Lorian Network | Support | CGI
| Introduction to CGI | As introduced in the Building Section, CGI's are separate computer programs that perform some task that a web browser and HTML alone cannot do. CGI's are "server-side" operations, that is, they execute on the server machine, modifying or creating a final web page that is then sent to the viewing browser. The Lorian Network offers the MGI component library, which provides nearly all of the functions that usually require the writing of CGI's. Please check the next section on Using MGI before you decide that you simply must have a CGI to accomplish your task. |
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Note that you cannot use CGI's without the prior authorization of the Lorian Network administrator. Unrestrainted use of CGI's could seriously degrade the reliability and security of our servers. | |
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| CGI's in Applescript | Probably the easiest (relatively ) CGI to write is using the Applescript scripting language from Apple Computer. Applescript is included on all Macintosh computers. If you don't have a Macintosh, well, talk to somebody that does have one. | |
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| CGI's in PERL | PERL is the standard scripting language used on Unix web servers. As such, there has been a great deal of development of useful CGI scripts in PERL. Our servers run MacPERL, a version of PERL for the Macintosh OS that can run many standard PERL CGI scripts with little or no modification. For more information about PERL and MacPERL visit: http://www.virtualschool.edu/mon/Perl/index.html |
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| CGI's in low level languages. |
CGI's can also be written in any low level computer language such as C, Basic, or assembly (if you're really a masochist). Needless-to-say, we're not going to teach you how to do this. But if your really want to do it, sign up for some computer programming classes at your local university and give us a call in a few years. | |
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| Running CGI's | CGI programs can only be executed from the "cgi-bin" directory within your web site space. If you place them anywere else, they won't work. CGI's must also end with the ".cgi" or ".acgi" extension to be recognized. | |
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| But I really need a CGI! | Contact us. The odds are we already know how to solve the problem you're facing, with or without a CGI. | |
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USING SSI |
 USING MGI |
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