Getting Started with Perl 1

[MikeCopeland]

As a Perl newbie I'm finding some of the information I'm getting for the startup activities confusing and frustrating. First, the concept of Personal Web Server isn't clear - even if I really need such an application at all.
I'm running on Windows XP Home (SP3), and have Perl v5.10.0 installed. I have several Web sites on which I can place Perl code, so I suppose I could debug Perl applications via frequent FTP uploads - but that seems tedious and slow. I suppose that's what the PWS is for, right?
From what I read (my book is "Perl fast & easy web development" by Les Bate), I don't have immediate access to any sort of PWS, since my operating system doesn't have anything. (If it does, this book doesn't seem to think so...) I unsure what to do here.
Then there's the issue of a debugger or IDE - does anything exist for Perl that I might use? I am, of course, asking for stuff that doesn't cost anything, since I am trying all this on my own, for myself only.
My goal is to develop a Web-based application that functions like a large (text database) application I've written in console mode C/C++. Perl appears to be the way I might try all this, since Perl code is somewhat like C code and I don't have deal with database interfaces.
So, I'm asking how to get started with actual development and testing of Perl applications. Also, I don't know that the book I'm using is the best vehicle for learning, because there seem to be a number of logic errors in the code samples throughout it. Please advise. TIA

 

[KevinADC]

free perl IDE for Windows:

http://www.perl-express.com

don't bother with PWS, download and install apache:

http://www.apache.org

You can google for "apache setup tutorial" to get your CGI scripts running

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- Kevin, perl coder unexceptional!

 

[travs69]

Learning Perl is a good book.. if you don't mind reading on your computer the Perl CD Bookshelf has Six of the good books including Learning Perl and the perl cookbook (basically a book that is just full of example code for different uses).

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Travis - Those who say it cannot be done are usually interrupted by someone else doing it; Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions;

 

[Annihilannic]

Some folks I know like using Komodo as an IDE for Perl (personally I just use vi).

Annihilannic.

 

[travs69]

I have tried Komodo and didn't see a reason to stick with it. I used notepad++ mainly for it's coloring and easy of use (built in ftp is nice to). And of course I spend a lot of time in vi also.

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Travis - Those who say it cannot be done are usually interrupted by someone else doing it; Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions;