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When I press the 'submit' button on a web page which points to a cgi script in the cgi-bin directory, I get the following error message in the error logs :

[25/Jul/2000:09:19:36] config: for host 172.16.71.40 trying to POST /export/wwwort/ns-home/docs/techs/cgi-bin/bulk.cgi, handle-processed reports: no way to service request for /export/wwwiwv/ns-home/docs/techsupport/cgi-bin/bulk.cgi
What does it mean ?

How can I make the cgi-bin script work by clicking the submit button on this web page ?

Has it got anything to do with the 'cgi-bin' directory not having been given permission by the system administrator to execute cgi scripts ?

How can this be checked and corrected?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Please help me interpret these Error logs.
by mwp (Hermit) on Jul 26, 2000 at 09:10 UTC

    Erm, yes, you need CGI enabled for the cgi-bin directory. Your sysadmin needs to do this, or you might be able to use a global (server-wide) cgi-bin directory.

    Otherwise, we need more information before we can answer your question with any degree of accuracy. See if you can fill in the blanks:

    • what lib is your CGI script using? cgi-lib or CGI.pm? are you using any other libs?
      • have you recently updated these libs from CPAN?
    • what webserver are you using?
      • if apache, is mod_perl installed?
      • if apache, is the cgi handler enabled for .cgi?
      • if apache, is ExecCGI turned on for the cgi-bin directory?
    • what versions of software are you using? eg, perl 5.005 or 5.6? apache 1.3.12?
    • is the CGI script owned by 'nobody' (or the username your webserver runs as) and set executable?

    Answer these and maybe we can help. This is the way of the Perl brethren.

    Alakaboo
    I am the lurker that spams in the night.

Re: Please help me interpret these Error logs.
by Maclir (Curate) on Jul 26, 2000 at 09:39 UTC
    You may want to check this out:

    The CGI FAQ at www.perl.com.

    The lack of execute permission on yor cgi-bin directory is the first "show stopper".