I have my own CGI archive website with a few free scripts people can download. I was just thinking how much nicer it would be for the users if I wrote a script to install each of them.

My question is, how do most of them work? I've only come across a few scripts that install themselves.

My first idea was having an install.cgi just print a basic web form asking for all the required information (passwords, absolute paths to files, etc). (they upload the original script themself). Then once they submit, the form verifies that every location they included works and the script itself is in the right place. Then the install script opens the original script and sets the configurations.

My other idea was to have the installer WRITE the entire script. Maybe this route would be easier as I wouldn't have to be careful with regexes to ensure everything is being written properly. This to me sounds like the best bet but some of my scripts actually have 6 or more separate CGI files with them. It seems the first idea would be better for this amount of scripts in one package.

Any ideas or suggestions?

In reply to Automated script installation by Anonymous Monk

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