Student Learning Student Learning Environment on the World Environment on the World

Wide WebWide Web CGI-programming in Perl for the

connection of databases over the Internet.

Web authoring using Frontpage 98

Supervisor 1: Dr. P. Filmore Supervisor 2: Dr. P. Culverhouse

Author: Bernd Pratschke

Plymouth, 21 April, 1999

Web Server SoftwareWeb Server Software

OS CommandsOS Commands

DatabaseDatabase

EmailEmail

CGI ScriptCGI Script

Client UsingWeb Browser

1. Browser contacts serverusing HTTP connectionover the Internet

5. Web server software sendsbrowser the HTML preparedby the CGI programme

4. CGI script creates HTML pagewith dynamically obtained data

3. CGI script usesother server hardware resources

2. Web server softwareexecutes a CGI script

Web ServerHardware

CGI programming for the World Wide Web

WebServer

CGIScript

DBDOracleModule

OracleDatabase

Driver

Database(Oracle)

DBIModule

DBDODBCModule

AccessDatabase

Driver

Database(Access)

WebBrowser

HTTPProtocol

CommonGatewayInterface

DriverInterface

DBDInterface

DBIInterface

DatabaseInterface

ProgrammeCode

DBI - The Perl database interface

• allows users to access multiple database types transparently• ability to connect to two different databases within one Perl script• database server can be upgraded in the background with no changes to the CGI scripts

SECEE Graduates

Registration form(name and birthday)

Parse registration formCompare with registration text file

Create error messageLink back to registration form

Create Graduate contact formMaintain state

Parse Contact formCreate e-mail with the information

Store information in databaseCreate thank you message

Link back to SECEE Graduates site

Create error messageLink back to Graduates contact form

Name and birthdaycorrect ?

Input correct ?

no

yes

no

yes

Submitting data to the Graduates contact database

SECEE Graduates

Database search form(name, birthday, company, year

of graduation, programme of study)

Parse database search formConnect to database

Search database for entries

Create error messageDisplay another search form

Link back to SECEE Graduates

Display resultsDisplay another search form

Link back to SECEE Graduates

Found entries?

no

yes

Retrieving data from the Graduates contact database