shadox has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Hi everyone, i have half night thinking without finding a way to do this.

I will try to ask it as easy as i can.

I am trying to find a way to write a CGI, that install a program in a specific directory,
for example,
lets say i have a program called "app", i have both unix and win versions and when the user enter in the setup page, it will promp something like
"Are you sure you want to install app ?
Then the CGI install it in
/usr/sbinin Unix or
C:\WINDOWS\in Windows
The user don't need to specify directory or O.S , just answer yes and the CGI will do the work

Any help will be really welcome
thanx

edit: removed pre-tag (neophyte, 2001-08-27)

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Installing from web
by Beatnik (Parson) on Aug 27, 2001 at 13:37 UTC
    There is something normal people call security. It's very unlikely you'll be able to install files in specific directories (serverside). If you mean install files on the visitors computer (client side) in a specific directory, the answer is definitly NO... as in NOT possible.
    Understanding what CGI is and what it does is pretty important when developing CGIs.

    Greetz
    Beatnik
    ... Quidquid perl dictum sit, altum viditur.
[reply]
      Thanx, but what i was trying to do is something like the Google(r) ToolBar , the windows(r) update site or some other sites that they give you a certificate and you say you trust the site, then the instalation begins.
[reply]

        The Google tool bar is an Active X control. Active X is a M$ Windows technology and has been responsible for some interesting hacks. You can get more information on the details of Active X with a simple web search.

        While there are technically some ways to do stuff to client computers these techniques are unreliable as they are rightly recognised as security flaws and patched.

        If you really have to install in one directory perhaps writing an install wrapper is the go?

        cheers

        tachyon

        s&&rsenoyhcatreve&&&s&n.+t&"$'$`$\"$\&"&ee&&y&srve&&d&&print

[reply]

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