###################################################################### # # Dream Catchers CGI Scripts Feel free to modify # Form Return 4.0 this script to your # Created by Seth Leonard needs, but please # for Dream Catchers Technologies, Inc. keep this portion so # that I get credit. # http://dreamcatchersweb.com/scripts The same goes for # distribution. # # (c)1996/1997 Dream Catchers Technologies, Inc., # All Rights Reserved # ###################################################################### Dream Catchers Technologies, Inc. provides this script free of charge. However, if you do use this script, a $1.00 donation is appreciated to help support this free resource. Please send $1.00 to: Dream Catchers Technologies, Inc. P.O. Box 8600 Kirkland, WA 90834 (make payments payable to Dream Catchers Technologies, Inc.) Step by step instructions for Form Return CONTENTS: form.cgi - the cgi script which operates your form return program htmlcgi.txt - a text file outlining possible ways to get user input readme - this file sample.htm - a sample html fill out form Follow these easy steps: 1. Contact your server. Ask them to create a cgi-bin directory for you. Also ask them how one can access a file in that directory from WWW. Usually this is "http://www.server.com/you/cgi-bin/". 2. If you have telnet access to your server, log onto your server. At the command prompt, type "which perl". Write down the line given to you. Usually this is /usr/local/bin/perl. Next, type "which sendmail". Write down the line given to you. Usually this is /usr/bin/sendmail. If there is not sendmail program, type "which mail" and use this instead. Next, type "which date". Write down the line given to you. Usually this is /bin/date. If you do not have telnet access, ask your server where the perl, mail, and date programs reside. 3. Using your favorite text editor, open the form.cgi file included in the files you downloaded from the Dream Catchers CGI Scripts page. 4. The first line of form.cgi has the line: #!/usr/local/bin/perl If the line you recieved from your server when you typed "which perl" is different, replace the one there. Keep the #! and don't change anything if it is the same one you were given. 5. Find the section that says "ONLY EDIT THIS PART OF THE SCRIPT" and change the vaiables so that the match your home directory. NOTE: The values already placed there are examples!! These are the common formats for how servers set up directories. You need to fill in your own values! For example: $backurl = "http://www.something.com/~you/home.html"; you would change to: $backurl = "http://www.microsoft.com/~bill_gates/home.html"; Change the values of: $backurl = the url of the page you would like visitors to go to after they have completed your form $backname = the title of the page you would like visitors to go to after they have completed your form $mailprog = the name of the program that you received when you asked "which mail". $youmail = the email address that you want the form return sent to. 6. You are done changing this file. Save the file as form.cgi, or any other filename ending in .cgi. NOTE: The file can also be saved as form.pl if your server prefers this. 7. Create an HTML page. Do this like a normal page, designing it how you would like your form fill-in page to look. Do not put in the spaces where you want the fill-ins to appear. 8. Put the command "
" Replace "your_cgi-bin" with the address that your server gave you to access your cgi-bin from the WWW. Usually this is "www.your_server.com/cgi-bin/your_name". Form.cgi is the filename that your gave your cgi script which appears in your cgi-bin directory. 9. Place the HTML commands used for fill-ins on your page. There is a list and explanation of how to use them is his htmlcgi.txt file. You can use any names you want for your html input coding. For example: will all work as a means of getting a user's name. 10. At the bottom of all the category codes, you need to place a button which will allow the visitor to send the info to you. Here is the code: 11. Put the command
after the submit command. Design the bottom of your page if you want anything else there. 12. Save the file as response.html or whatever you would like the page to be saved as. 13. Upload all .cgi files into your cgi-bin and .htm or .html files to any directory that can be accessed via the web (many servers require that you upload these types of files in ASCII format, check with your server administrator to be sure). 14. You now need to set the permissions of the files you've uploaded. You can do this one of two ways. 1. TELNET - telnet into your server and go to the directory which holds the files. Type chmod [permission] filename. For example: chmod 755 file.cgi. 2. FTP SOFTWARE - you'll need to find out how to change permissions of the files using your specific program. Using WS_FTP (recommended), select the file you want to change permissions of and click your right mouse button and select CHMOD (UNIX). A box will appear with the option to select any number of 9 separate boxes (top row for read, middle row for write, bottom row for execute). These translate into actual unix permissions. If the file needs to be a+rx or 755, select every read box and every execute box (that is every box on the top and bottom rows). If the file needs to be a+rw or 666, select every read box and every write box (that is every box on the top and middle rows). These are the only two permissions you need to worry about. The files included need to following permissions: form.cgi a+rx or 755 If you have telnet access, you can also check your scripts for errors by going to the directory they reside in and typing either perl filename.cgi or filename.cgi (depends on your server). If you get an error, you most likely edited the script where you shouldn't have or forgot to put a " or ; on one of your variable definitions. 15. Load the page from the internet, fill in the form, and submit it and make sure that you get the response page telling you what you filled in. 16. Wait a few seconds. Check your mail and see if you have the response in your mailbox. 17. Smile, you're done... All working? Great! You now have Form Return. If there are problems, please consult http://dreamcatchersweb.com/scripts and chose the Frequently Asked Questions option. You can also post a message on the User Forum asking for help from other users. Please do not send email, it WILL NOT be answered. I apologize for this, but there were just too many requests to be able to offer quality help for all as well as work on new projects.