In the following example, we use the FormMail script (written by Matt Wright), which takes the contents of a form and sends it to a specified user in a formatted email message. Although the script in its entirety (about nine book pages worth) is not shown here, you can easily download it from Matt's Script Archive (http://www.worldwidemart.com/scripts/ ).

1. First, make all the necessary arrangements with your server administrator as outlined in the previous section. You should have an understanding of how your particular server and account handle CGI scripts before proceeding.

2. Download the script. Upon downloading, you are given the script as well as a very complete ReadMe file that outlines, step by step, the process for using the script. Read the documentation carefully.

3. Configure the script. You may need to make changes within the script itself to customize it for your use. Following is a sample of the FormMail script. (Note that certain portions of this script have been omitted where indicated for purposes of fitting it in this chapter).

   The FormMail program requires only three variables to be changed (highlighted in bold type in this example):

   • The pathname of the Perl interpreter on your server (in the first line of the script)

   • The pathname of your server's sendmail program (after $mailprog in the sample below)

   • The list of domains on which you will allow forms to reside and use your FormMail script (following @referers in the sample below).

   These variables are clearly explained in the ReadMe file and are presented with labels in the beginning of the script for ease of customization. Furthermore, each section of the script is clearly labeled as to its function, if you are interested.

   #!/usr/bin/perl
   ########################################################################
   # FormMail                        Version 1.6                          #
   # Copyright 1995-1997 Matt Wright mattw@worldwidemart.com              #
   # Created 06/09/95                Last Modified 05/02/97               #
   # Matt's Script Archive, Inc.:    http://www.worldwidemart.com/scripts/#
   ########################################################################
   # COPYRIGHT NOTICE                                                     #
   # Copyright 1995-1997 Matthew M. Wright  All Rights Reserved.          #
   
   [full copyright notice omitted]
   
   ########################################################################
   # Define Variables                                                     #
   #      Detailed Information Found In README File.                      #
   
   # $mailprog defines the location of your sendmail program on your unix #
   #           system.                                                    #
   
   $mailprog = '/usr/lib/sendmail';
   
   # @referers allows forms to be located only on servers which are       #
   # defined in this field.  This security fix from the last version      #
   # which allowed anyone on any server to use your FormMail script on    #
   # their web site.                                                      #
   
   @referers = ('worldwidemart.com','206.31.72.203');
   
   # Done                                                                 #
   ########################################################################
   
   [section omitted]
   
   sub check_url {
   
      # Localize the check_referer flag which determines if user is valid.#
      local($check_referer) = 0;
   
      # If a referring URL was specified, for each valid referer, make    #
      # sure that a valid referring URL was passed to FormMail.          #
   if ($ENV{'HTTP_REFERER'}) {
           foreach $referer (@referers) {
               if ($ENV{'HTTP_REFERER'} =~ m|https?://([^/]*)$referer|i) {
                   $check_referer = 1;
                   last;
               }
           }
       }
       else {
           $check_referer = 1;
       }
   
       # If the HTTP_REFERER was invalid, send back an error.           #
       if ($check_referer != 1) { &error('bad_referer') }
   }
   [remaining script omitted]

4. Add mandatory controls to the form. The FormMail script relies on the following hidden input control, which must be included in the form. It tells the script who to mail the form results to.

   <INPUT TYPE=hidden NAME="recipient" VALUE="email@your.host.com">

5. Add optional controls to the form. The FormMail documentation also provides a listing of other form controls you might include in your form and the exact HTML for creating them. The following is an example taken from the documentation that describes how to specify the "subject" field of an email message generated by the script:

   Field

   subject

   Description

   The subject field allows you to specify the subject you wish to appear in the email sent to you after this form has been filled out. If you do not have this option turned on, the script will default to a message subject: WWW Form Submission.

   Syntax

   If you wish to choose what the subject is:

        <INPUT TYPE=hidden NAME="subject" VALUE="Your Subject">

   To allow the user to choose a subject:

        <INPUT TYPE=text
   NAME="subject">

6. Upload the script to the correct directory, following the instructions of your server administrator. Be sure that you have included the proper pathname to the script with the action attribute in the <form> tag.