asked on

execute cgi from file://

I need to be able to have perl CGI scripts executed from a local network rather than from the WWW. So the user would enter "file://..." on Unix or "file:C|\..." on Windows to start the path of the script rather than "http://..". The problem is that in Netscape, a window pops up that asks the user whether they want to save the file of type "application/x-perl". I want the user to be able to run that script so that they can have the interface of Netscape to run a script that will do something. And I don't want each user to have to modify their helper applications preferences. Of course, I also don't want the perl script to be displayed as plain text on the browser. I tried both text/plain as well as text/html as content types. Maybe I'm using them wrong???

julio011597

You need a web server to run CGI scripts, even locally.

-julio

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

johnny99

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

Pakman

ASKER

The script does exist on a web server. If I pull it up as http://somedomain/script.pl, it executes. But if I run it as file://path/script.pl it pops up the 'Unknown File Type' dialog box. It is on a Unix Apache web server.

julio011597

johnny the question-locker - among other interesting things - wrote:
>
> However if you've got Windows NT servers, you should be able to set up a
> directory as an Intranet web server

There are public domain web servers even for Win95.

While Packman revealed:
>
> If I pull it up as http://somedomain/script.pl, it executes

So, why would you call it through "file:"? As said, CGI scripts need web servers, and web servers are also known as *http* servers...

-julio

Pakman

ASKER

johnny99 said:
> Short answer: *can't* be done without a Web Server, *can* be done without the Internet.

Well, how can it be done without the Internet? It must not go out on the Internet.

ozo

With a local web server on your machine.