CGIscriptor merges plain ASCII HTML files transparantly and safely with CGI variables, in-line PERL code, shell commands, and executable scripts in many languages (on-line and real-time). It combines the "ease of use" of HTML files with the versatillity of specialized scripts and PERL programs. It hides all the specifics and idiosyncrasies of correct output and CGI coding and naming. Scripts do not have to be aware of HTML, HTTP, or CGI conventions just as HTML files can be ignorant of scripts and the associated values. CGIscriptor complies with the W3C HTML 4.0 recommendations.
In addition to its use as a WWW embeded CGI processor, it can be used as a command-line document preprocessor (text-filter).
The aim of CGIscriptor is to execute "plain" scripts inside a text file using any required CGIparameters and environment variables. It is optimized to transparantly process HTML files inside a WWW server. The native language is Perl, but many other scripting languages can be used.
CGIscriptor reads text files from the requested input file (i.e., from $YOUR_HTML_FILES$PATH_INFO) and writes them to <STDOUT> (i.e., the client requesting the service) preceded by the obligatory "Content-type: text/html\n\n" or "Content-type: text/plain\n\n" string (except for "raw" files which supply their own Content-type message and only if the SERVER_PROTOCOL contains HTTP, FTP, GOPHER, MAIL, or MIME).
When CGIscriptor encounters an embedded script, indicated by an HTML4 tag
<SCRIPT TYPE="text/ssperl" [CGI="$name='default value'"] [SRC="ScriptSource"]> PERL script </SCRIPT>or
<SCRIPT TYPE="text/osshell" [CGI="$name='default value'"] [SRC="ScriptSource"]> OS Shell script </SCRIPT>
construct (anything between []-brackets is optional, other MIME-types are supported), the embedded script is removed and both the contents of the source file (i.e., "do 'ScriptSource'") AND the script are evaluated as a PERL program (i.e., by eval()), a shell script (i.e., by a "safe" version of `Command`, qx) or an external interpreter. The output of the eval() function takes the place of the original <SCRIPT></SCRIPT> construct in the output string. Any CGI parameters declared by the CGI attribute are available as simple perl variables, and can subsequently be made available as variables to other scripting languages (e.g., bash, python, or lisp).
Example: printing "Hello World"
<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Hello World</TITLE> <BODY> <H1><SCRIPT TYPE="text/ssperl">"Hello World"</SCRIPT></H1> </BODY></HTML>
Save this in a file, hello.html, in the directory you indicated with $YOUR_HTML_FILES and access http://your_server/SHTML/hello.html (or to whatever name you use as an alias for CGIscriptor.pl). This is realy ALL you need to do to get going.
You can use any values that are delivered in CGI-compliant form (i.e., the "?name=value" type URL additions) transparently as "$name" variables in your scripts IFF you have declared them in a META or SCRIPT tag before e.g.:
<META CONTENT="text/ssperl; CGI='$name = `default value`' [SRC='ScriptSource']">or
<SCRIPT TYPE=text/ssperl CGI="$name = 'default value'" [SRC='ScriptSource']>
After such a 'CGI' attribute, you can use $name as an ordinary PERL variable (the ScriptSource file is immediately evaluated with "do 'ScriptSource'"). The CGIscriptor script allows you to write ordinary HTML files which will include dynamic CGI aware (run time) features, such as on-line answers to specific CGI requests, queries, or the results of calculations.
For example, if you wanted to answer questions of clients, you could write a Perl program called "Answer.pl" with a function "AnswerQuestion()" that prints out the answer to requests given as arguments. You then write a HTML page "Respond.html" containing the following fragment:
<CENTER> The Answer to your question <META CONTENT="text/ssperl; CGI='$Question'"> <h3><SCRIPT TYPE="text/ssperl">$Question</SCRIPT></h3> is <h3><SCRIPT TYPE="text/ssperl" SRC="./PATH/Answer.pl"> AnswerQuestion($Question); </SCRIPT></h3> <CENTER> <FORM ACTION=Respond.html METHOD=GET> Next question: <INPUT NAME="Question" TYPE=TEXT SIZE=40><br> <INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT VALUE="Ask"> </FORM>
The output could look like the following (in HTML-speak):
The Answer to your question What is the capital of the Netherlands?
isAmsterdam