i'm using frontpage forms

Corey Bryant · Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 4:15 am

Well we are talking about two different things. Do you want FP to handle the form or a CGI script? It is one or the other.

Since you speak about the CGI, go to http://www.tripod.lycos.com/ - you will see a menu at the top. Choose Tools - Script Library. There you will see CGI Form Handling & hot to use tripod's CGI script.

benj · Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 10

what's "FP"?

Corey Bryant · Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 4:42 am

FP = FrontPage

benj · Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 10

ok sorry 'bout that. Smile

benj · Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 10

i guess i would want CGI to handle my form. cause in FP if i wil preview the site it says that it has to be publish to server that support FP extensions which is something that i do not understand.

Corey Bryant · Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 5:02 am

When you say you preview the site - are you previewing it on your local computer? if so, just ignore that warning. Check out http://www.frontpageforms.com

mjpliv · Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 406 Location: Nova Scotia

I had a quick look through tripod's website and it seems that the sample forms they offer have to be pointed (thats the "ACTION =" part of the form tag) at pre-installed cgi scripts on their servers. They are quite specific about the address to use.

If you indeed have a mycgi-bin folder with permission to upload and run scripts there then give it a try. Remember that .cgi and .pl scripts have to be uploaded in ASCII mode instead of binary mode. Most scripts will require the permission flags set for 755. You will also need the FULL path to the server perl programs (assuming it is a perl script) in the shebang line (yes - that's a real word) of your script. If you have access to these features, this information should be documented somewhere on your account "control panel".

If this is all Greek to you please don't get discouraged. I would suggest you pick up a book on the subject of perl scripting language. It is probably the easiest of the languages to learn and a natural stepping stone to learning PHP scripting and database servers like MySQL which are the basis for this very forum (follow the phpBB links at the bottom of the page).

If you intend to follow this route I would suggest that you download perl and Apache server (its all free) then install them on your computer. This allows you to experiment as you learn and run the scripts on your own host (localhost). If this sounds complicated - don't worry. Go to http://www.indigostar.com/indigoperl.htm
and download the package that matches your operating system. The Apache server is pre-compiled to run both perl and PHP and includes both programs complete with links to all of the manuals and other support documents for all three bits of software (not bad for free).

Later, if you like, you can download MySQL database server and play around with that too.

Pretty soon you will be answering questions for people on the forum Very Happy

benj · Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 10

wow ! mj i cannot understand almost understand everrything you posted. but i know i need a cgi script right? this site (htmlcodetutorial.com) offer a free script, here is it.

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

#=========================================================================
# Copyright 1999-2001 Idocs Guide to HTML, http://www.idocs.com/
# You may distribute this program freely, but keep
# this notice in place.
#=========================================================================

#=========================================================================
# modules
#
use strict;
use CGI;
use CGI::Carp 'fatalsToBrowser', 'croak';

# use lib 'pt/PtLib';
# use lib 'ads/';
# use Banner;
#
# modules
#=========================================================================

#=========================================================================
# variables
#
my (
$query, # CGI query object
$maxFields, # maximum number of fields to accept
$rand, # random number for banners
$inputdata, # filehandle for uploaded files
@inputVals, # values for a field (they can send more than one)
$inputVal, # a single values for a field
$modval, # modified value of
$fileinfo, # uploaded file information
@params, # array of all fields sent
$key,$val, # key an value for $fileinfo hash
$ad,$adcode,
);
$query=CGI->new; # get CGI object
$maxFields=100; # maximum number of fields to accept
$rand = int(rand(100000)); # random number for ad banner

#
# variables
#=========================================================================

#=========================================================================
# top of page
#
print $query->header;
print <<"(TOPOFPAGE)";
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Idocs Guide to HTML: My CGI</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>

<TABLE WIDTH="100%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0>
<TR VALIGN=TOP>
<TD><A HREF="/" TARGET="_top"><IMG
SRC="../graphics/logo.med.guide.gif"
WIDTH=157 HEIGHT=75 ALT="Idocs Guide to HTML" BORDER=0></A></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT></TD>
</TR></TABLE>

