how to get CGI working in Apache1.3 on W2K

[new2apache]

I have been trying to look for documentation for getting the CGI working on Apache on a Win2K machine. The error I get in the error.log is

[Wed Mar 13 14:39:46 2002] [error] [client 127.0.0.1] couldn't spawn child process: d:/program files/apache group/apache/cgi-bin/first.pl

I read the documentation provided with Apache but now I doubt if the CGI module is even shipped with this binary of Apache. Can someone please tell me how and where am I going wrong?
Amar

 

[ifincham]

Hi,



The first question for win32 cgi is have you got perl installed ? It doesn't come with apache and if you don't have it get hold of it from -->

http://www.activestate.com/Products/Download/Get.plex?id=ActivePerl

Then, you need to make sure that the first line of the perl scripts points at the full path of the perl executable, i.e. the shebang line :

#! /usr/bin/perl

(change the '/usr/bin/perl' to the path of the perl exe file)

Try that first - it may be enough because apache is obviously trying to spawn the cgi script which looks hopeful. However, if it still fails your httpd.conf has a problem so revert on that....

Hope this helps

 

[thendal]

to follow up the the same question i run a apache on w2k.

how to make .cgi,.pl executable in htdocs directory ...

now i have put all executable files in cgi-bin directory ...

any help will be more appriciated .

Thanks

$thendal

 

[ifincham]

Hi,



You need a global 'Addhandler' in httpd.conf :



AddHandler cgi-script .cgi .pl



and the option 'ExecCGI' to be active in a <directory> container or .htaccess file for the directory concerned :



<Directory /var/

http://www/docs>

Options ExecCGI

</Directory>





Hope this helps

 

[new2apache]

Thanks for the help. I've some more questions though...
So what's &quot;FastCGI&quot;? IS it another way to make the CGI working on APache? If yes, then can someone tell me how?
Thanks
Amar

 

[ifincham]

Hi,

Its similar to mod_perl (

http://perl.apache.org/)

- in effect a perl interpreter is loaded permanently into memory so that the normal perl programs are excuted much faster than normal. However, thats just part of what mod_perl can do -->

http://perl.apache.org/guide/intro.html#What_is_mod_perl

Fastcgi (

http://www.fastcgi.com/)

is a more generic solution to the speed aspect - it supports more than just perl howver, e.g. python - but then again theres mod_python (

http://www.modpython.org/)

!

Basically, any of these will be much faster than allowing the operating system to spawn a 'regular' perl (or whatever) script with all the disk i/o and setup time that involves.

Regards