including cgi files

sparticus

Right I'm trying to include a cgi file into a php file, (basically it's because I want to use a guestbook that runs as a cgi file, but include a php code segment in the header and footer)
I use this php...

<? include("/path/to/web/cgi/gbook/guestbook.cgi"); ?>

What happens when I then load the .php file is that it displays the cgi code as if you where looking at it through a text editor, which is very not good.
Any suggestions how I can sort this out?
Thanks

sarahk

The first thing you need to find out is what language the cgi program was written in. When I first started out I thought cgi was a language and discovered that in fact it was the name of a group of languages, or for the use of a group of languages.

cgi includes perl (which is more than just a web language), asp, php, and even java.

So... if your guest book is written in perl and you try to include it in php then it won't run.

Lets assume that they are in different languages. Here are your options
convert your header and footer to that language
get a new guestbook script
use frames so that the header, footer and guestbook are in separate pages, each with their own frames.
call each separatly eg

<BODY>
<?php 
echo "<H1>Welcome to MySite</H1>";
?>
<%
// all the asp stuff, perl stuff or whatever...
%>
<?php
echo "footer stuff";
?>

philipolson

You could have it go through http by using file() or similar. So, $data = file('http://www.example.com/perl.cgi'); Another option is to use virtual(). If I were you, I'd rewrite the Perl as PHP, sounds like a nice little project :-)

sparticus

Right thanks very much for your help so far, it's been very enlightening, but I'm still much confused.
First to clear things up, the cgi is perl only.
I would love to be able to re-write it but I'm not that clever (as you'll see by my stupid question below)
I really don't want to change guestbooks as I'm happy with this one and have it working very well now...
okay so the code I'm trying to use now is...

<? virtual("/path/to/web/cgi/gbook/guestbook.cgi"); ?>

This may seem stupid to you, but I really don't get the virtual command...
I get even less the file command. Hangs head in shame

oh yeah the php doesn't work. At all... It gives me an error message. grrr

macintyrea

I had the same problem - but found a solution. Instead of using a server path (

include("/path/to/web/cgi/gbook/guestbook.cgi");

you can use an URL

include("http://www.yourwebsite.com/cgi/script.cgi");

. This worked with me!

philipolson

Going through http is an option as mentioned above and it would help debug if you told us the error as there are so many kinds. Also don't fret and use the manual as it gives examples of most functions and slowly read the text within. It's okay to be a newbie and the perl rewrite option was just a subtle suggestion that this isn't the ideal way to run a website BUT it's not so bad. Just makes life a little more difficult for you in the long run as you can't really add features to it using your upcoming newly learned PHP skills.