Perl rookie - I need help 3

[JennyW]

Hi,
I’m having some trouble with Perl.
I’m an extreme beginner and I have a lot of questions.

Where and how can I download Perl?
I read something about needing a compiler to download Perl. What is a compiler? Where do I get one?

I read in several places that I can use Perl on a UNIX or WIN32 platform (I have Windows 95/98) what should I use?

Where does Apache come in to play on all this?

When I’m testing with Perl am I interacting directly with the internet? Or can I do everything on my own PC without connecting to the internet?

Thanks for baring with me.
Jenny

 

[sophisticate]

Hello Jenny (and all other Perl novices),

First off, let's take care of your fourth question as that seems the most important. If you're running any Windows version -- 95,98,NT,Me,etc... you'll work with the WIN32 version of Perl.

That said, you can get Perl from

http://www.activestate.com

There are instructions on that website useful in getting everything installed correctly, but as a forewarning, you will need to download some Microsoft updates (linked to from the download page of activestate) in order for everything to work properly.

You do not need a compiler for the WIN32 version of Perl. As far as what a compiler is: a compiler is a program that translates readable code (the stuff you'll end up typing in) into much-harder-to-read machine code (the stuff the computer will actually deal with). In the context of this message, when I refer to Perl as something downloadable and installable, I'm referring to it as a compiler. The program that you install translates the Perl language into machine code.

Questions 6 and 7... Though Perl is commonly used to program Internet applications, the language itself has absolutely nothing to do with the Internet. Therefore, you can unplug your phone lines and ethernet cables from your computer and Perl will operate just fine.

And, to finish this off, as far as Apache goes, Apache is a webserver -- an mediator between your webpages and Internet applications and the viewer. Apache is therefore responsible for taking the results of your Perl program and sending them to the end user. This is probably something that you won't have to even think about in your first few trials with Perl.

You may want to read through this forum in its entirety to get a feel for how the language operates, and learn of a few resources to further your knowledge. Granted, much of it won't be understandable until you play with it a bit, but perhaps on some subliminal level it'll help things sink in faster.

Good luck,

brendanc@icehouse.net

 

[JennyW]

Hi sophisticate and other peoples.

Thanks so much for the giant write-up. It was helpful!

I have another question...

If I have Perl on my PC, but my webhost doesn't support CGI then how can I test my Forms?

Thanks so much!
Jenny

 

[stillflame]

jenny - just put a webserver on your home machine, then configure it for testing purposes (ie only responding to requests made to 127.0.0.1 (the loopback address)). apache is a good one, probly the best for your task, but there are many out there...

sophisticate - looks like you have the makings for a bit of a FAQ there, eh? "If you think you're too small to make a difference, try spending a night in a closed tent with a mosquito."

 

[babs]

Hi,
I AM A PERL NOVICE. I HAVE THIS PROJECT TO WRITE A PERL PROGRAM TO CONCATENATE TWO FILES. THE FILE ARE CREATED IN SEPARATE PROGRAMS. HOW CAN I WRITE PERL CODE TO CONCATENATE
THESE FILES INTO ONE FILE?

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOU TIME AND HELP.

BABS

 

[stillflame]

babs, start a new thread to ask a new question. "If you think you're too small to make a difference, try spending a night in a closed tent with a mosquito."