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author | Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> | 1996-03-06 19:11:33 (GMT) |
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committer | Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> | 1996-03-06 19:11:33 (GMT) |
commit | 391b4e60e6ecf76648c0e25d59c22775f20dfb27 (patch) | |
tree | 0546e230db1b5de1d09c1058d328b55f3026deb1 /Lib | |
parent | 6d627754c1aa94b0aebb8aa055ee496960a5802f (diff) | |
download | cpython-391b4e60e6ecf76648c0e25d59c22775f20dfb27.zip cpython-391b4e60e6ecf76648c0e25d59c22775f20dfb27.tar.gz cpython-391b4e60e6ecf76648c0e25d59c22775f20dfb27.tar.bz2 |
Reformatting only.
Diffstat (limited to 'Lib')
-rwxr-xr-x | Lib/cgi.py | 343 |
1 files changed, 177 insertions, 166 deletions
@@ -9,57 +9,58 @@ Python. Introduction ------------ -A CGI script is invoked by an HTTP server, usually to process user input -submitted through an HTML <FORM> or <ISINPUT> element. - -Most often, CGI scripts live in the server's special cgi-bin directory. -The HTTP server places all sorts of information about the request (such as -the client's hostname, the requested URL, the query string, and lots of -other goodies) in the script's shell environment, executes the script, and -sends the script's output back to the client. - -The script's input is connected to the client too, and sometimes the form -data is read this way; at other times the form data is passed via the -"query string" part of the URL. This module (cgi.py) is intended to take -care of the different cases and provide a simpler interface to the Python -script. It also provides a number of utilities that help in debugging -scripts, and the latest addition is support for file uploads from a form -(if your browser supports it -- Grail 0.3 and Netscape 2.0 do). - -The output of a CGI script should consist of two sections, separated by a -blank line. The first section contains a number of headers, telling the -client what kind of data is following. Python code to generate a minimal -header section looks like this: +A CGI script is invoked by an HTTP server, usually to process user +input submitted through an HTML <FORM> or <ISINPUT> element. + +Most often, CGI scripts live in the server's special cgi-bin +directory. The HTTP server places all sorts of information about the +request (such as the client's hostname, the requested URL, the query +string, and lots of other goodies) in the script's shell environment, +executes the script, and sends the script's output back to the client. + +The script's input is connected to the client too, and sometimes the +form data is read this way; at other times the form data is passed via +the "query string" part of the URL. This module (cgi.py) is intended +to take care of the different cases and provide a simpler interface to +the Python script. It also provides a number of utilities that help +in debugging scripts, and the latest addition is support for file +uploads from a form (if your browser supports it -- Grail 0.3 and +Netscape 2.0 do). + +The output of a CGI script should consist of two sections, separated +by a blank line. The first section contains a number of headers, +telling the client what kind of data is following. Python code to +generate a minimal header section looks like this: print "Content-type: text/html" # HTML is following print # blank line, end of headers -The second section is usually HTML, which allows the client software to -display nicely formatted text with header, in-line images, etc. Here's -Python code that prints a simple piece of HTML: +The second section is usually HTML, which allows the client software +to display nicely formatted text with header, in-line images, etc. +Here's Python code that prints a simple piece of HTML: print "<TITLE>CGI script output</TITLE>" print "<H1>This is my first CGI script</H1>" print "Hello, world!" -(It may not be fully legal HTML according to the letter of the standard, -but any browser will understand it.) +(It may not be fully legal HTML according to the letter of the +standard, but any browser will understand it.) Using the cgi module -------------------- -Begin by writing "import cgi". Don't use "from cgi import *" -- the module -defines all sorts of names for its own use that you don't want in your -namespace. +Begin by writing "import cgi". Don't use "from cgi import *" -- the +module defines all sorts of names for its own use that you don't want +in your namespace. -If you have a standard form, it's best to use the SvFormContentDict class. -Instantiate the SvFormContentDict class exactly once: it consumes any input -on standard input, which can't be wound back (it's a network connection, -not a disk file). +If you have a standard form, it's best to use the SvFormContentDict +class. Instantiate the SvFormContentDict class exactly once: it +consumes any input on standard input, which can't be wound back (it's +a network connection, not a disk file). -The SvFormContentDict instance can be accessed as if it were a Python -dictionary. For instance, the following code checks that the fields +The SvFormContentDict instance can be accessed as if it were a Python +dictionary. For instance, the following code checks that the fields "name" and "addr" are both set to a non-empty string: form = SvFormContentDict() @@ -73,40 +74,41 @@ dictionary. For instance, the following code checks that the fields return ...actual form processing here... -If you have an input item of type "file" in your form and the client -supports file uploads, the value for that field, if present in the form, -is not a string but a tuple of (filename, content-type, data). +If you have an input