Details for running Perl scripts on our shared servers.
Installing your own perl/cgi scripts
CGI folder name
The first step to installing a cgi script is to upload the script into your account. It doesn't matter where you place the script, it will execute properly from any directory. However, creating a directory called scripts may help you keep some order to your files.
Please note: You can not call your cgi folder cgi-bin. This is the name of our cgi folder and any request from your web page for a directory called cgi-bin will result in a 404/file not found error.
File extensions
Make sure the files have the correct .cgi file extension. A .html extension will not work. Some custom scripts may have a .pl extension, that's ok, but note, if you are calling a script from a page on your website, you must rename the file and give it that .cgi extension. If you attempt to call a script with a .pl extension from your website you will receive a Method not allowed error.
Uploading scripts
When uploading your scripts, please make sure that you upload in ASCII mode. If you mistakenly upload your scripts in Binary format, invisible characters may be saved with in the script itself. If this occurs you will get a 500 Internal Server Error message when you attempt to run the script.
File permissions
You will also need to make sure that your scripts have the correct file permissions. You may alter the permissions on any file or folder in the file manager of your /admin area. Your scripts must be executable. Try the numerical value 755. It is also important to check on the permissions of the directory holding your cgi scripts. If a directory is either group or world writable, this may lead to a potential security hole, and the script will not execute. The ideal settings for a directory is the octal value 711. If the permission on your scripts or your cgi directory are set incorrectly, you will receive a 500 Internal Server Error message.
Command locations
The Location of Perl
The first line of ALL cgi scripts should read:
#!/usr/bin/perl
That said, the the path to Perl is:
/usr/bin/perl
If you are having problems executing the script, it could be do to invisible characters surrounding the above line. This is caused most often when saving files in windows with line feeds or when uploading scripts through FTP in binary format. The best way to clear up this problems is to delete the first line and rewrite it.
Your account's pathname
Should you need to supply a script with your "home directory", "base directory" or "full server path", the value that you enter should look like this:
/nfs/new/your_user
The location of the mail command
The mail command may be found at:
/bin/mail
The sendmail command is located at:
/usr/lib/sendmail
The location of the date command
The date command may be found at:
/bin/date
Installed Perl Modules
PLEASE NOTE: the list below is incomplete, so if you do not see the module you'd like, please use contact us.
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Apache::Filter Image::Magick Image::Size Image::TIFF |
MD5 MIME::Body MIME::Decoder MIME::Decoder::Base64 MIME::Decoder::Binary MIME::Decoder::Gzip64 MIME::Decoder::NBit MIME::Decoder::QuotedPrint MIME::Decoder::UU MIME::Entity MIME::Field::ConTraEnc MIME::Field::ContDisp MIME::Field::ContType MIME::Field::ParamVal MIME::Head MIME::Parser MIME::Parser::Filer MIME::Parser::Reader MIME::Parser::Results MIME::Tools MIME::WordDecoder MIME::Words MP3::ID3v1Tag MP3::Info MPEG::ID3v1Tag MPEG::MP3Info Mail::Address Mail::Alias Mail::Bulkmail Mail::Bulkmail::DummyServer Mail::Bulkmail::Dynamic Mail::Bulkmail::Object Mail::Bulkmail::Server Mail::Cap Mail::Field Mail::Field::AddrList Mail::Field::Date Mail::Filter Mail::Header Mail::Internet Mail::Mailer Mail::Mailer::mail Mail::Mailer::rfc822 Mail::Mailer::sendmail Mail::Mailer::smtp Mail::Mailer::test Mail::Send Mail::SpamAssassin Mail::SpamAssassin/SMTP::SmartHost Mail::SpamAssassin::AuditMessage Mail::SpamAssassin::AutoWhitelist Mail::SpamAssassin::Conf Mail::SpamAssassin::ConfSourceSQL Mail::SpamAssassin::DBBasedAddrList Mail::SpamAssassin::DirBasedAddrList Mail::SpamAssassin::Dns Mail::SpamAssassin::EncappedMessage Mail::SpamAssassin::EvalTests Mail::SpamAssassin::ExposedMessage Mail::SpamAssassin::Locales Mail::SpamAssassin::Message Mail::SpamAssassin::MyMailAudit Mail::SpamAssassin::NoMailAudit Mail::SpamAssassin::PerMsgStatus Mail::SpamAssassin::PersistentAddrList Mail::SpamAssassin::PhraseFreqs Mail::SpamAssassin::Replier Mail::SpamAssassin::Reporter Mail::Util Math::BigFloat Math::BigInt Math::Complex Math::Trig Mon::Client Mon::Protocol Mon::SNMP NDBM_File Net::DNS Net::DNS/RR::A Net::DNS/RR::AAAA Net::DNS/RR::AFSDB Net::DNS/RR::CNAME Net::DNS/RR::EID