- For Absolute Beginners
- Server Error
- Script Is Displayed, Not Executed
- Script Is Being Downloaded, Not Executed
- "Unable to open ustorekeeper-categories.txt" Error
- "Can't locate ustorekeeper-lib.pl" Error
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/uStorekeeper/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 uStorekeeper scripts that much easier.
2. Server Error
Upon installing the scripts on your server, the first thing you should do is use your browser to test the scripts by typing in the URL of the scripts on your server. (These are the URLs that you configured in questions #4, #6, and #8 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup).
When going to the URL of the uStorekeeper Runtime Script (the URL that you configured in question #4 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get either the "uStorekeeper Copyright" page (if you haven't made any categories yet) or you should see first category of your store (if you have already used the uStorekeeper Manager script to create create some categories). That is, you should get something similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper.pl
When you go to the URL of the uStorekeeper Manager Script (the URL that you configured in question #6 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get the "uStorekeeper Login" screen...similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper-manager.pl
When you go to the URL of the uStorekeeper Affiliate Script (the URL that you configured in question #8 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get the "uStorekeeper Copyright" page ...similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper-affiliate.pl
If when going to any of the above URLs you get a "Server Error", 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 scripts on your server, the first thing you should do is use your browser to test the scripts by typing in the URL of the scripts on your server. (These are the URLs that you configured in questions #4, #6, and #8 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup).
When going to the URL of the uStorekeeper Runtime Script (the URL that you configured in question #4 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get either the "uStorekeeper Copyright" page (if you haven't made any categories yet) or you should see first category of your store (if you have already used the uStorekeeper Manager script to create create some categories). That is, you should get something similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper.pl
When you go to the URL of the uStorekeeper Manager Script (the URL that you configured in question #6 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get the "uStorekeeper Login" screen...similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper-manager.pl
When you go to the URL of the uStorekeeper Affiliate Script (the URL that you configured in question #8 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get the "uStorekeeper Copyright" page ...similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper-affiliate.pl
If when going to any of the above URLs your server displays the script instead of actually executing it, 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 scripts on your server, the first thing you should do is use your browser to test the scripts by typing in the URL of the scripts on your server. (These are the URLs that you configured in questions #4, #6, and #8 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup).
When going to the URL of the uStorekeeper Runtime Script (the URL that you configured in question #4 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get either the "uStorekeeper Copyright" page (if you haven't made any categories yet) or you should see first category of your store (if you have already used the uStorekeeper Manager script to create create some categories). That is, you should get something similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper.pl
When you go to the URL of the uStorekeeper Manager Script (the URL that you configured in question #6 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get the "uStorekeeper Login" screen...similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper-manager.pl
When you go to the URL of the uStorekeeper Affiliate Script (the URL that you configured in question #8 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup), you should get the "uStorekeeper Copyright" page ...similar to when you go to the URL of the script on our server:
http://www.uburst.com/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper/ustorekeeper-affiliate.pl
If when going to any of the above URLs your browser tries to download the script instead of actually executing it, 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. "Unable to open ustorekeeper-categories.txt" Error
When using the uStorekeeper Control Panel, if you get an "Unable to open ustorekeeper-categories.txt" Error (or any similar "Unable to open" error), then the problem is usually one of two things:
- The path to your data directory is incorrect.
That is, the directory path that you configured in question #12 of the ustorekeeper-lib script setup is not correct. If you made data directory a subdirectory of your cgi-bin, then the following will usually work:
$data_directory = "./data/";
However, some servers may require:
$data_directory = "data/";
If neither work for you, try configuring the full path to your data directory. This will be something like:
$data_directory = "/www/youraccount/cgi-bin/data/";
Or for NT server, perhaps something like this:
$data_directory = "C:/users/youraccount/cgi-bin/data/";
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.
Ideally, the permissions on this directory should be chmod 700. However, depending on how your server is setup to execute CGI scripts, you may have to increase the permissions on this directory to chmod 777. See Configuring The "data" Directory for more information on this.
6. "Can't locate ustorekeeper-lib.pl" Error
This error is more common on NT Servers and is usually related to the server's search path in that it isn't checking your cgi-bin for the "ustorekeeper-lib.pl" file. Here is how to correct it:
Right now, the second line of the following 3 uStorekeeper files:
- ustorekeeper.pl
- ustorekeeper-manager.pl
- ustorekeeper-affiliate.pl
require "ustorekeeper-lib.pl";
To force the server to import the "ustorekeeper-lib.pl" file from the correct directory on your server, try modifying this "require" line in all 3 files to be the FULL DIRECTORY PATH of your "ustorekeeper-lib.pl" file. So it will then be something like:
require "D:/www/yourdomain/cgi-bin/ustorekeeper-lib.pl";
If you don't know the full path to that directory, then ask your web hosting provider.
Note: When specifying directory paths on NT servers, it is important to use forward slashes (/) and NOT backward slashes (\). This is because backward slashes (\) in Perl are considered to be special escape characters. So as a rule of thumb, when specifying any directory paths in the uStorekeeper scripts, always use forward slashes (/). (Forward slashes will work on both NT and UNIX servers.)
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Here are some other places that you can look for assistance:
- Check out the uStorekeeperTM
User's Guide.
- If you've never installed any Perl scripts on your server before, we recommend
that you check out this
Test Script.
- Don't forget out our
Support Forum.
- And if that still doesn't solve your problem, you can submit a support request to us via our Support Request Form.
