Allowing a CGI script to create and write to a directory

Hi,

I'm running Apache 2.0 on a Windows XP system. I'm using a Perl script which
uses the Inline C module. When I try to run it I get this error message

"Failed to autogenerate C:\Program Files\Apache
Group\Apache2\cgi-bin\_Inline\config."

and after creating the directory myself this error message in the error log.

"Can't open C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache2\cgi-bin\_Inline\config for
input."

How can I give the CGI script permission to create and write to arbitery
directories?

I'm only doing local testing at home now so sucurity is not an issue.

Thanks for the help

Steve

SketchySteve wrote:

(snipped)

> I'm running Apache 2.0 on a Windows XP system. I'm using a Perl script which
> uses the Inline C module. When I try to run it I get this error message

> "Failed to autogenerate....

> and after creating the directory myself this error message in the error log.

> "Can't open C:\Program Files\Apache Group....

> How can I give the CGI script permission to create and write....

This reads to be a permissions problem, or under NT systems,
an "ownership" problem. You personally can create a directory
because you are equal to a "superuser" or specific system owner.
Your Perl program is not running as an "owner" of a specific
file system. NT "sees" your program as a rogue trying to
write modify files.

Research and read about "ownership" under NT systems. Doing
so will lead you to the technical details on how to set
correct permissions for programs.

You will find "things" a lot easier to simply write a "Hello World"
script, then tackle ownership. Next move to a script which writes
to a file, then tackle ownership. Following those two steps will
lead you to quick resolution.

#!perl

print "Hello World!\n";

open (TEST, ">>test.txt") || die "FUBAR! $!";
print TEST "I am your program. ", scalar localtime, "\n";
close (TEST);

print "Exiting Now.";

exit;


Have fun!

Purl Gurl

SketchySteve wrote:

> How can I give the CGI script permission to create and write to
> arbitery directories?
>
> I'm only doing local testing at home now so sucurity is not an issue.

Steve,

Please do not get this the wrong way, but giving write access to CGI
scripts, to arbitrary directories, is really not something you should allow
yourself to do. Even if for the moment no real security risk exists, I think
you will do yourself a great favor to overcome the initial inertia at moving
forward on that learning scale, and figure out permissions first before you
take the easy way out.

The equivalent of what you are seeking, in UNIX, would be to create a setuid
root wrapper, and have the CGI bypass all common permissions. Needless to
say, that is generally a very bad idea. Security-wise, yes; but simply also
because you do not learn anything that way.

"Failed to autogenerate C:\Program Files\Apache
Group\Apache2\cgi-bin\_Inline\config."

The correct thing to do, is to give write permissions to the user Apache
runs as, on that specific directory. I am not familiar with that Inline C
module you mention; but I must say it looks odd that it seeks to write
inside a cgi-bin (sub)dir even. As a rule of thumb, cgi-bin should not be
write-accessible to anyone. I'm sure you module can be taught to write
somewhere nicely outside the web-tree.

Perhaps you can enlighten us as to what you wish to accomplish. I have an
inkling that your CGI will probably not need "root" access to achieve your
goal.

- Pete