Net::DNS/RR::HINFO Net::DNS/RR::ISDN Net::DNS/RR::LOC Net::DNS/RR::MB Net::DNS/RR::MG Net::DNS/RR::MINFO Net::DNS/RR::MR Net::DNS/RR::MX Net::DNS/RR::NAPTR Net::DNS/RR::NIMLOC Net::DNS/RR::NS Net::DNS/RR::NSAP Net::DNS/RR::NULL Net::DNS/RR::PTR Net::DNS/RR::PX Net::DNS/RR::RP Net::DNS/RR::RT Net::DNS/RR::SOA Net::DNS/RR::SRV Net::DNS/RR::TXT Net::DNS/RR::X25 Net::DNS::Header Net::DNS::Packet Net::DNS::Question Net::DNS::RR Net::DNS::Resolver Net::DNS::Update Net::HTTP Net::HTTP::Methods Net::HTTP::NB Net::HTTPS Net::Ping Net::hostent Net::netent Net::protoent Net::servent O ODBM_File Opcode POSIX Pod::Checker Pod::Find Pod::Functions Pod::Html Pod::InputObjects Pod::ParseUtils Pod::Parser Pod::PlainText Pod::Select Pod::Text Pod::Usage SDBM_File Safe Search::Dict SelectSaver SelfLoader Shell Shout Socket Storable Symbol Sys::Hostname Sys::Syslog Term::Cap Term::Complete Term::ReadLine Test Test::Builder Test::Harness Test::More Test::Simple Text::Abbrev Text::ParseWords Text::Soundex Text::Tabs Text::Template Text::Wrap Text::Wrapper Tie::Array Tie::Handle Tie::Hash Tie::RefHash Tie::Scalar Tie::SubstrHash Time::Local Time::Object Time::Seconds Time::gmtime Time::localtime Time::tm UNIVERSAL URI URI::Escape URI::Heuristic URI::QueryParam URI::Split URI::URL URI::WithBase URI::_foreign URI::_generic URI::_login URI::_query URI::_segment URI::_server URI::_userpass URI::data URI::file URI::ftp URI::gopher URI::http URI::https URI::ldap URI::mailto URI::news URI::nntp URI::pop URI::rlogin URI::rsync URI::rtsp URI::rtspu URI::sip URI::sips URI::snews URI::ssh URI::telnet URI::tn3270 URI::urn User::grent User::pwent WWW::RobotRules WWW::RobotRules::AnyDBM_File attrs autouse base blib constant diagnostics fields integer less lib locale ops overload re sigtrap strict subs vars |
Editing your scripts
Line Wrapping
Once uploaded into your account, you may use your file manager's editor to make changes to your custom scripts. This is important: When editing perl scripts make sure that you have wrapping turned OFF This will help insure that the syntax of you perl script remains intact while you are editing. You can turn wrapping on and off in the /admin area under Options and then Password and Interface. If you leave wrapping on without fail you will receive a 500 Internal Server error when you run the script.
The perl checker
Once you are done editing, you may want to check that the perl syntax is in good shape. You will notice that your text editor has the option of Check Perl Syntax The perl checker tests for syntax errors in your perl code. Ideally you will receive a message that says syntax ok If there are syntax errors with in your script you will receive some frightfully vague error messages. We didn't write this program so cant help that part. Vague as these error messages may be, they generally do include a line number, so you are often pointed in the right direction for trouble shooting. If you take a look and cannot understand what the perl checker is saying, send us a note with the error and the name of the script in question and we will take a look. As always. please include your account username in your correspondence.
File not found (404)
Make sure your cgi directory is not called cgi-bin. This is the name of our cgi folder. try the name "cgi", scripts", "cgibin" or "cgi_bin"
Double check the url or path you use to call your script. Are you reference the correct location and file name? Please remember that location and file names on our servers are case sensitive.
Method post not allowed
Make sure that the script you are calling has a .cgi file extension.
500 Internal Server Error
This is a toughie. There are countless reason for this error. There are just a few things to keep in mind:
- Make sure that the first line of any perl script reads #!/usr/bin/perl
- Make sure that your scripts are uploaded in ASCII format
- Check your file permissions. Files should be set to 755, your scripts directory to 711
- All cgi scripts need to print a content type. If you have a pre written script, it will must likely include this command, but if you are writing you own please make sure that you include the following line:
print "Content-type: text/htmlnn";
- Make sure there are not syntax errors in your script. Make sure you have wrapping in your file manager editor turned off (see above instructions) and run a perl check. See if you get any errors.
- And finally, despite a "syntax ok" message form the perl checker, there may simply be errors in the code. Drop us a note with the following information:
- Your account username
- Your account domain name
- The location of the file in your account
- The HTML page that calls the script
and we will take a look at it for you.