CGI Program Questions
in [Perl]
|
Prev: FAQ 8.20 How can I call my system's unique C functions from Perl?
Next: Posting Guidelines for comp.lang.perl.misc ($Revision: 1.9 $)
From: Keith Keller on 13 Jul 2010 01:09 On 2010-07-13, sreservoir <sreservoir(a)gmail.com> wrote: > On 7/12/2010 8:43 PM, E.D.G. wrote: > >> --- A "Science Module" for Perl. A single module would contain all of >> the math, graphics, and CGI features etc. that science researchers need >> for their work. > > defeats the purpose of having a module. Not that I want to encourage this, but it could be made into a CPAN bundle which simply calls in existing modules to install. Of course, compiling such a list would be prohibitive and inevitably incomplete for somebody (and likely large numbers of somebodies), not to mention that some of these modules have external depenencies (e.g., the blas and lapack libraries for linear algebra, ImageMagick for graphics, a web server for running CGIs). --keith -- kkeller-usenet(a)wombat.san-francisco.ca.us (try just my userid to email me) AOLSFAQ=http://www.therockgarden.ca/aolsfaq.txt see X- headers for PGP signature information
From: E.D.G. on 13 Jul 2010 02:32 "Keith Keller" <kkeller-usenet(a)wombat.san-francisco.ca.us> wrote in message news:d09tg7xv2u.ln2(a)goaway.wombat.san-francisco.ca.us... > Not that I want to encourage this, but it could be made into a CPAN > bundle which simply calls in existing modules to install. For most of the things that science researchers would like to do it is actually not necessary to load too many additional modules with the ActiveState version of Perl running with a Window's operating system. The one basic scientific operation that I myself have so far been unable to use Perl for is drawing charts. Instead I have been using Gnuplot for that. My Perl programs stores bulk data in files and then send Gnuplot commands through a pipe. It works but is not ideal. That approach was used because I was never able to determine what the best Perl module might be for drawing charts etc. To keep a programming language healthy it is probably a good idea to get as many different groups as possible to like and use the language, within reason. And I have never seen Perl Newsgroup posters take a strong interest in getting the scientific community involved with using Perl, though I don't visit this Newsgroup on a regular basis. A while back, a retired professional computer programmer and I went looking for another language we could use to create scientific and other types of computer programs. He did not and still does not want to use Perl. The only one that we could find that had many of the features that Perl offers and that we both liked was FreeBasic. However, FreeBasic is apparently not a formally supported language. So I am not developing any of my own important applications with it. As I believe I have heard people say, you might not want to use Perl to fly the Space Shuttle. It might not be the ideal choice for major scientific applications where calculation speed etc. could be critical. But for elementary, high school, college level, and many professional scientific applications I personally feel that it can be a very powerful and useful language. One of the main reasons that more of those people might not be using it is because there is no cookbook type documentation that explains in detail how to do some of the things that they would need to do. This present thread is a good example of that. It appears that what I am attempting to use Perl for at a Web site is in fact possible. But only one person posting elsewhere was able to explain what needed to be done. That application isn't that complex. And there should have been some documentation somewhere with that information. Even the people running my Web server were not aware that this was possible. When science researchers run into a problem like that, if it stops them from doing what they need to do then they will try another language. For another thing, the vast majority of the people around the world doing that type of scientific work would probably be running Perl on a Window's computer. And I can't recall seeing too many friendly comments in this Newsgroup concerning Windows.
From: E.D.G. on 13 Jul 2010 02:50 "E.D.G." <edgrsprj(a)ix.netcom.com> wrote in message news:LOKdnXj21vE94KTRnZ2dnUVZ_oGdnZ2d(a)earthlink.com... > After consulting with various parties including the ones who are running > the Web server where I have a Web site it appears that not too many people > know how to answer these types of questions. So, back to the Perl > Newsgroup. > > Question: Can anyone recommend a specific Perl language program that can > be stored on a Web site where it will do the following? > > --- Accept an E-mail letter sent to some address at the Web site > --- Extract attached files such as GIF picture files from the E-mail > letter > --- Store those picture files in some directory at the Web site It took some doing and numerous conversations. But it appears that this type of application is possible after all. The Web server where I have a Web site lets people install and run an E-mail forwarding program. I have already started using it. Somewhere in the forwarding program setup (if you know that that the option even exists) there is an option that lets Web site users "pipe" incoming E-mails to other programs at the site such as a Perl or PHP program. And those programs can then extract picture files etc. from the E-mail and store them in a directory at the Web site. So, now it is probably just a matter of developing that Perl or PHP program and then linking it with the input for a bulletin board program. And I expect that a Perl language bulletin board program might even be used as the receiver for the piped E-mails. Before posting a note here I read all of the available Web server documentation and contacted the people running the Web server about this. And they told me that they didn't know anything about this type of application and did not have a program that could do that. It is almost an accident that I learned that this application is actually possible. And, it really isn't that complex.