item of type "file" in your form and the client +supports file uploads, the value for that field, if present in the +form, is not a string but a tuple of (filename, content-type, data). Overview of classes ------------------- -SvFormContentDict: single value form content as dictionary; described +SvFormContentDict: single value form content as dictionary; described above. -FormContentDict: multiple value form content as dictionary (the form items -are lists of values). Useful if your form contains multiple fields with -the same name. +FormContentDict: multiple value form content as dictionary (the form +items are lists of values). Useful if your form contains multiple +fields with the same name. -Other classes (FormContent, InterpFormContentDict) are present for +Other classes (FormContent, InterpFormContentDict) are present for backwards compatibility only. Overview of functions --------------------- -These are useful if you want more control, or if you want to employ some -of the algorithms implemented in this module in other circumstances. +These are useful if you want more control, or if you want to employ +some of the algorithms implemented in this module in other +circumstances. parse(): parse a form into a Python dictionary. parse_qs(qs): parse a query string. -parse_multipart(...): parse input of type multipart/form-data (for file -uploads). +parse_multipart(...): parse input of type multipart/form-data (for +file uploads). -parse_header(string): parse a header like Content-type into a main value -and a dictionary of parameters. +parse_header(string): parse a header like Content-type into a main +value and a dictionary of parameters. test(): complete test program. @@ -114,58 +116,62 @@ print_environ(): format the shell environment in HTML. print_form(form): format a form in HTML. -print_environ_usage(): print a list of useful environment variables in HTML. +print_environ_usage(): print a list of useful environment variables in +HTML. -escape(): convert the characters "&", "<" and ">" to HTML-safe sequences. +escape(): convert the characters "&", "<" and ">" to HTML-safe +sequences. Use this if you need to display text that might contain +such characters in HTML. To translate URLs for inclusion in the HREF +attribute of an <A> tag, use urllib.quote(). Caring about security --------------------- -There's one important rule: if you invoke an external program (e.g. via -the os.system() or os.popen() functions), make very sure you don't pass -arbitrary strings received from the client to the shell. This is a -well-known security hole whereby clever hackers anywhere on the web can -exploit a gullible CGI script to invoke arbitrary shell commands. Even -parts of the URL or field names cannot be trusted, since the request -doesn't have to come from your form! +There's one important rule: if you invoke an external program (e.g. +via the os.system() or os.popen() functions), make very sure you don't +pass arbitrary strings received from the client to the shell. This is +a well-known security hole whereby clever hackers anywhere on the web +can exploit a gullible CGI script to invoke arbitrary shell commands. +Even parts of the URL or field names cannot be trusted, since the +request doesn't have to come from your form! -To be on the safe side, if you must pass a string gotten from a form to a -shell command, you should make sure the string contains only alphanumeric -characters, dashes, underscores, and periods. +To be on the safe side, if you must pass a string gotten from a form +to a shell command, you should make sure the string contains only +alphanumeric characters, dashes, underscores, and periods. Installing your CGI script on a Unix system ------------------------------------------- -Read the documentation for your HTTP server and check with your local -system administrator to find the directory where CGI scripts should be +Read the documentation for your HTTP server and check with your local +system administrator to find the directory where CGI scripts should be installed; usually this is in a directory cgi-bin in the server tree. -Make sure that your script is readable and executable by "others"; the Unix -file mode should be 755 (use "chmod 755 filename"). Make sure that the -first line of the script contains "#!" starting in column 1 followed by the -pathname of the Python interpreter, for instance: +Make sure that your script is readable and executable by "others"; the +Unix file mode should be 755 (use "chmod 755 filename"). Make sure +that the first line of the script contains "#!" starting in column 1 +followed by the pathname of the Python interpreter, for instance: #!/usr/local/bin/python -Make sure the Python interpreter exists and is executable by "others". +Make sure the Python interpreter exists and is executable by "others". -Make sure that any files your script needs to read or write are readable or -writable, respectively, by "others" -- their mode should be 644 for -readable and 666 for writable. This is because, for security reasons, the -HTTP server executes your script as user "nobody", without any special -privileges. It can only read (write, execute) files that everybody can -read (write, execute). The current directory at execution time is also -different (it is usually the server's cgi-bin directory) and the set of -environment variables is also different from what you get at login. in -particular, don't count on the shell's search path for executables ($PATH) -or the Python module search path ($PYTHONPATH) to be set to anything -interesting. +Make sure that any files your script needs to read or write are +readable or writable, respectively, by "others" -- their