- For Absolute Beginners
- Server Error
- Script Is Displayed, Not Executed
- Script Is Being Downloaded, Not Executed
- General "Unable to open" Errors
- New Reservations Not Appearing On HTML Pages
1. For Absolute Beginners
If you've never installed or executed any Perl scripts on your server before, it is recommended that you first try installing our basic test script as described at our reference site:
http://www.uburst.com/uGolf/testscript.html
This simple Perl script is the most basic of Perl scripts and should help you to understand how to install and execute scripts on your server. It also will verify that your web hosting account is configured properly to run Perl scripts and will make installing the uGolf script that much easier.
2. Server Error
Upon installing the script on your server, the first thing you should do is use your browser to test the script by going to the URL of the script on your server. Upon doing so, you should see the tee time schedule for the current day, similar to when you go to the URL script on our site:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ugolf/ugolf.pl
If when going to the URL of the script on your server you get a "Server Error" instead, then the problem is usually one of three things:
- The path to Perl is incorrect.
The Path to perl is specified as the very first line of the CGI scripts. Typical values are /usr/bin/perl, /usr/local/bin/perl/ and /bin/perl. If you do not know what the path to perl is on your server, then you can ask your web hosting provider. NOTE: When specifying this path to perl, you must include the "#!" in front of the path. Example: #!/usr/bin/perl
- The file was transferred in BINARY mode (as opposed to ASCII or TEXT mode).
When transferring the CGI script to your server, you must transfer it in ASCII or TEXT mode - as opposed to BINARY mode. Your FTP program should give you an option to do this - so be sure to transfer the CGI script in ASCII or TEXT mode.
- The script does not have execute permissions.
Once the CGI script is transferred to your CGI directory on your server, you must change the permissions to READ and EXECUTE (chmod 755). If your server is a UNIX server, you should be able to change the file's permissions via your FTP program. If your server is an NT server, then you may have to get your web hosting provider to make the file executable.
3. Script Is Displayed, Not Executed
Upon installing the script on your server, the first thing you should do is use your browser to test the script by going to the URL of the script on your server. Upon doing so, you should see the tee time schedule for the current day, similar to when you go to the URL script on our site:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ugolf/ugolf.pl
If when going to the URL of the script on your server, the script is displayed instead of being executed, then the problem is usually one of three things:
- The CGI script does not have the correct file extension for your server.
That is, some servers are configured to only execute scripts that end in .pl and others are configured to only execute scripts that end in .cgi. Check with your web hosting server and rename the file if necessary.
- The directory that you put the script is not configured to execute CGI
scripts.
That is, usually your web hosting service will have to make a special directory for you to put your cgi scripts in such as cgi-bin or cgi-local. Again you can check with your web hosting provider.
- The permissions on the script itself are not correct.
That is, you must make sure the script has read and execute permissions. This can be done with your FTP program on UNIX machines (chmod 755). People using NT servers, may have to get their web hosting service to change the permissions to executable for them.
4. Script Is Being Downloaded, Not Executed
Upon installing the script on your server, the first thing you should do is use your browser to test the script by going to the URL of the script on your server. Upon doing so, you should see the tee time schedule for the current day, similar to when you go to the URL script on our site:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ugolf/ugolf.pl
If when going to the URL of the script on your server, the script tries to be downloaded instead of being executed, then the problem is usually one of three things:
- The CGI script does not have the correct file extension for your server.
That is, some servers are configured to only execute scripts that end in .pl and others are configured to only execute scripts that end in .cgi. Check with your web hosting server and rename the file if necessary.
- The directory that you put the script is not configured to execute CGI
scripts.
That is, usually your web hosting service will have to make a special directory for you to put your cgi scripts in such as cgi-bin or cgi-local. Again you can check with your web hosting provider.
- The permissions on the script itself are not correct.
That is, you must make sure the script has read and execute permissions. This can be done with your FTP program on UNIX machines (chmod 755). People using NT servers, may have to get their web hosting service to change the permissions to executable for them.
5. General "Unable to open" Errors
"Unable to open " Errors, are usually caused by one of two things:
- The path to your "data" directory is incorrect.
That is, the directory path that you configured in question #6 of the script setup is not correct. Double-check the value of this setting or if possible, try using the Full Directory Path to your "data" directory instead of just a relative directory path. An example full path might be something like:
$data_directory = "/www/youraccount/cgi-bin/data/";
...on UNIX servers, or perhaps something like this:
$data_directory = "C:/users/youraccount/cgi-bin/data/";
....on NT servers.
Note that this is a directory path...not a URL. So it won't start with "http". If you don't know the full path to your cgi-bin directory, then ask your web hosting provider.
- Your "data" directory does not have read/write/execute permissions.
Try giving the directory full READ/WRITE permissions. On UNIX servers, this can be done via a chmod 777. On NT servers, you may have to contact your web hosting provider to make sure your "data" directory has READ/WRITE permissions.
6. New Reservations Not Appearing On HTML Pages
If after adding/updating a tee time reservation with uGolfTM, you don't see the reservation when you view the online schedule, the problem may be that your browser is just displaying an older version of the page saved in cache. Try pressing "RELOAD" or "REFRESH" on your browser in order to make your browser reload the latest pages.
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