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Subject: cvs commit: httpd-2.0/docs/manual/howto cgi.xml cgi.html.en
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slive       2004/04/08 11:22:11

  Modified:    docs/manual/howto Tag: APACHE_2_0_BRANCH cgi.xml cgi.html.en
  Log:
  Backport:
    Make sure that the CGI tutorial answers
    all the CGI FAQs that I commonly
    see.
  
  Revision  Changes    Path
  No                   revision
  No                   revision
  1.2.2.8   +104 -47   httpd-2.0/docs/manual/howto/cgi.xml
  
  Index: cgi.xml
  ===================================================================
  RCS file: /home/cvs/httpd-2.0/docs/manual/howto/cgi.xml,v
  retrieving revision 1.2.2.7
  retrieving revision 1.2.2.8
  diff -u -d -b -u -r1.2.2.7 -r1.2.2.8
  --- cgi.xml	23 Mar 2004 20:45:35 -0000	1.2.2.7
  +++ cgi.xml	8 Apr 2004 18:22:11 -0000	1.2.2.8
  @@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
         directive looks like:</p>
   
         <example>
  -        ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/
  +        ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /usr/local/apache2/cgi-bin/
         </example>
   
         <p>The example shown is from your default <code>httpd.conf</code>
  @@ -88,13 +88,13 @@
         that everything under that URL prefix will be considered a CGI
         program. So, the example above tells Apache that any request for a
         resource beginning with <code>/cgi-bin/</code> should be served from
  -      the directory  <code>/usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/</code>, and should be
  +      the directory  <code>/usr/local/apache2/cgi-bin/</code>, and should be
         treated as a CGI program.</p>
   
         <p>For example, if the URL
         <code>http://www.example.com/cgi-bin/test.pl</code>
         is requested, Apache will attempt to execute the file 
  -      <code>/usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/test.pl</code>
  +      <code>/usr/local/apache2/cgi-bin/test.pl</code>
         and return the output. Of course, the file will have to
         exist, and be executable, and return output in a particular
         way, or Apache will return an error message.</p>
  @@ -114,6 +114,14 @@
         If they want to have their own CGI programs, but don't have access to
         the main <code>cgi-bin</code> directory, they will need to be able to
         run CGI programs elsewhere.</p>
  +
  +      <p>There are two steps to allowing CGI execution in an arbitrary
  +      directory.  First, the <code>cgi-script</code> handler must be
  +      activated using the <directive
  +      module="mod_mime">AddHandler</directive> or <directive
  +      module="core">SetHandler</directive> directive.  Second,
  +      <code>ExecCGI</code> must be specified in the <directive
  +      module="core">Options</directive> directive.</p> 
       </section>
   
       <section id="options">
  @@ -125,7 +133,7 @@
         directory:</p>
   
         <example>
  -        &lt;Directory /usr/local/apache/htdocs/somedir&gt;<br />
  +        &lt;Directory /usr/local/apache2/htdocs/somedir&gt;<br />
           <indent>
             Options +ExecCGI<br />
           </indent>
  @@ -140,41 +148,49 @@
         programs:</p>
   
         <example>
  -        AddHandler cgi-script cgi pl
  +        AddHandler cgi-script .cgi .pl
         </example>
       </section>
   
       <section id="htaccess">
         <title>.htaccess files</title>
   
  -      <p>A <a href="htaccess.html"><code>.htaccess</code> file</a> is a way
  -      to set configuration directives on a per-directory basis. When Apache
  -      serves a resource, it looks in the directory from which it is serving
  -      a file for a file called <code>.htaccess</code>, and, if it 
  -      finds it, it will apply directives found therein.  
  +      <p>The <a href="htaccess.html"><code>.htaccess</code> tutorial</a>
  +      shows how to activate CGI programs if you do not have
  +      access to <code>httpd.conf</code>.</p>
  +    </section>
         
  -      <code>.htaccess</code> files can be permitted with the 
  -      <directive module="core">AllowOverride</directive> directive,
  -      which specifies what types of directives can
  -      appear in these files, or if they are not allowed at all. To
  -      permit the directive we will need for this purpose, the
  -      following configuration will be needed in your main server
  -      configuration:</p>
  +    <section id="userdir">
  +      <title>User Directories</title>
  +
  +      <p>To allow CGI program execution for any file ending in
  +      <code>.cgi</code> in users' directories, you can use the
  +      following configuration.</p>
   
