Is there a way to use a custom MediaRequestHandler for certain folders in the media library?

Question

I have a special folder in the Sitecore media library (v9.1.1) that I would like to run a custom MediaRequestHandler on. The path to the folder is /media library/files/securefiles.

I read this post (https://sitecoreblog.patelyogesh.in/2013/09/sitecore-custom-http-handlers.html) that made it seem like I could create a custom handler and use the Trigger to specify the prefix for the handler. But it doesn't seem to be working. Here is what I currently have:

In web.config

<configuration>
  <system.webServer>
    <handlers>
      <add verb="*" path="sitecore_media.ashx" type="Sitecore.Resources.Media.MediaRequestHandler, Sitecore.Kernel" name="Sitecore.MediaRequestHandler" />
      <add verb="*" path="sitecore_media_secure1.ashx" type="MyCustomMediaRequestHandler, MyCustomAssembly" name="MyCustomMediaRequestHandler" />
    </handlers>
  </system.webServer>
</configuration>

And in Sitecore.Config

<sitecore>
  <mediaLibrary>
    <mediaPrefixes>
      <prefix value="-/media/files/securefiles" />
    </mediaPrefixes>
  </mediaLibrary>

  <customHandlers>
    <handler trigger="-/media/" handler="sitecore_media.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="~/media/" handler="sitecore_media.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="~/api/" handler="sitecore_api.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="-/api/" handler="sitecore_api.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="-/xaml/" handler="sitecore_xaml.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="~/xaml/" handler="sitecore_xaml.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="-/icon/" handler="sitecore_icon.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="~/icon/" handler="sitecore_icon.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="-/temp/" handler="sitecore_temp.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="~/temp/" handler="sitecore_temp.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="~/feed/" handler="sitecore_feed.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="-/feed/" handler="sitecore_feed.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="-/media/files/securefiles/" handler="sitecore_media_secure1.ashx" />
    <handler trigger="~/media/files/securefiles/" handler="sitecore_media_secure1.ashx" />

  </customHandlers>
</sitecore>

Is what I am trying even possible? Can you get Sitecore to use a custom MediaRequestHandler for a certain folder and then use the regular MediaRequestHandler for everything else?

I am also not really sure I understand how to set up the handlers in Web.Config. What is the path value? I don't understand what sitecore_media.ashx is. Can I just make up a different one like I did?

Answer 1

Yes, it should be possible.

However it is not enough to use custom handler. There are two things that are required(it looks like you did only second part, as only second part is described in the link that you have shared):

1. You need to override Sitecore.Resources.Media.MediaManager that will generate links to your custom handler if item is located in folder that you want. There is already question/answer how to do it.
2. You need to create your own handler. Approach that is described in the article that you have linked in your question should work fine.