Re: perl script won't run on form

dalerguy (dalerguy@NOSPAM4MEhotmail.com) wrote:

: I have a simple perl script behind a web form.  The form accepts a few
: pieces of data and then emials the data to a few users and then displays a
: web page with the information just sent via email.

: When I click the submit button, a DOS windows pops up (unable to read what
: it says) and the web page isn't displayed. Seems almost like it tries to
: download the perl script instead of executing.


: Any help for the newbie would be appreciated.

: Thanks,

You need to show the html for the form.  I suspect the action is wrong.
If the brower is opening a dos window then I suspect the action uses an
url that looks like a local file, and the browser is trying to run that
local file (hence the dos window, if that's what it is).

$0.02

<form method="get" action="http://servername.ca/ertech/cgi-
bin/comment.pl">

What can you tell me about the action entry?  I notice there is no www
path.  Can that be the problem. Does it interpret the // as local


Thanks again.

dalerguy


yf110@vtn1.victoria.tc.ca (Malcolm Dew-Jones) wrote in
news:40280870@news.victoria.tc.ca:

> dalerguy (dalerguy@NOSPAM4MEhotmail.com) wrote:
>
>: I have a simple perl script behind a web form.  The form accepts a
>: few pieces of data and then emials the data to a few users and then
>: displays a web page with the information just sent via email.
>
>: When I click the submit button, a DOS windows pops up (unable to read
>: what it says) and the web page isn't displayed. Seems almost like it
>: tries to download the perl script instead of executing.
>
>
>: Any help for the newbie would be appreciated.
>
>: Thanks,
>
> You need to show the html for the form.  I suspect the action is
> wrong.  If the brower is opening a dos window then I suspect the
> action uses an url that looks like a local file, and the browser is
> trying to run that local file (hence the dos window, if that's what it
> is).
>
> $0.02
>

In article <Xns948AE49DE33CAdalerguyhotmailcom@129.173.1.70>, dalerguy wrote:
><form method="get" action="http://servername.ca/ertech/cgi-
>bin/comment.pl">
>
>What can you tell me about the action entry?  I notice there is no www
>path.  Can that be the problem. Does it interpret the // as local

A leading 'www.' would not be part of the path, but the hostname.  And no,
it does not interpret the // as local.

Given your questions, I suggest you avail yourselves of the services of one
of the many professionals, before you do some damage to your system out of
sheer ignorance.

I'd comment on the security risks of letting someone who doesn't know what
they're doing set up CGI programs on a server, but you generally have to
be able to get them runnable for there to be a risk. :) However, assuming
you do get it running by some miracle, how do you even know it's secure, if
you don't know the very basics about CGI or even URI formats?  That's just
plain frightening.

--
Vorxion - Member of The Vortexa Elite