         <example>
  -        AllowOverride Options
  +      &lt;Directory /home/*/public_html&gt;<br/>
  +      <indent>
  +        Options +ExecCGI<br/>
  +        AddHandler cgi-script .cgi<br/>
  +      </indent>
  +      &lt;/Directory&gt;
         </example>
   
  -      <p>In the <code>.htaccess</code> file, you'll need the 
  -      following directive:</p>
  +      <p>If you wish designate a <code>cgi-bin</code> subdirectory of
  +      a user's directory where everything will be treated as a CGI
  +      program, you can use the following.</p>
   
         <example>
  -        Options +ExecCGI
  +      &lt;Directory /home/*/public_html/cgi-bin&gt;<br/>
  +      <indent>
  +        Options ExecCGI<br/>
  +        SetHandler cgi-script<br/>
  +      </indent>
  +      &lt;/Directory&gt;
         </example>
   
  -      <p>which tells Apache that execution of CGI programs is
  -      permitted in this directory.</p>
       </section>
  +
     </section>
   
     <section id="writing">
  @@ -249,7 +265,9 @@
   
       <dl>
         <dt>The output of your CGI program</dt>
  -      <dd>Great! That means everything worked fine.</dd>
  +      <dd>Great! That means everything worked fine.  If the output is correct,
  +      but the browser is not processing it correctly, make sure you have the
  +      correct <code>Content-Type</code> set in your CGI program.</dd>
   
         <dt>The source code of your CGI program or a "POST Method Not
         Allowed" message</dt>
  @@ -293,30 +311,22 @@
         files, those files will need to have the correct permissions
         to permit this.</p>
   
  -      <p>The exception to this is when the server is configured to
  -      use <a href="../suexec.html">suexec</a>. This program allows
  -      CGI programs to be run under different
  -      user permissions, depending on which virtual host or user
  -      home directory they are located in. Suexec has very strict
  -      permission checking, and any failure in that checking will
  -      result in your CGI programs failing with an "Internal Server
  -      Error". In this case, you will need to check the suexec log
  -      file to see what specific security check is failing.</p>
       </section>
   
       <section id="pathinformation">
  -      <title>Path information</title>
  +      <title>Path information and environment</title>
   
         <p>When you run a program from your command line, you have
         certain information that is passed to the shell without you
  -      thinking about it. For example, you have a path, which tells
  -      the shell where it can look for files that you reference.</p>
  +      thinking about it. For example, you have a <code>PATH</code>,
  +      which tells the shell where it can look for files that you
  +      reference.</p>
   
  -      <p>When a program runs through the web server as a CGI
  -      program, it does not have that path. Any programs that you
  -      invoke in your CGI program (like 'sendmail', for example)
  -      will need to be specified by a full path, so that the shell
  -      can find them when it attempts to execute your CGI
  +      <p>When a program runs through the web server as a CGI program,
  +      it may not have the same <code>PATH</code>. Any programs that you
  +      invoke in your CGI program (like <code>sendmail</code>, for
  +      example) will need to be specified by a full path, so that the
  +      shell can find them when it attempts to execute your CGI
         program.</p>
   
         <p>A common manifestation of this is the path to the script
  @@ -329,17 +339,40 @@
   
         <p>Make sure that this is in fact the path to the
         interpreter.</p>
  +
  +      <p>In addition, if your CGI program depends on other <a
  +      href="#env">environment variables</a>, you will need to
  +      assure that those variables are passed by Apache.</p>
  +
       </section>
   
       <section id="syntaxerrors">
  -      <title>Syntax errors</title>
  +      <title>Program errors</title>
   
