So, I finally got on a server that lets me use cgi, and I want to install my UltraBoard 2000. The only problem is that I have no idea what I am doing and UltraBoard discontinued the free version of their board which means they won’t help me.
HELP!
Cessendra,
You might check with Opal. She’s far more knowledgable than me with CGI.
I know that she knows cgi, but I thought I’d just post it here. That way she might see it, or someone else who knows might see it first, ya know?
Do you think this would get a better response in GQ?
Okay, I don’t know a heck of a lot about CGI, and I also don’t know what you already know…
But. You need to make sure the cgi-bin is enabled on the site, and you install your .cgi script in there. When you upload it, make sure it is properly read-write-execute enabled, as specified (I hope) somewhere in your Board docs. That’s a little complicated to explain, especially as I’m a doofus, but there’s a way on your FTP program to specify it’s settings after you upload it.
Hope that helps!
Ok, i was with you right up until “make sure it is properly read-write-execute enabled”. What does that mean???
Some files are designed to only be accessible in certain ways. If it’s an executable file, like an application, or a bulletin board, it needs to be execute enabled. Most files, like images etc, just need to be readable only. Others need to be writable.
Like I said, I’m a doofus, so I may be getting confused. It’s all down to what your documentation says. It should tell you to have the .cgi file r-w-x or it might mention numbers like 766 or something like that.
Yes! The numbers! They told me to do something with that number! Umm… “set the permission to 666, 766, or 777 (depend on server)” but how do I do that? I’m using WinFTP.
There might be a command if you right-click on the file (after it’s uploaded) to “chmod” or change mode. Or it might even say Permissions. I haven’t used that FTP program specifically so I don’t know exactly.
It will either show you nine Read Write Execute option boxes (in which case, ticking all of them will be the equivalent of 777) or it may even allow you to enter the numbers above. Try each set of numbers to see which one works, but the above should do fine.
Using wsftp, or most ftp programs, select a file, right click, select chmod, select everything for every file, yeah, I know, 777 for all files? Yep, that way you can make sure they work. Then change them back later. Also, CGI only works if you uploaded as ASCII, not binary.
Plenty free message boards from cgi-resources.com in the PERL section. Find the smallest & easiest one.
CGI is very tricky. you might want to try a free java chat at first, much easier, like from http://www.multichat.com
chmod 777 * opens up permissions for everything to everybody (read/write/execute permission for owner/group/others). Is that what’s required? I’d think they need to be readable and executable, but you don’t want anything written over by other people…
chmod 777 produces -rwxrwxrwx for files.
[equivalent to chmod a+rwx]
chmod 755 produces -rwxr-xr-x for files.
[equivalent to chmod go-w]
…but then I’m not tremendously familiar with cgi (I just call up preformulated ones sitting on the server).
thanks, y’all. i got it all uploaded. if you want to check it out, here is the url:
http://cessandra.port5.com/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.pl