Trying to set up a form w/cgi

please help

[molerl]

Hello,
I am trying to set up a form on a website, but I am new with this. I searched on this topic and found that the formmail at [nms-cgi.sourceforge.net...] was highly recommended for converting the info in the form to readable content. I went to the site and downloaded this file but now I have no idea what to do with it! Can anyone help me? What I am trying to do is send the info from the form to the cgi_bin that will send the info to my email... does this sound correct? My main question is: where do I put the file from [nms-cgi.sourceforge.net...] in my site so that my form will link up with that? I also want to send the user to a "submission page", not a link to their mail program. Please help, and sorry that I am so confused!

[balam]

> Hello,

Hi molerl, and Welcome to WebmasterWorld!

> I am trying to set up a form on a website, but I am new with this.

To help, I sent you a "sticky message" - that's the email system used on this board. You can get to your mail from the links at the very top of every page around here.

Rather than clutter the thread with HTML, I sent you a working form to use with the NMS program.

> I also want to send the user to a "submission page", not a link to their mail program.

That is how the NMS FormMail works. Before you start getting your hands dirty, carefully read the instructions that came with the program.

First you will have to make your submission page, using the form I sent you (and modifying it as necessary).

Next, you have to modify the variables in the FormMail program. The instructions explain their meanings better than I can. Open the program in your favourite text editor, and while reading the instructions, edit the values of the variables, then save. (If you really aren't sure if you should change the value for any of the variables, then chances are you don't have to change it.)

Upload FormMail.pl to your cgi-bin directory. If necessary, change the permissions of the file to 755 (they may be 644 or appear as "rw-r--r--" when you first upload; you want 755 or "rwxr-xr-x"). This can be done with most FTP programs.

Upload your submission page, then surf to it and test the form. If all goes well, you'll receive your test message at the email address you entered in the FormMail program.

(I use the "recipient_alias" feature. The form I sent you will work if you edit this line in FormMail.pl with the correct value:)

%recipient_alias = ('1' => '[e-mail]');

If things don't work, the first thing to check for is to make sure you have the right directory path to perl and sendmail. The correct directory paths may appear in the control panel for your website. If they don't, ask your host what they are.

Make sure the path to perl, the very first line in FormMail.pl, is correct. Make sure the path to sendmail is correct; this is the $mailprog variable.