Configuring Apache
Server and Perl for CGI
T.A. Maisa Khudair
Dr. Qusai Abu Ein
Setting up Apache for Windows
Install Apache Server from following web
site:
http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi
 Choose the Win32 Binary (MSI Installer):
apache_2.2.4-win32-x86-no_ssl.msi
 To start using CGI, you have to download
ActivePerl from following web site:
http://www.ricocheting.com/server/cgi.html

Cont’d
Get the Windows (x86) MSI version
 To activate CGI in Perl, use your Notepad
Editor
 open E:\Apache2_2\conf\httpd.conf
(note: Path in PINK is the path you had
installed your ActivePerl to in your
computer)
 search for Options Indexes
FollowSymLinks

Cont’d
when you find it add ExecCGI to the end
so it looks like Options Indexes
FollowSymLinks ExecCGI
 Always keep writing this line at the
beginning of your CGI file:
#!E:/Perl/bin/perl.exe
 To start using Apache Server, go to Start
Menu, search for Apache Http Server, then
Control Apache Server > Start

Testing Apache Server
To test your Apache Server working, go to
your browser web page, type in the
address bar the following:
http://localhost
 If you got a message telling you:
It works! Your server is working well.

Writing CGI Scripts


In order to execute your CGI scripts, you
have to put them in cgi-bin folder
located in your Apache Directory in your
PC
Your files should be saved like this:
fileName.cgi

To run your CGI, type:
http://localhost/cgi-bin/fileName.cgi.
First CGI Example
#!d:/Perl/bin/perl.exe
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n";
print "Hello, World.";
print "This is ME!!";
Output
Hello, World
This is ME!!
Cont’d :Environment variables
example
#!d:/Perl/bin/perl.exe
##
## printenv -- demo CGI program which just prints its environment
##
print "Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1\n\n";
foreach $var (sort(keys(%ENV))) {
}
$val = $ENV{$var};
$val =~ s|\n|\\n|g;
$val =~ s|"|\\"|g;
print "${var}=\"${val}\"\n";
Output
DOCUMENT_ROOT = /usr/local/etc/apache/htdocs
GATEWAY_INTERFACE = CGI/1.1
HTTP_ACCEPT = image/gif, image/x-xbitmap, image/jpeg, image/pjpeg, */*
HTTP_ACCEPT_CHARSET = iso-8859-1,*,utf-8
HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE = en
HTTP_CONNECTION = Keep-Alive
HTTP_HOST = 200.210.220.1:8080
HTTP_USER_AGENT = Mozilla/4.01 [en] (Win95; I)
PATH = /usr/local/bin:/bin:/etc:/usr/bin
QUERY_STRING =
REMOTE_ADDR = 200.210.220.3
REMOTE_HOST = 200.210.220.3
REMOTE_PORT = 1029
REQUEST_METHOD = GET
REQUEST_URI = /cgi-bin/utils/printenv.cgi
SCRIPT_FILENAME = /usr/local/lib/apache/cgi-bin/utils/printenv.cgi
SCRIPT_NAME = /cgi-bin/utils/printenv.cgi
SERVER_ADMIN = adminguy@acme.com
SERVER_NAME = coyote.acme.com
SERVER_PORT = 8080
SERVER_PROTOCOL = HTTP/1.0
SERVER_SOFTWARE = Apache/1.2.5
TZ = :US/Eastern
Any Questions??