Information Providers' Tools: email.pl CGI

Using the email.pl CGI

For forms that require only that the information obtained be E-mailed to an individual for handling, the 'email.pl' Common Gateway Interface (CGI) has been developed. This CGI may be used by any University of Akron Information Provider. Below are instructions for using email.pl, as well as a link to an example form that can be viewed or downloaded.

To use this CGI, several hidden and input variables need to be defined in the HTML of the form. An example of how these variables might be used is given here.

<form action="/cgi-bin/email.pl" method=post>
<input type=hidden name=cgi-email-to value=webmaster@uakron.edu>
<input type=hidden name=cgi-email-subject value="UA Focus Message">
<input type=hidden name=cgi-email-response value=/www/home/focus-response.html>
<input type=hidden name=cgi-email-error-msg value=/www/home/focus-error.html>

... here you would set up other input variables for the information you wish users to provide ....

Enter Your E-mail Address: <input type=text name=cgi-email-replyto>
</form>

where the hidden and input variables have the following meanings:

cgi-email-to	The E-mail address to which the information should be sent - for multiple addresses, you can use multiple hidden variables, starting the name of each variable with 'cgi-email-to'. (i.e. cgi-email-to1, cgi-email-to2, etc.)
cgi-email-subject	The text that should appear on the Subject: line
cgi-email-response	The full-path specification of the HTML document to be displayed upon success
cgi-email-error-msg	The full-path specification of the HTML document to be displayed in case of problems
cgi-email-replyto	(optional) an input box that allows the user to enter an e-mail address. You can then send mail to the user by using the "reply" function of your e-mail program.

The full-path specification of a document will always be '/www/your directory and possibly subdirectory/filename.html' (or '/wwws/...' for pages on the secure server). You can use the subject line to make it easier to separate various forms that you might be receiving.

A sample form demonstrating use of the email.pl

Page maintained by: Technical Services Last modified: Tuesday, 31-Jan-06 17:02:16