--- loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2011/11/02 23:05:07	1.1027
+++ loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2011/11/14 00:20:34	1.1028
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common routines
 #
-# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.1027 2011/11/02 23:05:07 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.1028 2011/11/14 00:20:34 raeburn Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -4532,29 +4532,39 @@ sub designparm {
 
 =item * &authorspace()
 
-Inputs: ./.
+Inputs: $url (usually will be undef).
 
-Returns: Path to the Construction Space of the current user's
-         accessed author space
-         The author space will be that of the current user
-         when accessing the own author space
-         and that of the co-author/assistent co-author
-         when accessing the co-author's/assistent co-author's
-         space
+Returns: Path to Construction Space containing the resource or 
+         directory being viewed (or for which action is being taken). 
+         If $url is provided, and begins /priv/<domain>/<uname>
+         the path will be that portion of the $context argument.
+         Otherwise the path will be for the author space of the current
+         user when the current role is author, or for that of the 
+         co-author/assistant co-author space when the current role 
+         is co-author or assistant co-author.
 
 =cut
 
 sub authorspace {
+    my ($url) = @_;
+    if ($url ne '') {
+        if ($url =~ m{^(/priv/$match_domain/$match_username/)}) {
+           return $1;
+        }
+    }
     my $caname = '';
     my $cadom = '';
-    if ($env{'request.role'} =~ /^ca|^aa/) {
+    if ($env{'request.role'} =~ /^(?:ca|aa)/) {
         ($cadom,$caname) =
             ($env{'request.role'}=~/($match_domain)\/($match_username)$/);
-    } else {
+    } elsif ($env{'request.role'} =~ m{^au\./($match_domain)/}) {
         $caname = $env{'user.name'};
         $cadom = $env{'user.domain'};
     }
-    return '/priv/'.$cadom.'/'.$caname.'/';
+    if (($caname ne '') && ($cadom ne '')) {
+        return "/priv/$cadom/$caname/";
+    }
+    return;
 }
 
 ##############################################