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User Information (Finger) Script

The UNIX finger service can be used to provide a form of user directory service. After you have installed the finger service, remote users will have the ability to query user profiles on your Virtual Server. User profiles include information such as full name, login name, home directory, as well as the contents of the ".plan", ".project", or ".forward" files. The "Plan""Project", and "Forward" files must be located in each of your users home directories (if they exist).

Installation
To install the finger service, simply connect to your Virtual Server using Telnet or SSH and type the following commands: Untar the Finger CGI source code
Telnet or SSH to your Virtual Server and type:

% cd
% tar -xvf /usr/local/contrib/finger.tar

Using Finger
After you have installed finger on your Virtual Server you can perform queries using any finger client.

The HTML source below represents a finger client form.

<html>
<head>
<title>Finger Remote User on Remote Host</title>
</head>
<body>
<hr size = 3>
<h3>Finger Remote User on Remote Host</h3>
<form method="POST" action="/cgi-bin/Scriptorium/finger/lookup.pl">
<input name="user" size=8 maxlength=16> <b>@</b>
<input name="host" size=24 maxlength=72>
<input type="submit" value="Lookup">
</form>
<hr size = 3>
</body>
</html>

If you are unfamiliar with the FORM HTML element, or would like to learn more about forms, see: Mosaic for X version 2.0 Fill-Out Form Support.

Installing the Finger CGI
To install the finger CGI on your Virtual Server you will need to do the following:

Download the Finger Form
You will need to download the Finger Client HTML source and store it somewhere in your "usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs" directory structure. Feel free to customize the form, add graphics, etc. But be sure that the variable name for each input field is not altered.
This will install the lookup.pl and util.pl files into your "www/cgi-bin/Scriptorium/finger" directory.
Customize the Appearance of the Finger CGI
Two subroutines in the util.pl file are used to print out header and footer information. These functions are print_header_info and print_footer_info. Feel free to modify these functions such that the CGI outputs pages that are in synch with the motifs of the rest of your site.

Once you have completed the installation successfully, you will have a working finger form like the one shown below.

SEE ALSO:

Installing CGI Scripts

CGI Security Issues

CGI Scriptorium

About Perl

Perl Modules

Server Side Includes

Mime Types

About Apache Server

BOOKS TO HELP YOU:

CGI Programming 101
$24.95

CGI Programming With Perl
$26.36

Official Guide to Programming With CGI.pm
$27.99