group_logo,
         name = 'delete_group_logo'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^add-group/',
         views.commands.add_group,
         name = 'add_group'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^toggle-group-profile-property/',
         views.commands.toggle_group_profile_property,
         name='toggle_group_profile_property'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^set-group-openness/',
         views.commands.set_group_openness,
         name='set_group_openness'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^edit-object-property-text/',
         views.commands.edit_object_property_text,
         name = 'edit_object_property_text'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^get-groups-list/',
         views.commands.get_groups_list,
         name = 'get_groups_list'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^swap-question-with-answer/',
         views.commands.swap_question_with_answer,
         name = 'swap_question_with_answer'
     ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s$' % _('subscribe-for-tags/'),
+    service_url(
+        r'^subscribe-for-tags/$',
         views.commands.subscribe_for_tags,
         name = 'subscribe_for_tags'
     ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s$' % _('users/'),
-        views.users.show_users,
-        name='users'
-    ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s%s(?P<group_id>\d+)/(?P<group_slug>.*)/$' % (_('users/'), _('by-group/')),
-        views.users.show_users,
-        kwargs = {'by_group': True},
-        name = 'users_by_group'
-    ),
-    #todo: rename as user_edit, b/c that's how template is named
-    url(
-        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/%s$' % (_('users/'), _('edit/')),
-        views.users.edit_user,
-        name ='edit_user'
-    ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/(?P<slug>.+)/%s$' % (
-            _('users/'),
-            _('subscriptions/'),
-        ),
-        views.users.user,
-        kwargs = {'tab_name': 'email_subscriptions'},
-        name = 'user_subscriptions'
-    ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/(?P<slug>.+)/%s$' % (
-            _('users/'),
-            _('select_languages/'),
-        ),
-        views.users.user_select_languages,
-        name = 'user_select_languages'
-    ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/(?P<slug>.+)/$' % _('users/'),
-        views.users.user,
-        name='user_profile'
-    ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s$' % _('groups/'),
-        views.users.groups,
-        name='groups'
-    ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s$' % _('users/update_has_custom_avatar/'),
-        views.users.update_has_custom_avatar,
-        name='user_update_has_custom_avatar'
-    ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s$' % _('badges/'),
-        views.meta.badges,
-        name='badges'
-    ),
-    url(
-        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)//*' % _('badges/'),
-        views.meta.badge,
-        name='badge'
-    ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'get-html-template/',
         views.commands.get_html_template,
         name='get_html_template'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^%s%s$' % (_('messages/'), _('markread/')),
         views.commands.read_message,
         name='read_message'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^manage-inbox/$',
         views.commands.manage_inbox,
         name='manage_inbox'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^save-post-reject-reason/$',
         views.commands.save_post_reject_reason,
         name='save_post_reject_reason'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^delete-post-reject-reason/$',
         views.commands.delete_post_reject_reason,
         name='delete_post_reject_reason'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^edit-group-membership/$',
         views.commands.edit_group_membership,
         name='edit_group_membership'
     ),
-    url(#ajax only
+    service_url(#ajax only
         r'^join-or-leave-group/$',
         views.commands.join_or_leave_group,
         name = 'join_or_leave_group'
     ),
     #widgets url!
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s$' % (_('widgets/')),
         views.widgets.widgets,
         name = 'widgets'
     ),
-
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s%s(?P<widget_id>\d+)/$' % (_('widgets/'), _('ask/')),
         views.widgets.ask_widget,
         name = 'ask_by_widget'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s%s(?P<widget_id>\d+).js$' % (_('widgets/'), _('ask/')),
         views.widgets.render_ask_widget_js,
         name = 'render_ask_widget'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s%s(?P<widget_id>\d+).css$' % (_('widgets/'), _('ask/')),
         views.widgets.render_ask_widget_css,
         name = 'render_ask_widget_css'
     ),
-
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s%s%s$' % (_('widgets/'), _('ask/'), _('complete/')),
         views.widgets.ask_widget_complete,
         name = 'ask_by_widget_complete'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<model>\w+)/%s$' % (_('widgets/'), _('create/')),
         views.widgets.create_widget,
         name = 'create_widget'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<model>\w+)/%s(?P<widget_id>\d+)/$' % (_('widgets/'), _('edit/')),
         views.widgets.edit_widget,
         name = 'edit_widget'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<model>\w+)/%s(?P<widget_id>\d+)/$' % (_('widgets/'), _('delete/')),
         views.widgets.delete_widget,
         name = 'delete_widget'
     ),
-
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^%s(?P<model>\w+)/$' % (_('widgets/')),
         views.widgets.list_widgets,
         name = 'list_widgets'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^widgets/questions/(?P<widget_id>\d+)/$',
         views.widgets.question_widget,
         name = 'question_widget'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^start-sharing-twitter/$',
         views.sharing.start_sharing_twitter,
         name='start_sharing_twitter'
     ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^save-twitter-access-token/$',
         views.sharing.save_twitter_access_token,
         name='save_twitter_access_token'
     ),
-    url(#ajax post only
+    service_url(#ajax post only
         r'^change-social-sharing-mode/$',
         views.sharing.change_social_sharing_mode,
         name='change_social_sharing_mode'
     ),
     #upload url is ajax only
-    url( r'^%s$' % _('upload/'), views.writers.upload, name='upload'),
-    url(r'^%s$' % _('feedback/'), views.meta.feedback, name='feedback'),
-    url(
+    service_url( r'^%s$' % _('upload/'), views.writers.upload, name='upload'),
+    service_url(
         r'^doc/(?P<path>.*)$',
         'django.views.static.serve',
         {'document_root': os.path.join(APP_PATH,'doc','build','html').replace('\\','/')},
         name='askbot_docs',
     ),
-    url(
-        '^custom\.css$',
-        views.meta.config_variable,
-        kwargs = {
-            'variable_name': 'CUSTOM_CSS',
-            'mimetype': 'text/css'
-        },
-        name = 'custom_css'
-    ),
-    url(
-        '^custom\.js$',
-        views.meta.config_variable,
-        kwargs = {
-            'variable_name': 'CUSTOM_JS',
-            'mimetype': 'text/javascript'
-        },
-        name = 'custom_js'
-    ),
-    url(
+    service_url(
         r'^jsi18n/$',
         'django.views.i18n.javascript_catalog',
         {'domain': 'djangojs','packages': ('askbot',)},
         name = 'askbot_jsi18n'
     ),
-    url('^messages/', include('group_messaging.urls')),
-    url('^settings/', include('livesettings.urls')),
+    service_url('^messages/', include('group_messaging.urls')),
+    service_url('^settings/', include('livesettings.urls')),
 )
 