mode should +be 644 for readable and 666 for writable. This is because, for +security reasons, the HTTP server executes your script as user +"nobody", without any special privileges. It can only read (write, +execute) files that everybody can read (write, execute). The current +directory at execution time is also different (it is usually the +server's cgi-bin directory) and the set of environment variables is +also different from what you get at login. in particular, don't count +on the shell's search path for executables ($PATH) or the Python +module search path ($PYTHONPATH) to be set to anything interesting. -If you need to load modules from a directory which is not on Python's -default module search path, you can change the path in your script, before -importing other modules, e.g.: +If you need to load modules from a directory which is not on Python's +default module search path, you can change the path in your script, +before importing other modules, e.g.: import sys sys.path.insert(0, "/usr/home/joe/lib/python") @@ -173,71 +179,75 @@ importing other modules, e.g.: (This way, the directory inserted last will be searched first!) -Instructions for non-Unix systems will vary; check your HTTP server's +Instructions for non-Unix systems will vary; check your HTTP server's documentation (it will usually have a section on CGI scripts). Testing your CGI script ----------------------- -Unfortunately, a CGI script will generally not run when you try it from the -command line, and a script that works perfectly from the command line may -fail mysteriously when run from the server. There's one reason why you -should still test your script from the command line: if it contains a -syntax error, the python interpreter won't execute it at all, and the HTTP -server will most likely send a cryptic error to the client. +Unfortunately, a CGI script will generally not run when you try it +from the command line, and a script that works perfectly from the +command line may fail mysteriously when run from the server. There's +one reason why you should still test your script from the command +line: if it contains a syntax error, the python interpreter won't +execute it at all, and the HTTP server will most likely send a cryptic +error to the client. -Assuming your script has no syntax errors, yet it does not work, you have -no choice but to read the next section: +Assuming your script has no syntax errors, yet it does not work, you +have no choice but to read the next section: Debugging CGI scripts --------------------- -First of all, check for trivial installation errors -- reading the section -above on installing your CGI script carefully can save you a lot of time. -If you wonder whether you have understood the installation procedure -correctly, try installing a copy of this module file (cgi.py) as a CGI -script. When invoked as a script, the file will dump its environment and -the contents of the form in HTML form. Give it the right mode etc, and -send it a request. If it's installed in the standard cgi-bin directory, it -should be possible to send it a request by entering a URL into your browser -of the form: +First of all, check for trivial installation errors -- reading the +section above on installing your CGI script carefully can save you a +lot of time. If you wonder whether you have understood the +installation procedure correctly, try installing a copy of this module +file (cgi.py) as a CGI script. When invoked as a script, the file +will dump its environment and the contents of the form in HTML form. +Give it the right mode etc, and send it a request. If it's installed +in the standard cgi-bin directory, it should be possible to send it a +request by entering a URL into your browser of the form: http://yourhostname/cgi-bin/cgi.py?name=Joe+Blow&addr=At+Home -If this gives an error of type 404, the server cannot find the script -- -perhaps you need to install it in a different directory. If it gives -another error (e.g. 500), there's an installation problem that you should -fix before trying to go any further. If you get a nicely formatted listing -of the environment and form content (in this example, the fields should be -listed as "addr" with value "At Home" and "name" with value "Joe Blow"), -the cgi.py script has been installed correctly. If you follow the same -procedure for your own script, you should now be able to debug it. +If this gives an error of type 404, the server cannot find the script +-- perhaps you need to install it in a different directory. If it +gives another error (e.g. 500), there's an installation problem that +you should fix before trying to go any further. If you get a nicely +formatted listing of the environment and form content (in this +example, the fields should be listed as "addr" with value "At Home" +and "name" with value "Joe Blow"), the cgi.py script has been +installed correctly. If you follow the same procedure for your own +script, you should now be able to debug it. -The next step could be to call the cgi module's test() function from your -script: replace its main code with the single statement +The next step could be to call the cgi module's test() function from +your script: replace its main code with the single statement cgi.test() -This should produce the same results as those gotten from installing the -cgi.py file itself. - -When an ordinary Python script raises an unhandled exception (e.g. because -of a typo in a module name, a file that can't be opened, etc.), the Python -interpreter prints a nice traceback and exits. While the Python -interpreter will still do this when your CGI script raises an exception, -most likely the traceback will end up in