<H1>My CGI</H1>

This CGI displays the <CODE>name=value</CODE> pairs sent to it. Feel
free to use this CGI for practice making HTML forms. This CGI is provided
compliments of the <A HREF="http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/">HTML Code Tutorial</A>.<P>





(TOPOFPAGE)
#
# top of page
#=========================================================================

#=========================================================================
# list
#

# get list of fields
@params = $query->param;
if (@params > $maxFields)
{croak "No more than $maxFields fields please"}

# open table if necessary
print "<HR><P><TABLE BORDER CELLPADDING=4>\n" if @params;

PARAMLOOP:
foreach my $paramKey (@params) {
print '<TR VALIGN=TOP>';

#----------------------------------------------------------------
# value
#
$inputdata = $query->param($paramKey);

# print STDERR "[b]\n"; # TESTING
# the problem with "Use of uninitialized value in hash element at (eval 6) line 3."
# happens during the next line

$fileinfo = $query->uploadInfo($inputdata);

# if it's an uploaded file
if (defined $fileinfo) {
print
"<TH>", tablesc($paramKey), "</TH>",
"<TD><TABLE BORDER BGCOLOR=\"#FFFFCC\" CELLPADDING=4>\n";

while (($key,$val) = each %{$fileinfo}) {
# content-disposition gives several pieces of
# information about the file, so let's parse it up
if (lc($key) eq 'content-disposition') {
foreach my $dis (split(m|\s*;\s*|,$val)) {
my @dispieces=split(m/\s*=\s*/,$dis,2);
next unless defined $dispieces[1];
next if $dispieces[0] =~ m|^name$|i;
print
'<TR><TD>',
tablesc($dispieces[0]),
'</TD><TD><CODE>',
tablesc($dispieces[1]),
"</CODE></TD></TR>\n";
}
}

# else just print the field
else {
print
'<TR><TD>',
tablesc($key),
'</TD><TD><CODE>',
tablesc($val),
"</CODE></TD></TR>\n";
}
}

# output the file size
seek($inputdata,0,2); # go to end of file handle
print
'<TR><TD>size</TD><TD>',
tell($inputdata),
"</TD></TR>\n";
print '</TD></TABLE>'; #
}

# else it's not an uploaded file
else {
# get array of input values
@inputVals=$query->param($paramKey);
@inputVals=grep(tablesc($_),@inputVals);

# name of field
print '<TH ROWSPAN=',
scalar(@inputVals), '>',
tablesc($paramKey), '</TH><TD><PRE>';

#out put value(s) for field
foreach $inputVal (@inputVals)
{$inputVal = tablesc($inputVal)}
print
join("</PRE></TD></TR>\n<TR><TD><PRE>", @inputVals),
'</PRE></TD>';
}
#
# value
#----------------------------------------------------------------

print "</TR>\n";
}

# close table if necessary
print "</TABLE><P>\n" if @params;

#
# list
#=========================================================================

#=======================================================================
# bottom of document
#

# ************************************************************************
# *** IF YOU COPY My CGI, ABSOLUTELY PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THIS SECTION ***
# ************************************************************************

print <<"(END BOTTOM OF PAGE)";
<HR><P>
A lot of people have asked to see the code for this CGI.
OK, <A HREF="http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/acustom/index_famsupp_91.html">here
it is</A>.

<P>

My CGI by <A HREF="http://www.idocs.com/tags/">The Idocs
Guide to HTML</A>, <CITE>copyright 1997-1999, Idocs Inc.</CITE><BR>
This entire web site is served by our friends at
<A HREF="http://www.ninthwonder.com/">Ninth Wonder</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>
(END BOTTOM OF PAGE)
#
# bottom of document
#=======================================================================

#=======================================================================
# tablesc
# return undefined or for space-only/empty string,
# otherwise change < > and & to character entities
#
sub tablesc
{
return " " if (! defined $_[0]) || ($_[0] !~ m|\S|);
$_[0] =~ s|&|&|gso;
$_[0] =~ s|<|<|gso;
$_[0] =~ s|>|>|gso;
$_[0];
}
#
# tablesc
#=======================================================================
They call this as a public file? what does it mean? And if i can use it to tripod, where do i paste this code? what would be the filename? i got this from this site.