Apache DSO question.

gothrog · 03-14-2005, 01:45 PM

Hello,

I'm new to DSO and I am trying to figure out whether or not using DSO can help me.

Does anyone know of a DSO module in apache2 that can execute another program as if it came from a command prompt?

I am attempting to have a cgi script launch another program from within a browser. If someone can point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

Artanicus · 03-14-2005, 03:05 PM

I have very little experience with DSO, but if you place a shellscript similar to the following example in your cgi-bin, you can run shell commands directly..

This is a little prank image I made a few years back, the file is named sword.gif:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
echo "Content-type: image/gif";
RND=`expr \( $RANDOM \* 4 \) / 32767 + 1 `
echo
REMOTE_ADDR=${REMOTE_ADDR:-$REMOTE_ADDR}
pbmtext "$REMOTE_ADDR" > /tmp/ip
pnmcomp -invert -alpha /tmp/ip /tmp/ip /var/www/artanicus/admin/pics/$RND > /tmp/sword.pnm
ppmtogif /tmp/sword.pnm > /tmp/sword.gif

cat /tmp/sword.gif

gothrog · 03-14-2005, 04:44 PM

Art,

I'm actually already doing this, but the program terminates upon completion. I have the operator input something through the browser and it executes a program. Although the apache seems to somehow lose the process.

I'll grep for the program and find it, but it is like it is in limbo.

ps -ef | grep (name)
root 22817 1 0 17:17 ? 00:00:00 /usr/local/(full path)

This is how it should look like:
root 22976 1 0 17:26 pts/2 00:00:00 /usr/local/(full path)

It doesn't seem to know what to do with it, but maybe that is my problem. The program is just supposed to be a background process that does not get killed until the operator tells it too.

It is being launched by a system() call. Does anyone know how system() calls work with apache? It seems like it will only execute that one call and after that call it immediately terminates.

Mike

Artanicus · 03-15-2005, 12:03 AM

aa.. Now I see what you mean.. So far I havnt figured any way to run it in a shell environment instead of the usual background limbo.. Now, one bubblegum solution comes to mind.. Make a screen, and then have the script give the command for the screen to be executed.. I think it had some commandline parameter like that..

But, im sure theres some neat solution also..

gothrog · 03-15-2005, 10:25 AM

thanks Art. I'm goig to continue this in another thread titled more appriopriately.