From: Derek.Moody on 13 Jul 2010 10:54 In article <leKdndSMzbUGkaHRnZ2dnUVZ_tqdnZ2d(a)earthlink.com>, E.D.G. <URL:mailto:edgrsprj(a)ix.netcom.com> wrote: > application and did not have a program that could do that. It is almost an > accident that I learned that this application is actually possible. And, > it really isn't that complex. The root of the problem inherent in this thread and many like it is that the problem as stated was impossible whilst at the same time being almost trivial if approached conventionally - as such it lit a lot of red lights and then you appeared to ignore answers that contained everything you needed to address the problem. All you need is a mailbox, POP will do, and a simple script to address it (rfc 1939) The rest is just processing the emails (rfc 2045) and filing. Cheerio, -- >> derek.moody(a)clara.net
From: RedGrittyBrick on 13 Jul 2010 15:38
On 13/07/2010 07:50, E.D.G. wrote: > "E.D.G." <edgrsprj(a)ix.netcom.com> wrote in message > news:LOKdnXj21vE94KTRnZ2dnUVZ_oGdnZ2d(a)earthlink.com... >> After consulting with various parties including the ones who are >> running the Web server where I have a Web site it appears that not too >> many people know how to answer these types of questions. So, back to >> the Perl Newsgroup. >> >> Question: Can anyone recommend a specific Perl language program that >> can be stored on a Web site where it will do the following? Here you ask for a specific Perl program. - A single program, Not a set of programs which together might accomplish the task. There must be potentially many such sets. - A Program written in Perl, not a binary program provided by your web-hosting company. >> >> --- Accept an E-mail letter sent to some address at the Web site E-mail addresses are not *at* a web site. What you probably mean is sent to an e-mail address that has the same domain-name as that used for a web-site. In many cases, perhaps most, the web-server for www.example.com is not the same computer as the mail server for someone(a)example.com. The name "example.com" is a domain name, it is not a web-site name nor is it an e-mail address, though it is a *part* of both. >> --- Extract attached files such as GIF picture files from the E-mail >> letter >> --- Store those picture files in some directory at the Web site > > It took some doing and numerous conversations. But it appears that this > type of application is possible after all. But not as stated in your question and subject-line. This is the classic X-Y problem. You wish to solve X, you believe that Y is the solution, you do not initially mention X but only ask how to accomplish Y. There is much fruitless discussion of Y. Eventually X is revealed and it emerges that Z is a solution to X. I believe there is a more efficient way to approach problem-solving that is more satisfying for all involved. > The Web server where I have a Web site lets people install and run an > E-mail forwarding program. I have already started using it. > > Somewhere in the forwarding program setup (if you know that that the > option even exists) there is an option that lets Web site users "pipe" > incoming E-mails to other programs at the site such as a Perl or PHP > program. And those programs can then extract picture files etc. from the > E-mail and store them in a directory at the Web site. They are not CGI programs (see subject line). The programs are not really "at the Web site", they are (probably) located on the same server that hosts the web-site. The images are only *at* the web-site if they are placed in a directory that the web-server makes visible in some way. Maybe some part of your unstated requirement is that you need some sort of gallery or indexing program for the images? Perhaps you also need some way of authenticating image contributors, or at least vetting the images? > So, now it is probably just a matter of developing that Perl or PHP > program and then linking it with the input for a bulletin board program. > And I expect that a Perl language bulletin board program might even be > used as the receiver for the piped E-mails. Unlikely as stated. However there will be a solution for the real objective. > Before posting a note here I read all of the available Web server > documentation and contacted the people running the Web server about > this. And they told me that they didn't know anything about this type of > application and did not have a program that could do that. Maybe they thought you insisted on a Perl CGI program for some reason? > It is almost > an accident that I learned that this application is actually possible. > And, it really isn't that complex. I think "Possible" means bolting together existing components. It does not mean there exists a single program or even a preconfigured set of programs that already do what you want. In your shoes, I'd work on a clear set of requirements, without too many preconceptions about solutions. I'd then consider how to fund professional project management and developer resources. -- RGB |