CGI Scripts 

CGI Scripts  

This CGI Scripts area allows you to use some pre installed CGI scripts through CPanel. This 

section contains information about using these scripts, as well as using CGI scripts in general.  

Topics: 

Introduction to CGI

Interchange Shopping Cart

XMB Forum

Chat Room

CGI Wrap

CGI EMail

Introduction to CGI  

CGI (Common Gateway Interface) is a standard for running external programs from a Web 

server. CGI allows the returned HTML page to be dynamic   for example, with a CGI script you 

could access information in a database and format the results as part of an HTML page. Not 

surprisingly, CGI scripts are very popular and used extensively throughout the World Wide 

Web.  

There are a number of very good introduction to CGI documents available on the Web. The 

information given below is a summary of the most important points to remember when using 

CGI. Please refer to the following for a more in depth introduction:  

Intro to CGI

   one of the best introductions available.  

Ada s Introduction to CGI

   a useful introduction.  

Key points to bear in mind when using CGI scripts: 

   The pre installed scripts available through CPanel are the easiest to use, but if a certain 

script does not do exactly what you want, feel free to look for better scripts on the Web. 

You can usually find a script to do almost anything, especially if you are prepared to pay.  

   Read all available documentation on a particular script before using it. This will help avoid 

most problems. 

   CHMOD ("Change Mode") means change the permissions on a particular file (usually the 

script itself). The CPanel File Manager allows you to quickly do this, as do most FTP 

tools.  

   Important   after uploading cgi bin scripts, CHMOD to 755 (unless the script 

documentation specifically states otherwise). For example, you need to CHMOD the pre 

installed CPanel 

CGI EMail

 scripts to 755 to use them properly.  

   Many scripts need to know the path to perl (scripting language engine) and to sendmail 

(HTTP mail engine). You can find this information on the front page of CPanel.  

   Make sure you test your scripts repeatedly! Testing is vital to make sure everything is 

working to your satisfaction. 

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