[MacPerl-Scribes] Re: Using MacPerl for CGI Programming

[Rich Morin <rdm@cfcl.com>]

At 10:52 AM -0600 3/19/00, David Steffen wrote:
>Thanks for all your work!
>
>I have responded to each of your suggestions, accepting your
>revision in almost every case.

Thanks!  Editorializing a bit, I think that getting feedback on
writing (whether software or text)  is a wonderful way to deal
with problems before they see print (screens, etc.)  If MacPerl
Scribes can continue to work ito this end, I think we'll all be
very well served...

Now, back to the material at hand.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

You want to use MacPerl to prototype cgi scripts before ...
---
You want to use MacPerl to prototype CGI scripts before ...

... but I believe with a little care ...
---
... but I believe that with a little care ...

... under certain circumstances if suitable precautions ...
---
... under certain circumstances, if suitable precautions ...

... based upon the Pipes and Environment Variables ...
---
... based upon pipes and environment variables ...

    Since you aren't defining these terms here and they aren't
    capitalized normally, I would leave them uncapitalized here.

    I would (still) suggest splitting up the paragraph, as:

Normally MacPerl executes a plain text file just like *nix perl does.
However, Because Mac OS IPC is completely different than that of *nix,
Mac OS and *nix CGI interface standards are completely different as well.
The *nix CGI standard is based upon pipes and environment variables.
Mac OS doesn't support either of these,
so a different approach is clearly necessary.

Chuck Shotton wrote MacHTTP, one of the first ...

... but from within the Perl script.
---
... but the command must come from within the Perl script.

... based on Apple Events whereas that ...
---
... based on Apple Events, whereas that ...

... is based on Pipes and Environment Variables.
---
... is, as noted above, based on pipes and environment variables.

... the system() function, ...
---
... the <TT>system()</TT> function, ...

... bad idea for CGI's anyway, ...
---
... bad idea for CGIs anyway, ...

Unlike *nix, the Macintosh OS can only ...
---
Unlike *nix, Mac OS can only ...

However, *nix perl allows another construction:

   This is a tricky call.  I think that either

However, *nix Perl allows another construction:
However, *nix perl allow another construction:

   would be OK, but what you have is not.  The question is whether
   we are talking about the version of Perl that runs on *nix or a
   generalized set of Perl interpreters the run on *nix.  No biggee,
   in any case, unless TomC is reading the article (:-).

http://foobar.net/cgi-bin/perl.cgi/more arguments/
---
http://foobar.net/cgi-bin/perl.cgi/more_arguments/

   I would avoid the use of spaces in URLs...  (If you agree, be
   sure to s/more arguments/more_arguments/g ...)

The reason it works well is that such use is highly controlled,
relatively light, and because you are sitting there running the Mac,
a crash or two can be tolerated.
---
The reason it works well is that such use is relatively light and
highly controlled (because you are sitting there running the Mac,
an occasional crash can be tolerated).

The two main things you need be concerned with when prototyping a
Perl CGI destined for a *nix server using MacPerl are portability
issues and the few *nix Perl features that are not implemented in
MacPerl.
---
The two main things you need be concerned with, when using MacPerl
to prototype a Perl CGI that is destined for a *nix server, are
portability issues and the small set of *nix Perl features that
is not implemented in MacPerl.

... or the system call ...
---
... or <TT>system()</TT> ...

... if the rapidly move between pages.
---
... if they move rapidly between pages.

... so that upon restart it is fully functional ...
---
... so that it is fully functional upon restart ...

... web server as opposed to setting up a site on a commercial
or borrowed web server and the decision ...
---
... web server, as opposed to setting up a site on a commercial
or borrowed web server, and the decision ...

"MacPerlPower and Ease"
"MacPerl Power and Ease"
---
"MacPerl: Power and Ease"

   Fix throughout.
--
Rich Morin:          rdm@cfcl.com, +1 650-873-7841, http://www.ptf.com/~rdm
Prime Time Freeware: info@ptf.com, +1 408-433-9662, http://www.ptf.com
MacPerl: http://www.macperl.com,       http://www.ptf.com/ptf/products/MPPE
MkLinux: http://www.mklinux.apple.com, http://www.ptf.com/ptf/products/MKLP

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