PERL CGI Beginners - Re: first form gives Internal Server Error

Author

Re: first form gives Internal Server Error

Paul Lalli

2006-03-17, 6:55 pm

Baldoni wrote:
> Paul Lalli wrote:
>
> Thanks for the response. I'm doing what I'm doing because I'm taking it
> straight out of the book referenced in the comments at the top of the
> script. The idea was to get it going, and play with it.

Allow me to suggest you throw that book away. I'm really not kidding.
There is so much wrong with that line, I just can't imagine why any
book would tell you to do that.

>
> I guess I should have said "Among other things...". I understood that
> the reference to the server log was de rigeur for this type of response.

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that term. Are you saying you just
assumed that was a standard error message that had no actual cause or
meaning? That was a faulty assumption. More information *is*,
undoubtedly, in the server logs.

> No sir, I am not the one doing that.

Er. Okay. Then perhaps I misunderstood. You have CGI script that is
producing an HTTP 500. That is your only available data point,
correct? And your "bet" is that you've "misconfigured", that you're
missing a package. Please explain to me how you arrived at that bet.

>
> Thank you. I know I mis-posted this in the first place, and have since
> posted to p.b.cgi.

Good to know. Cross-posting my reply there as well.

> Thank you.

.... you never actually answered the rest of my questions.

Did you run it on the command line? Did it work?

Did you check the server logs? What did they say?

I'm sorry if you've somehow gotten the mistaken impression that I'm
trying to be a bastard about this - I really am trying to help you
debug your problem.

Paul Lalli

Baldoni

2006-03-17, 6:55 pm

Paul Lalli wrote:
> Baldoni wrote:
>
[color=darkred]
>
>
> Allow me to suggest you throw that book away. I'm really not kidding.
> There is so much wrong with that line, I just can't imagine why any
> book would tell you to do that.

That very idea is under consideration.

>
>
> I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that term. Are you saying you just
> assumed that was a standard error message that had no actual cause or
> meaning? That was a faulty assumption. More information *is*,
> undoubtedly, in the server logs.

No, I'm saying that I thought it was included in general in this kind of
error message. And that by extension those familiar with this type of
message would already know it was there. Hence it seemed to me superfluous.

>
>
>
> Er. Okay. Then perhaps I misunderstood. You have CGI script that is
> producing an HTTP 500. That is your only available data point,
> correct? And your "bet" is that you've "misconfigured", that you're
> missing a package. Please explain to me how you arrived at that bet.

Thank you for your concern as to my reasoning processes. Please
understand that I am referring to a goodly amount of reference material
beyond the usual Web resources, and that my faculties are capable of
taking me from point A to point B; within the confines of being human.

But, the actual reason is that this has been a recurring situation with
getting OpenBSD, Apache, Perl, and CGI up, configured, and running.

> Good to know. Cross-posting my reply there as well.

And now I have responded only in p.b.cgi.

> ... you never actually answered the rest of my questions.
>
> Did you run it on the command line? Did it work?
>
> Did you check the server logs? What did they say?

FYI, but not because I'm asking for feedback, the messages were:
String found where operator expected at ./forms00.pl line 18, at end of line
(Missing semicolon on previous line?)
syntax error at ./forms00.pl line 12, near "print"
Can't find string terminator "'" anywhere before EOF at ./forms00.pl
line 18.

and

[Fri Mar 17 11:33:35 2006] [error] [client 127.0.0.1] Premature end of
script headers: /cgi-bin/forms00.pl
[Fri Mar 17 11:33:35 2006] [error] [client 127.0.0.1] File does not
exist: /htdocs/favicon.ico

You've given me enough information that I am going to abandon this
particular script and investigate the workings of another simple form.
Thanks for the tip about lexical vs. global.

> I'm sorry if you've somehow gotten the mistaken impression that I'm
> trying to be a bastard about this - I really am trying to help you
> debug your problem.

I understand the value of time, and how difficult it is to replenish it.
You've probably given me the best help by suggesting I rid myself
of the Deitel book. At the same time, all I was asking for was "Any
direction to a useful resource".

I really do appreciate your feedback. I've monitored this ng for about
a w

now, and tried to learn the etiquette. You have been helpful
beyond what I hoped. I've kept a copy of your post to c.l.p.misc "re:
Google Scraping", so please understand, I understand the value received
for paying attention. And I thank you for yours in this matter.

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