What is the best way to test a CGI script ?

[Gordon Watt]

Hi,

I have encorporated some CGI scripts I have downloaded
off the net into some web pages I am writing, but I would
like to test them, before I upload the pages to my web site.

Are there any programs available which allow you to test CGI
script offline ?

Any pointers to a possible solution would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Gordon

Gordon Watt

[ccra...@bds.onramp.net]

Gordon Watt <Gor...@premcomp.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>Hi,

>I have encorporated some CGI scripts I have downloaded
>off the net into some web pages I am writing, but I would
>like to test them, before I upload the pages to my web site.

Assuming that you have access to the server configuration files, you
could always create a "test web" on a different port or IP address.
This would be a web that was perhaps close in content to your public
web but isolated from robots, etc. where you can test and develop new
things without impacting anyone who was accessing your public site
(well, there might be some slowdowns depending on what you are doing).
Other than that, no ideas come to mind.

[$Bill Luebkert]

ccra...@bds.onramp.net wrote:

> Gordon Watt <Gor...@premcomp.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> >Hi,

1) Get a server for your PC - one is Website 1.1 http://software.ora.com/

or

2) Upload the files to your ISP but don't put them in as index.html if you
want to keep your existing stuff running till the new stuff is checked out.
Create a new dir called test or whatever and put them in their. To test
you will just need to add test/index.html to the end of your existing address.
Your server should support a cgi-bin directory under this test directory.
When you are done, you can just move the stuff up one dir using the mv command.
Maybe save the originals first.
--
,-/- __ _ _ $Bill Luebkert
(_/ / ) // // DBE Collectibles
/ ) /--< o // // http://www.westworld.com/~bill/
-/-' /___/_<_</_</_ Email: bi...@westworld.com

[M. David Matney]

"$Bill Luebkert" <bi...@mail.westworld.com> wrote:

>ccra...@bds.onramp.net wrote:

>> Gordon Watt <Gor...@premcomp.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>> >Hi,

>or

It sounds to me like you are embedding the CGI scripts into web pages?
- CGI runs on the server, and are not part of the web page html - You
will need to test them on the server side using Bill's Suggestion of a
new directory.

Good Luck!

Visit my Web Site: http://www.interlink-2000.com/mdmatney
E-mail me: mdma...@interlink-2000.com
Check out my book: http://www.interlink-2000.com/mdmatney/book-I/book.html
Visit my Web Host Provider http://www.interlink-2000.com

[$Bill Luebkert]

M. David Matney wrote:
>
> "$Bill Luebkert" <bi...@mail.westworld.com> wrote:

> >2) Upload the files to your ISP but don't put them in as index.html if you
> >want to keep your existing stuff running till the new stuff is checked out.
> >Create a new dir called test or whatever and put them in their. To test
> >you will just need to add test/index.html to the end of your existing address.
> >Your server should support a cgi-bin directory under this test directory.
> >When you are done, you can just move the stuff up one dir using the mv command.
> >Maybe save the originals first.

I guess I didn't make it real clear where to put the files. when I said
test/index.html I was inferring a directory test under your existing server
root directory. In my case this is /home/<user>/public_html.
So if your user name was gordon, the directory "test" would be created in
/home/gordon/public_html unless of course your ISP has you somewhere else.

To test the pages, instead of using your real URL (eg: www.company.com/~gordon),
use the test URL (eg: www.company.com/~gordon/test).

> It sounds to me like you are embedding the CGI scripts into web pages?
> - CGI runs on the server, and are not part of the web page html - You
> will need to test them on the server side using Bill's Suggestion of a
> new directory.

I think he was implying that his HTML was calling/activating some CGI scripts he
had gotten off the net. English - what an amazing language (;>)