1. So how do I use a CGI script?

All custom CGI scripts will need to reside in your home directory in the public_html/cgi-bin directory. Our web server will execute your scripts under your own username so permissions can be set to 700. For example, most FTP clients have the ability to execute the command: chmod 700 script_name. This sets the permissions of your script to be readable, writable and executable by only your username. Scripts can be called with the URL:

http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/script_name or /cgi-bin/script_name

2. What scripting languages can I use?

You can use Perl, Bourne shell, Korn shell, PHP, and while it's not technically a scripting language, you can use SSI. Of course, you can always use client-side executables like Java applets or JavaScript.

3. What version of perl are you running?

Version 5.6.1.

4. Where do you keep your script interpreters and other programs?

We keep our interpreters in fairly standard locations. Many Perl and shell scripts will work with their default interpreter lines, but if they must be changed, use the paths listed here.

The first line of your Perl scripts should read:

#!/usr/local/bin/perl

The first line of your Bourne shell scripts should read:

#!/bin/sh

Sendmail is kept in:

/usr/lib/sendmail

5. What CGI scripts do you provide?

HOL does not provide CGI scripts of its own. You have the ability to run your own scripts out of your public_html/cgi-bin directory, and there are many public archives of common scripts available on the Internet. Check out these archives:

nms, good replacements for FormMail and other scripts from Matt's Script Archive
HotScripts.com CGI Resource Index
Free-Scripts.Net

6. Do you support Java or JavaScript?

We don't support server-side Java, but you're free to use client-side Java or JavaScript. (Java applets are client-side Java.) Client-side Java and JavaScript do not depend on the webserver for any processing and can be used on any web server.

7. Do you support Server Side Includes (SSI)?

Yes. You can use SSI by giving your pages a .shtml extension rather than the typical .html or .htm.

You can read more about SSI at apache.org's documentation site or at ApacheWeek.

8. How about PHP?

Yes. Mahiai hosting offers PHP as a standard part of the service. PHP is a scripting language that can be embedded within HTML code for server side execution. It can easily interface with MySQL databases, use cookies, or parse data from forms. Any pages which need to execute PHP should use .php as the extension. For more information on PHP, check out some tutorials on the Web:

• php.net
• webmonkey
• DevShed
• PHP Builder
• CNET Builder.com
• phpWizard.net

We do not currently support FrontPage Extensions. However, we are looking into this and it is likely we will add it in the near future. Please contact our customer support to inquire about the service. We're interested if we know you are!

We don't support these, because there are currently no good ways to implement these Microsoft technologies on a UNIX-based webserver. We will, however, reevaluate this whenever new solutions become available.

We do not provide ColdFusion services. Unless demand for them increases, it's unlikely we'll ever have one. Many of the features available in ColdFusion are also available in PHP and MySQL, though, so we suggest that you research these alternatives for your dynamic-content needs.

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