What are CGI scripts?
CGI stands for 'common gateway interface'. It is a method used by programs to send and receive information via a web browser. To expand the capabilities of your website, you will need to use CGI scripts that can handle form processing, shopping carts, counters, guestbooks etc. Our servers have the capability to run CGI scripts written in Perl.
Can I run my own CGI/Perl scripts?
Yes you can create and run your own CGI/Perl scripts and upload it your own private cgi-bin directory if you choose to create one. Our servers are equipped to run cgi scipts in any directory..
How do I set permissions for my cgi script?
For cgi scripts to work you have to set the permissions of your cgi script to 'chmod 755 file.cgi'. The chmod command simply means you are changing permissions so that a file can be read, written and executed.
To change permissions, we recommend LeapFTP because it provides an easy way
to set permissions. With LeapFTP you simply right click on the file you want to set permissions and select 'chmod'. Click here for a screenshot!
What are some common settings/paths for my CGI scripts?
For your scripts to work properly, you may need to change some paths or settings within the script. Please use the following:
Perl 5 Location
/usr/bin/perl
Sendmail Location
/usr/sbin/sendmail
CGI Urls
http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/file.cgi
http://www.yourdomain.com/file.cgi
Direct Path to your root folder
/home/sites/www.yourdomain.com/web
Direct path to an example script
/home/sites/www.yourdomain.com/web/file.cgi
I am getting '500 Internal Server Error' when running CGI scripts?
This a common error that many web developers get when running cgi scripts for the first time. It is often resolved by making sure you have done the following:
When editing your cgi script use a program that saves the file as a 'text file' type. Notepade or Wordpad will work fine.
FTP your cgi scripts in ASCII mode into the cgi-bin directory.
Set the file permissions on the cgi script file to be 'chmod 755'.Click here for a screenshot on what the permissions should look like.
Double check any changes you have made to the script. Make sure you have the correct entries for paths etc. Click here for common CGI script paths.
Do you have a collection of popular Perl scripts?
We will have a listing of commonly used scripts and all the settings intact for use on our servers. In the meantime you can find a good collection of cgi scripts at http://www.perlarchive.com
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