How to Install a CGI Script and Increase Web Site Interactivity
You may have delayed cgi script installation due to the apparently complex
process. Well, I avoided it also for several years, however if you want to
increase your web site's interactivity it's a necessity to know how to do it.
It's not hard to learn and you don't have to be a programmer.
What is CGI ?
Common Gateway Interface or CGI is a program that can interact with an
html form on your web site, and processes the results on your server using
a cgi script. The result generated is a dynamic web page. The cgi script is
written in a language called PERL ("practical extraction and reporting
language").
Uses of CGI Scripts
CGI scripts are most commonly used for creating user interaction with an html
form on your web site. Other uses include: autoresponders, shopping carts,
counters, mailing list managers, ad management, surveys, polls, discussion
boards, content management, calendars and click tracking.
There are 100s of free cgi scripts that can be found on the Net. Just do a search
on Google for "free cgi scripts" or visit the resources at the end of this article.
We will create an html email form to collect the name, email address and
comments of subscribers using a secure cgi formmail script. An automatic
confirmation will be sent and the results of the email form will be passed
on to your email address.
Steps to installing your own cgi script
1. Check that your web host supports CGI - your web host will have a cgi-bin
folder installed on the server. The cgi-bin is a special directory in the server
where all the files which require security are kept. This is where you will
upload your cgi script once it has been modified.
2. Download the cgi script - this is a secure cgi formmail script. Spammers
can't access and harvest your email address from this script.
http://nms-cgi.sourceforge.net/formmail.zip
3. Read the documentation that comes with the script - this will give you a
thorough understanding what changes you need to make to have it work
correctly with your web site and server. It will also provide you with some
examples.
Editing your script
4. Open and edit your cgi script using notepad (don't use an html editor as this
can create errors).
5. Remove the html tags from the script (at the top and bottom).
6. Change the path to perl to: #!/usr/bin/perl -wT (this is the first line of the
script to be edited).
7. Edit the script
8. Rename your cgi script - name your script something else besides
formmail (ie contactus.pl), as this is the most common name people use.
This will prevent spammers from harvesting your email address.
9. Create your html form (10. Create a confirmation page (ie thankyou.htm) - this will automatically
thank people for filling in your form. It can be a simple html page with the
comments "Thank you for your interest. We will respond shortly".
Uploading the cgi script and html email form.
Use your favorite FTP program for uploading to your server (I use
SmartFTP.com which you can download for free).
11. Set permissions to 755 - in SmartFTP right click on the script file you
wish to upload, click on Properties/CHMOD and set the permissions to 755.
12. Upload the cgi script - there are two modes of uploading, ASCII and Binary.
Upload the cgi script (contactus.pl) and any txt files in ASCII mode. Upload
the script to the cgi-bin folder. If you don't follow this you will not be able to
execute the script.
13. Upload the html form and any image files like .jpg or .gif in Binary mode.
14. Test your cgi script by filling out the html email form and submitting it.
You should receive an immediate confirmation.
By adding interactivity to your web site using a cgi script, you can expand the
functions of your web site and create a more interesting experience for your
visitors. This will keep them coming back and help you stay ahead of your
competitors.
http://www.isitebuild.com
You may have delayed cgi script installation due to the apparently complex
process. Well, I avoided it also for several years, however if you want to
increase your web site's interactivity it's a necessity to know how to do it.
It's not hard to learn and you don't have to be a programmer.
What is CGI ?
Common Gateway Interface or CGI is a program that can interact with an
html form on your web site, and processes the results on your server using
a cgi script. The result generated is a dynamic web page. The cgi script is
written in a language called PERL ("practical extraction and reporting
language").
Uses of CGI Scripts
CGI scripts are most commonly used for creating user interaction with an html
form on your web site. Other uses include: autoresponders, shopping carts,
counters, mailing list managers, ad management, surveys, polls, discussion
boards, content management, calendars and click tracking.
There are 100s of free cgi scripts that can be found on the Net. Just do a search
on Google for "free cgi scripts" or visit the resources at the end of this article.
We will create an html email form to collect the name, email address and
comments of subscribers using a secure cgi formmail script. An automatic
confirmation will be sent and the results of the email form will be passed
on to your email address.
Steps to installing your own cgi script
1. Check that your web host supports CGI - your web host will have a cgi-bin
folder installed on the server. The cgi-bin is a special directory in the server
where all the files which require security are kept. This is where you will
upload your cgi script once it has been modified.
2. Download the cgi script - this is a secure cgi formmail script. Spammers
can't access and harvest your email address from this script.
http://nms-cgi.sourceforge.net/formmail.zip
3. Read the documentation that comes with the script - this will give you a
thorough understanding what changes you need to make to have it work
correctly with your web site and server. It will also provide you with some
examples.
Editing your script
4. Open and edit your cgi script using notepad (don't use an html editor as this
can create errors).
5. Remove the html tags from the script (at the top and bottom).
6. Change the path to perl to: #!/usr/bin/perl -wT (this is the first line of the
script to be edited).
7. Edit the script
8. Rename your cgi script - name your script something else besides
formmail (ie contactus.pl), as this is the most common name people use.
This will prevent spammers from harvesting your email address.
9. Create your html form (10. Create a confirmation page (ie thankyou.htm) - this will automatically
thank people for filling in your form. It can be a simple html page with the
comments "Thank you for your interest. We will respond shortly".
Uploading the cgi script and html email form.
Use your favorite FTP program for uploading to your server (I use
SmartFTP.com which you can download for free).
11. Set permissions to 755 - in SmartFTP right click on the script file you
wish to upload, click on Properties/CHMOD and set the permissions to 755.
12. Upload the cgi script - there are two modes of uploading, ASCII and Binary.
Upload the cgi script (contactus.pl) and any txt files in ASCII mode. Upload
the script to the cgi-bin folder. If you don't follow this you will not be able to
execute the script.
13. Upload the html form and any image files like .jpg or .gif in Binary mode.
14. Test your cgi script by filling out the html email form and submitting it.
You should receive an immediate confirmation.
By adding interactivity to your web site using a cgi script, you can expand the
functions of your web site and create a more interesting experience for your
visitors. This will keep them coming back and help you stay ahead of your
competitors.
http://www.isitebuild.com
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