CGI Scripts on UNIX

The process of installing CGI scripts is similar to that of HTML pages, except different directories and URLs are used.

project_cgi-bin

-- Files place in this directory will be accessible only within the department.

• Use URL: http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/Project-bin/A.B.Surname/cgi_script

  where A.B.Surname is your long email name to reference files from HTML forms or directly.

• Associated HTML files (i.e. ones whose FORM ACTION calls the CGI script) must still be placed in the project_html directory.

public_cgi-bin

-- Files place in this directory will be viewable on the whole Internet. This is where you would create your Home Page.

• Use URL: http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/User-bin/A.B.Surname where A.B.Surname is your long email name to reference scripts from HTML or direct URL.
• You will have to initially create and register your public_cgi-bin directory on the COMSC Information Server. See Creating your own HOME PAGE and Online User Guides http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/User/howto.html.
• CGI scripts placed here will need their access permission changed. See instructions below and follow except for different directory name or the above reference WWW page.

Creating a project_cgi-bin

Initially you will have to create and change access permissions on a project_cgi-bin.

All CGI scripts should be placed in a directory project_cgi-bin.

Here's how to create the directory:

• Use BetterTelnetPPC to Telnet to thrall.cs.cf.ac.uk.
• Login to thrall with you UNIX User ID (e.g. scm...) and password at the terminal window of Telnet.
• From within the user's top level (home) directory -- the directory you login to.
  • Create the project_cgi-bin directory. Type the following at the BetterTelnetPPC terminal window

        mkdir public_cgi_bin
    

• Next, set the project_cgi-bin directory access modes so that the Web server can read its contents.
  • To do this type the following at the BetterTelnetPPC terminal window

    chmodwww public_cgi_bin
    

Running Individual CGI scripts

Simply place (FTP) the CGI script in the project_cgi-bin.

Every CGI script will need to have certain access modes changed. This can be done from Macintosh (with Fetch) or on UNIX (via BetterTelnetPPC connection).

To set file access modes from Fetch (just before FTP transfer):

• Select the Set Upload Permissions... Menu item from the Remote Menu.

  
  Figure: Selecting Fetch's Set Upload Permissions...

• A new window appears. Click on and set the Owner and Group read, write and search/execute permissions and set the Everyone search/execute permission

  
  Figure: Setting CGI script Upload Permissions

To Set CGI file permissions from UNIX:

• Assume we have create the CGI script called test1.pl.
• It must reside in directory public_cgi-in (or copy it there).
• To change the mode of the script to make it executable and accessible by the Web server type:

     chmod +x public_cgi_bin/test1
     chmodwww public_cgi_bin/test1
  

You should now be able to access the script using URL: http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/User/A.B.Surname