CGI Scripts

Accounts with CGI Space

Certain accounts at Avvanta include the ability to run Common Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts. These accounts include the the WebSmart series of accounts (with the exception of the WebSmart Basic), and personal home pages access as http://home.avvanta.com/~username.

For security reasons, the Avvanta web servers have very specific requirements for CGI scripts. The following information should be referenced when creating or uploading your CGI scripts and programs.

CGI Checklist

  1. For the server to recognize your script as a valid CGI script, it must have a .cgi extension. Files with a .pl extension will not work.
  2. The correct path to perl is /usr/bin/perl.
  3. Do not name your directory cgi-bin.
  4. The file has to be executable.
  5. The directory that the CGI is in, and all of the directories leading up to the script, and the CGI itself cannot be world or group writable or the server will not run it (chmod 755 scriptname.cgi).

Contacting Support About Your CGI

In General When contacting support for assistance with a CGI setup problem please do so via email to Avvanta Support. In your email include the following information:

  1. Your username
  2. If you have a domain name on our system and what that domain name is
  3. The name and location of the CGI
  4. The name and location of the file that calls the CGI
  5. What the CGI is supposed to do
  6. The exact error message
  7. The URL to the documentation or the complete documentation

All of the above must be included in the initial email. Exclusion of any of the above, especially #7, will prohibit us from acting upon your request.

Domain Hosted Accounts

If you have a domain name your CGI setup may be slightly different than what the documentation calls for. Please follow the scripts documentation exactly. After following the documentation if your script does not work please contact Avvanta Support. When contacting support be sure to tell the representative what type of domain hosted account you have.

BCC Media Students

Some of the media classes require you to learn how to configure certain CGI's. If you need technical support for your CGI's please be sure you have followed exactly the documentation for the script that the instructor and/or the author of the script has provided to you. The only instance where you will need to deviate from those instructions is if you have a domain name, otherwise the instructions will work on our system.

If you need someone to expound upon a specific area or section of the directions provided to you please email the complete setup directions and notate which area we can detail for you.

CGI System Information

A partial listing of CGI specific configuration and support information is provided below to assist you with determining if your CGI will work on a Avvanta web server. Not all information is included below. Many times the easiest way to determine if your CGI will work is to install it.

Perl Specific Information

PHP Specific Information

Generic CGI Information

Security Considerations