         <p>Most of the time when a CGI program fails, it's because of
         a problem with the program itself. This is particularly true
         once you get the hang of this CGI stuff, and no longer make
  -      the above two mistakes. Always attempt to run your program
  -      from the command line before you test if via a browser. This
  -      will eliminate most of your problems.</p>
  +      the above two mistakes.  The first thing to do is to make
  +      sure that your program runs from the command line before
  +      testing it via the web server.  For example, try:</p>
  +
  +      <example>
  +      cd /usr/local/apache2/cgi-bin<br/>
  +      ./first.pl
  +      </example>
  +
  +      <p>(Do not call the <code>perl</code> interpreter.  The shell
  +      and Apache should find the interpreter using the <a
  +      href="#pathinformation">path information</a> on the first line of
  +      the script.)</p>
  +
  +      <p>The first thing you see written by your program should be
  +      a set of HTTP headers, including the <code>Content-Type</code>,
  +      followed by a blank line.  If you see anything else, Apache will
  +      return the <code>Premature end of script headers</code> error if
  +      you try to run it through the server. See <a
  +      href="#writing">Writing a CGI program</a> above for more
  +      details.</p>
       </section>
   
       <section id="errorlogs">
  @@ -352,6 +385,30 @@
         probably host your site somewhere else. Learn to read the
         error logs, and you'll find that almost all of your problems
         are quickly identified, and quickly solved.</p>
  +    </section>
  +
  +    <section id="suexec">
  +      <title>Suexec</title>
  +
  +      <p>The <a href="../suexec.html">suexec</a> support program
  +      allows CGI programs to be run under different user permissions,
  +      depending on which virtual host or user home directory they are
  +      located in. Suexec has very strict permission checking, and any
  +      failure in that checking will result in your CGI programs
  +      failing with <code>Premature end of script headers</code>.</p>
  +
  +      <p>To check if you are using suexec, run <code>apachectl
  +      -V</code> and check for the location of <code>SUEXEC_BIN</code>.
  +      If Apache finds an suexec binary there on startup, suexec will
  +      be activated.</p>
  +
  +      <p>Unless you fully understand suexec, you should not be using it.
  +      To disable suexec, simply remove (or rename) the <code>suexec</code>
  +      binary pointed to by <code>SUEXEC_BIN</code> and then restart the
  +      server.  If, after reading about <a href="../suexec.html">suexec</a>,
  +      you still wish to use it, then run <code>suexec -V</code> to find
  +      the location of the suexec log file, and use that log file to
  +      find what policy you are violating.</p>
       </section>
     </section>
   
  
  
  
  1.6.2.7   +97 -46    httpd-2.0/docs/manual/howto/cgi.html.en
  
  Index: cgi.html.en
  ===================================================================
  RCS file: /home/cvs/httpd-2.0/docs/manual/howto/cgi.html.en,v
  retrieving revision 1.6.2.6
  retrieving revision 1.6.2.7
  diff -u -d -b -u -r1.6.2.6 -r1.6.2.7
  --- cgi.html.en	23 Mar 2004 20:57:15 -0000	1.6.2.6
  +++ cgi.html.en	8 Apr 2004 18:22:11 -0000	1.6.2.7
  @@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
         directive looks like:</p>
   
         <div class="example"><p><code>
  -        ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/
  +        ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /usr/local/apache2/cgi-bin/
         </code></p></div>
   
         <p>The example shown is from your default <code>httpd.conf</code>
  @@ -84,13 +84,13 @@
         that everything under that URL prefix will be considered a CGI
         program. So, the example above tells Apache that any request for a
         resource beginning with <code>/cgi-bin/</code> should be served from
  -      the directory  <code>/usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/</code>, and should be
  +      the directory  <code>/usr/local/apache2/cgi-bin/</code>, and should be
         treated as a CGI program.</p>
   
         <p>For example, if the URL
         <code>http://www.example.com/cgi-bin/test.pl</code>
         is requested, Apache will attempt to execute the file 
  -      <code>/usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/test.pl</code>
  +      <code>/usr/local/apache2/cgi-bin/test.pl</code>
         and return the output. Of course, the file will have to
         exist, and be executable, and return output in a particular
         way, or Apache will return an error message.</p>
  @@ -110,6 +110,11 @@
         the main <code>cgi-bin</code> directory, they will need to be able to
         run CGI programs elsewhere.</p>
       
  +      <p>There are two steps to allowing CGI execution in an arbitrary
  +      directory.  First, the <code>cgi-script</code> handler must be
  +      activated using the <code class="directive"><a href="../mod/mod_mime.html#addhandler">AddHandler</a></code> or <code class="directive"><a href="../mod/core.html#sethandler">SetHandler</a></code> directive.  Second,
  +      <code>ExecCGI</code> must be specified in the <code class="directive"><a href="../mod/core.html#options">Options</a></code> directive.</p> 
  +    
   
