Writing CGI Applications with Perl

Focusing on the most important areas of Web application development, including database interaction, form and file handling, security, e-mail, and graphics, the book provides in-depth coverage of such specific topics as:

• Working with HTML Web forms and obtaining user input
• Cookies, tracking clicks, and access counters
• Using the mod_perl Apache module
• Connecting to a POP3 server for e-mail
• Perl DBI and databases on the Web
• Tying a hash to a database
• Embedding Perl in HTML with HTML::Mason
• Remote file management via the Web
• Creating dynamic images
• XML and its derivatives, RSS and RDF

In addition, introductory material is provided for newcomers to CGI or Perl. Numerous appendices include handy references as well as a guide to Perl documentation.

Contents

• Preface.
• Acknowledgments.
• 1. Perl, CGI, and This Book.
• 2. What You Should Know.
• 3. Using Your Environment.
• 4. Introduction to Web Forms.
• 5. Working with Cookies.
• 6. Access Counters.
• 7. Web Based File Uploading.
• 8. Tracking Clicks.
• 9. Using mod_perl.
• 10. Web-Based E-mail.
• 11. Introduction to DBI and Databases on the Web.
• 12. Tied Variables.
• 13. Embedding Perl in HTML with Mason.
• 14. Document Management via the Web.
• 15. Dynamically Manipulating Images.
• 16. RSS and XML.
• Appendix A. Server Codes.
• Appendix B. Environment Variables.
• Appendix C. POSIX..strftime() Formats.
• Appendix D. General Public License.
• Appendix E. Artistic License.
• Appendix F. Perl Documentation.
• Appendix G. ASCII Codes.
• Appendix H. Special HTML Characters.
• Index.