retrieving data via cgi-scripts
Hi! I am a bit of a newbie in the Informix department so any help would be greatly appreciated. I have an Informix Database Server (IDS 2000) on a Redhat Linux Server running Apache. Everything is up and running fine, I have created a demo database with the dbaccessdemo utility and as an exercise I want to retrieve data from that database a using cgi-script placed in the cgi-bin (/home/httpd/cgi-bin). I have downloaded the DBD::Informix and DBI perl modules only to find I also need ESQL/C to run it (which obviously will cost money...unfortunately not an option at the moment!) Is there any way I can use a simple script to return data retrieved from the Informix database back to a web page? Are there any nice free modules out there that I am missing out on? What is the standard way of retrieving data from an Informix database via a web page or a call to a cgi-script? What does Informix recommend? I appreciate any help on any of these questions, Many thanks in advance Rob Hickman
Rob Hickman wrote: > Hi! I am a bit of a newbie in the Informix department so any help would be > greatly appreciated. > > I have an Informix Database Server (IDS 2000) on a Redhat Linux Server > running Apache. > > Everything is up and running fine, I have created a demo database with the > dbaccessdemo utility and as an exercise I want to retrieve data from that > database a using cgi-script placed in the cgi-bin (/home/httpd/cgi-bin). I > have downloaded the DBD::Informix and DBI perl modules only to find I also > need ESQL/C to run it (which obviously will cost money...unfortunately not > an option at the moment!) Hmmm; I suppose it will take a bit longer to download than DBI or DBD::Informix, so the phone bill will be a bit higher, but it isn't *that* bad. You can download CSDK for free from Intraware (http://www.intraware.com). > Is there any way I can use a simple script to return data retrieved from the > Informix database back to a web page? Perl, DBI, DBD::Informix, CSDK? Don't forget to set the environment. > Are there any nice free modules out there that I am missing out on? > > What is the standard way of retrieving data from an Informix database via a > web page or a call to a cgi-script? Perl, DBI, DBD::Informix, CSDK. Or PHP3 (or PHP4 if you're adventurous and don't mind testing beta software). Or Tcl/Tk and ISQLTCL. Or Python. > What does Informix recommend? Web Datablade. -- Jonathan Leffler (jleffler@informix.com, jleffler@earthlink.net) Guardian of DBD::Informix v0.95 -- see http://www.perl.com/CPAN #include <disclaimer.h>
Rob, Many including myself have already been fooled on the esql question - and the answer is you don't need to buy it! It is available as part of the client-sdk downloadable from the Intraware site. Install it and you will have esql (for free). Pity Informix doesn't spell out something as simple as this. Regarding your other question, Informix has a proprietary tool called the Web Datablade where you can embed sql directly into your html. I too would also like to hear pros/cons of using the Informix Web Datablade as opposed to using Perl, Java etc. to access the Informix database and would appreciate hearing some opinions on this! Moses Rob Hickman wrote: > Hi! I am a bit of a newbie in the Informix department so any help would be > greatly appreciated. > > I have an Informix Database Server (IDS 2000) on a Redhat Linux Server > running Apache. > > Everything is up and running fine, I have created a demo database with the > dbaccessdemo utility and as an exercise I want to retrieve data from that > database a using cgi-script placed in the cgi-bin (/home/httpd/cgi-bin). I > have downloaded the DBD::Informix and DBI perl modules only to find I also > need ESQL/C to run it (which obviously will cost money...unfortunately not > an option at the moment!) > > Is there any way I can use a simple script to return data retrieved from the > Informix database back to a web page? > > Are there any nice free modules out there that I am missing out on? > > What is the standard way of retrieving data from an Informix database via a > web page or a call to a cgi-script? > > What does Informix recommend? > > I appreciate any help on any of these questions, > > Many thanks in advance > > Rob Hickman