       <h3><a name="options" id="options">Explicitly using Options to permit CGI execution</a></h3>
         
  @@ -119,7 +124,7 @@
         directory:</p>
   
         <div class="example"><p><code>
  -        &lt;Directory /usr/local/apache/htdocs/somedir&gt;<br />
  +        &lt;Directory /usr/local/apache2/htdocs/somedir&gt;<br />
           <span class="indent">
             Options +ExecCGI<br />
           </span>
  @@ -133,40 +138,48 @@
         programs:</p>
   
         <div class="example"><p><code>
  -        AddHandler cgi-script cgi pl
  +        AddHandler cgi-script .cgi .pl
         </code></p></div>
       
   
       <h3><a name="htaccess" id="htaccess">.htaccess files</a></h3>
         
   
  -      <p>A <a href="htaccess.html"><code>.htaccess</code> file</a> is a way
  -      to set configuration directives on a per-directory basis. When Apache
  -      serves a resource, it looks in the directory from which it is serving
  -      a file for a file called <code>.htaccess</code>, and, if it 
  -      finds it, it will apply directives found therein.  
  +      <p>The <a href="htaccess.html"><code>.htaccess</code> tutorial</a>
  +      shows how to activate CGI programs if you do not have
  +      access to <code>httpd.conf</code>.</p>
         
  -      <code>.htaccess</code> files can be permitted with the 
  -      <code class="directive"><a href="../mod/core.html#allowoverride">AllowOverride</a></code> directive,
  -      which specifies what types of directives can
  -      appear in these files, or if they are not allowed at all. To
  -      permit the directive we will need for this purpose, the
  -      following configuration will be needed in your main server
  -      configuration:</p>
  +
  +    <h3><a name="userdir" id="userdir">User Directories</a></h3>
  +      
  +
  +      <p>To allow CGI program execution for any file ending in
  +      <code>.cgi</code> in users' directories, you can use the
  +      following configuration.</p>
   
         <div class="example"><p><code>
  -        AllowOverride Options
  +      &lt;Directory /home/*/public_html&gt;<br />
  +      <span class="indent">
  +        Options +ExecCGI<br />
  +        AddHandler cgi-script .cgi<br />
  +      </span>
  +      &lt;/Directory&gt;
         </code></p></div>
   
  -      <p>In the <code>.htaccess</code> file, you'll need the 
  -      following directive:</p>
  +      <p>If you wish designate a <code>cgi-bin</code> subdirectory of
  +      a user's directory where everything will be treated as a CGI
  +      program, you can use the following.</p>
   
         <div class="example"><p><code>
  -        Options +ExecCGI
  +      &lt;Directory /home/*/public_html/cgi-bin&gt;<br />
  +      <span class="indent">
  +        Options ExecCGI<br />
  +        SetHandler cgi-script<br />
  +      </span>
  +      &lt;/Directory&gt;
         </code></p></div>
   
  -      <p>which tells Apache that execution of CGI programs is
  -      permitted in this directory.</p>
  +    
       
     </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div>
   <div class="section">
  @@ -242,7 +255,9 @@
   
       <dl>
         <dt>The output of your CGI program</dt>
  -      <dd>Great! That means everything worked fine.</dd>
  +      <dd>Great! That means everything worked fine.  If the output is correct,
  +      but the browser is not processing it correctly, make sure you have the
  +      correct <code>Content-Type</code> set in your CGI program.</dd>
   
         <dt>The source code of your CGI program or a "POST Method Not
         Allowed" message</dt>
  @@ -286,30 +301,22 @@
         files, those files will need to have the correct permissions
         to permit this.</p>
   
  -      <p>The exception to this is when the server is configured to
  -      use <a href="../suexec.html">suexec</a>. This program allows
  -      CGI programs to be run under different
  -      user permissions, depending on which virtual host or user
  -      home directory they are located in. Suexec has very strict
  -      permission checking, and any failure in that checking will
  -      result in your CGI programs failing with an "Internal Server
  -      Error". In this case, you will need to check the suexec log
  -      file to see what specific security check is failing.</p>
       