-#todo - this url below won't work, because it is defined above
-#therefore the stackexchange urls feature won't work
-if getattr(settings, 'ASKBOT_USE_STACKEXCHANGE_URLS', False):
-    urlpatterns += (url(
-        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/' % _('questions/'),
-        views.readers.question,
-        name='question'
-    ),)
-else:
-    urlpatterns += (url(
-        r'^%s(?P<id>\d+)/' % _('question/'),
-        views.readers.question,
-        name='question'
-    ),)
-
 if 'askbot.deps.django_authopenid' in settings.INSTALLED_APPS:
     urlpatterns += (
-        url(r'^%s' % _('account/'), include('askbot.deps.django_authopenid.urls')),
+        service_url(r'^%s' % _('account/'), include('askbot.deps.django_authopenid.urls')),
     )
 
 if 'avatar' in settings.INSTALLED_APPS:
@@ -591,18 +579,18 @@ if 'avatar' in settings.INSTALLED_APPS:
     #because views add and change are adapted to
     #use jinja2 templates
     urlpatterns += (
-        url('^avatar/add/$', views.avatar_views.add, name='avatar_add'),
-        url(
+        service_url('^avatar/add/$', views.avatar_views.add, name='avatar_add'),
+        service_url(
             '^avatar/change/$',
             views.avatar_views.change,
             name='avatar_change'
         ),
-        url(
+        service_url(
             '^avatar/delete/$',
             views.avatar_views.delete,
             name='avatar_delete'
         ),
-        url(#this urs we inherit from the original avatar app
+        service_url(#this urs we inherit from the original avatar app
             '^avatar/render_primary/(?P<user_id>[\+\d]+)/(?P<size>[\d]+)/$',
             views.avatar_views.render_primary,
             name='avatar_render_primary'
diff --git a/askbot/utils/url_utils.py b/askbot/utils/url_utils.py
index c58239c5..3c4fa7b5 100644
--- a/askbot/utils/url_utils.py
+++ b/askbot/utils/url_utils.py
@@ -2,6 +2,19 @@ import os
 import urlparse
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.conf import settings
+from django.conf.urls.defaults import url
+
+def service_url(*args, **kwargs):
+    """adds the service prefix to the url"""
+    pattern = args[0]
+    if pattern[0] == '^':
+        pattern = pattern[1:]
+
+    prefix = getattr(settings, 'ASKBOT_SERVICE_URL_PREFIX', '')
+    pattern = '^' + prefix + pattern
+    new_args = list(args)
+    new_args[0] = pattern
+    return url(*new_args, **kwargs)
 
 def strip_path(url):
     """srips path, params and hash fragments of the url"""