CGI Scripting

Exercises

Exercise 0: Preparation

a. Make new copies of the following files in your public_html directory:

• courseweb.ss
• cs-courses.ss
• math-courses.ss
• cs.ss
• html.ss

Remember that you can copy files by holding down the right mouse button on a link and then selecting ``Save Link As ...'' from the menu that pops up.

b. Create a file called cs.cgi in the same directory. It should contain the following lines (at the left margin).

#!/bin/bash
export PATH="/net/bin:/usr/local/bin"
mzscheme -r cs.ss

c. Share all those files. You might do the following in a shell window.

cd public_html
share *.ss
share cs.cgi

d. Make cs.cgi executable. In the same shell window, type

chmod a+x cs.cgi

e. Type cs.cgi in a shell window. Report on the results.

f. Try loading cs.cgi from your browser. Report on the results. If you get an error, try loading http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/~rebelsky/errlog.cgi.

Exercise 1: Trace the Code

Read through cs.ss (and the accompanying files) and, to the best of your ability, explain what it does and how.

Exercise 2: Changing the Layout

a. Update cs-courses.ss so that it includes the text ``AKA nickname'' on a separate line, rather than in parentheses.

b. Check the effect of these changes by reloading cs.cgi.

Exercise 3: Adding Data

a. Add another course (you can make it up) to the list of CS courses.

b. Check the effect of this change by reloading cs.cgi.

Exercise 4: Extending the Course Record

a. Add a list of adjectives (as strings) to the course record.

b. Update course->html so that it prints the adjectives along with everything else.

c. Check the effect of this change by reloading cs.cgi.