Re: [MacPerl] Netforum and MacPerl

[gauden@jaguar.is.unimt.mt (gauden)]

>
>Have anybody on the list heard of and tried NetForum?
>

Yes, I've seen it and also been quite impressed.


>> Current version is 1.2.6 (http://www.biostat.wisc.edu/nf_home)
>
>There is a v2.0beta available. It is completely programmed in perl and once
>set up properly it is impressive. There is no Mac support provided, though.
>Has anybody tried a Mac port to run with MacPerl/MacHTTP?
>
>I am trying something but I think this one is too big a challenge for me :{

Again, I echo your feelings. I have been trying (sporadically) over the
past few weeks to port NetForum v 1.2.6 to MacPerl/MacHTTP. I have had some
success (all the main screens for each section (admin, main and the topics
sections work on my current version), but I have come up against major
setbacks. One of the problems is MacPerl specific:

When a new forum is created, NetForum creates a new directory for it and
also creates a Perl script to manage it. The script is called "a" and one
is found in each topic directory. Since "a" interacts directly with the
server, it needs to be created as a MacHTTP CGI script. I haven't found a
way to do this through another script in MacPerl. Is it possible to call
MacPerl through AppleScript and have it convert a text file into a CGI
script? I don't know any AppleScript, so I may be talking nonsense. Any
ideas anyone.

Thee are other significant problems that seem to me to be
MacHTTP-specific... and I don't know if they are soluble without basically
"reverse-engineering" NetForum.

I am currently unable to devote significant time to this task (real life
calls) and will probably only be returning to it in the summer recess. If
there is any interest in taking up the baton, I will be willing to put up
my current version on my home page. Please note that the NetForum
development team are very interested in this work and have offered to help
-- but do not themselves have MacPerl experience.

Cheers,

Gauden Galea

Institute of Health Care, University of Malta
http://www.is.unimt.mt/~gauden