Re^3: a classic : 'Premature end of script headers' problem

the script should be executable for the webserver. But, AFAIK if isn't, you won't get that error.

also: when you get the "premature end of headers" error, the webserver's error log can contain additional useful information (like what is received when it expects the header - generally the error is triggered by code that sends out messages/content before/while sending the header block)

update: you should never use &subname; without parentheses to call a subroutine unless you know why that's a special case, and if you're using parentheses it's always safe to leave off the &, so IMO it's generally a good habit leave off the & and use parentheses where it makes sense, like subname()

"What should it profit a man, if he should win a flame war, yet lose his cool?"

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Re^4: a classic : 'Premature end of script headers' problem by hmbscully (Scribe) on Sep 19, 2007 at 18:46 UTC
The error log for my server just gives `[Wed Sep 19 13:42:19 2007] [error] [client xxx.xxx.122.100] Premature end of script headers: consent.cgi, referer: http://mysite.com/ase-workkeys/employerconsent.html` over and over again. As for the subroutine calling, I used to call them with the () and no &, but someone told me that was unnecessary if the subroutine did not return any values. What is the danger? I am asking seriously. Thanks. I learn more and more about less and less until eventually I know everything about nothing.	[reply] [d/l]
Re^5: a classic : 'Premature end of script headers' problem by Joost (Canon) on Sep 19, 2007 at 18:53 UTC
The danger is that calling a sub as `&subname;` (with an ampersand, without parentheses) will pass on the current subroutine's @_ argument array. Which is almost never what you want to do. Using both parentheses and & sign is the same as just parentheses, and you can usually get away without parentheses too, provided the subroutine is defined before the call. "What should it profit a man, if he should win a flame war, yet lose his cool?"	[reply] [d/l]
Re^5: a classic : 'Premature end of script headers' problem by leocharre (Priest) on Sep 19, 2007 at 18:50 UTC
did you mistakingly change ownership to root? for example, deleted and recreated consent.cgi? Also, is consent.cgi chmod 0755 ? do ls -lha /your/path/to/consent.cgi	[reply]
Re^6: a classic : 'Premature end of script headers' problem by hmbscully (Scribe) on Sep 19, 2007 at 18:55 UTC
No, ownership is still to the correct account, not root. It is properly chmod'ed. That part I do understand. I learn more and more about less and less until eventually I know everything about nothing.	[reply]