   
  -    <h3><a name="pathinformation" id="pathinformation">Path information</a></h3>
  +    <h3><a name="pathinformation" id="pathinformation">Path information and environment</a></h3>
         
   
         <p>When you run a program from your command line, you have
         certain information that is passed to the shell without you
  -      thinking about it. For example, you have a path, which tells
  -      the shell where it can look for files that you reference.</p>
  +      thinking about it. For example, you have a <code>PATH</code>,
  +      which tells the shell where it can look for files that you
  +      reference.</p>
   
  -      <p>When a program runs through the web server as a CGI
  -      program, it does not have that path. Any programs that you
  -      invoke in your CGI program (like 'sendmail', for example)
  -      will need to be specified by a full path, so that the shell
  -      can find them when it attempts to execute your CGI
  +      <p>When a program runs through the web server as a CGI program,
  +      it may not have the same <code>PATH</code>. Any programs that you
  +      invoke in your CGI program (like <code>sendmail</code>, for
  +      example) will need to be specified by a full path, so that the
  +      shell can find them when it attempts to execute your CGI
         program.</p>
   
         <p>A common manifestation of this is the path to the script
  @@ -323,16 +330,36 @@
         <p>Make sure that this is in fact the path to the
         interpreter.</p>
       
  +      <p>In addition, if your CGI program depends on other <a href="#env">environment variables</a>, you will need to
  +      assure that those variables are passed by Apache.</p>
   
  -    <h3><a name="syntaxerrors" id="syntaxerrors">Syntax errors</a></h3>
  +    
  +
  +    <h3><a name="syntaxerrors" id="syntaxerrors">Program errors</a></h3>
         
   
         <p>Most of the time when a CGI program fails, it's because of
         a problem with the program itself. This is particularly true
         once you get the hang of this CGI stuff, and no longer make
  -      the above two mistakes. Always attempt to run your program
  -      from the command line before you test if via a browser. This
  -      will eliminate most of your problems.</p>
  +      the above two mistakes.  The first thing to do is to make
  +      sure that your program runs from the command line before
  +      testing it via the web server.  For example, try:</p>
  +
  +      <div class="example"><p><code>
  +      cd /usr/local/apache2/cgi-bin<br />
  +      ./first.pl
  +      </code></p></div>
  +
  +      <p>(Do not call the <code>perl</code> interpreter.  The shell
  +      and Apache should find the interpreter using the <a href="#pathinformation">path information</a> on the first line of
  +      the script.)</p>
  +
  +      <p>The first thing you see written by your program should be
  +      a set of HTTP headers, including the <code>Content-Type</code>,
  +      followed by a blank line.  If you see anything else, Apache will
  +      return the <code>Premature end of script headers</code> error if
  +      you try to run it through the server. See <a href="#writing">Writing a CGI program</a> above for more
  +      details.</p>
       
   
       <h3><a name="errorlogs" id="errorlogs">Error logs</a></h3>
  @@ -345,6 +372,30 @@
         probably host your site somewhere else. Learn to read the
         error logs, and you'll find that almost all of your problems
         are quickly identified, and quickly solved.</p>
  +    
  +
  +    <h3><a name="suexec" id="suexec">Suexec</a></h3>
  +      
  +
  +      <p>The <a href="../suexec.html">suexec</a> support program
  +      allows CGI programs to be run under different user permissions,
  +      depending on which virtual host or user home directory they are
  +      located in. Suexec has very strict permission checking, and any
  +      failure in that checking will result in your CGI programs
  +      failing with <code>Premature end of script headers</code>.</p>
  +
  +      <p>To check if you are using suexec, run <code>apachectl
  +      -V</code> and check for the location of <code>SUEXEC_BIN</code>.
  +      If Apache finds an suexec binary there on startup, suexec will
  +      be activated.</p>
  +
  +      <p>Unless you fully understand suexec, you should not be using it.
  +      To disable suexec, simply remove (or rename) the <code>suexec</code>
  +      binary pointed to by <code>SUEXEC_BIN</code> and then restart the
  +      server.  If, after reading about <a href="../suexec.html">suexec</a>,
  +      you still wish to use it, then run <code>suexec -V</code> to find
  +      the location of the suexec log file, and use that log file to
  +      find what policy you are violating.</p>
       
     </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div>
   <div class="section">