one of the HTTP server's log -file, or be discarded altogether. - -Fortunately, once you have managed to get your script to execute *some* -code, it is easy to catch exceptions and cause a traceback to be printed. -The test() function below in this module is an example. Here are the -rules: - - 1. Import the traceback module (before entering the try-except!) +This should produce the same results as those gotten from installing +the cgi.py file itself. + +When an ordinary Python script raises an unhandled exception +(e.g. because of a typo in a module name, a file that can't be opened, +etc.), the Python interpreter prints a nice traceback and exits. +While the Python interpreter will still do this when your CGI script +raises an exception, most likely the traceback will end up in one of +the HTTP server's log file, or be discarded altogether. + +Fortunately, once you have managed to get your script to execute +*some* code, it is easy to catch exceptions and cause a traceback to +be printed. The test() function below in this module is an example. +Here are the rules: + + 1. Import the traceback module (before entering the + try-except!) - 2. Make sure you finish printing the headers and the blank line early + 2. Make sure you finish printing the headers and the blank + line early 3. Assign sys.stderr to sys.stdout @@ -258,13 +268,13 @@ For example: print "\n\n<PRE>" traceback.print_exc() -Notes: The assignment to sys.stderr is needed because the traceback prints -to sys.stderr. The print "\n\n<PRE>" statement is necessary to disable the -word wrapping in HTML. +Notes: The assignment to sys.stderr is needed because the traceback +prints to sys.stderr. The print "\n\n<PRE>" statement is necessary to +disable the word wrapping in HTML. -If you suspect that there may be a problem in importing the traceback -module, you can use an even more robust approach (which only uses built-in -modules): +If you suspect that there may be a problem in importing the traceback +module, you can use an even more robust approach (which only uses +built-in modules): import sys sys.stderr = sys.stdout @@ -272,12 +282,13 @@ modules): print ...your code here... -This relies on the Python interpreter to print the traceback. The content -type of the output is set to plain text, which disables all HTML -processing. If your script works, the raw HTML will be displayed by your -client. If it raises an exception, most likely after the first two lines -have been printed, a traceback will be displayed. Because no HTML -interpretation is going on, the traceback will readable. +This relies on the Python interpreter to print the traceback. The +content type of the output is set to plain text, which disables all +HTML processing. If your script works, the raw HTML will be displayed +by your client. If it raises an exception, most likely after the +first two lines have been printed, a traceback will be displayed. +Because no HTML interpretation is going on, the traceback will +readable. Good luck! @@ -285,40 +296,40 @@ Good luck! Common problems and solutions ----------------------------- -- Most HTTP servers buffer the output from CGI scripts until the script is -completed. This means that it is not possible to display a progress report -on the client's display while the script is running. +- Most HTTP servers buffer the output from CGI scripts until the +script is completed. This means that it is not possible to display a +progress report on the client's display while the script is running. - Check the installation instructions above. -- Check the HTTP server's log files. ("tail -f logfile" in a separate +- Check the HTTP server's log files. ("tail -f logfile" in a separate window may be useful!) -- Always check a script for syntax errors first, by doing something like -"python script.py". +- Always check a script for syntax errors first, by doing something +like "python script.py". - When using any of the debugging techniques, don't forget to add "import sys" to the top of the script. -- When invoking external programs, make sure they can be found. Usually, -this means using absolute path names -- $PATH is usually not set to a -very useful value in a CGI script. +- When invoking external programs, make sure they can be found. +Usually, this means using absolute path names -- $PATH is usually not +set to a very useful value in a CGI script. -- When reading or writing external files, make sure they can be read or -written by every user on the system. +- When reading or writing external files, make sure they can be read +or written by every user on the system. -- Don't try to give a CGI script a set-uid mode. This doesn't work on most -systems, and is a security liability as well. +- Don't try to give a CGI script a set-uid mode. This doesn't work on +most systems, and is a security liability as well. History ------- -Michael McLay started this module. Steve Majewski changed the interface to -SvFormContentDict and FormContentDict. The multipart parsing was inspired -by code submitted by Andreas Paepcke. Guido van Rossum rewrote, -reformatted and documented the module and is currently responsible for its -maintenance. +Michael McLay started this module. Steve Majewski changed the +interface to SvFormContentDict and FormContentDict. The multipart +parsing was inspired by code submitted by Andreas Paepcke. Guido van +Rossum rewrote, reformatted and documented the module and is currently +responsible for its maintenance. """ @@ -376,7 +387,7 @@ def parse_qs(qs): if len(nv) != 2: continue name = nv[0] - value = urllib.unquote(regsub.gsub('+',' ',nv[1])) + value = urllib.unquote(regsub.gsub('+', ' ', nv[1])) if len(value): if dict.has_key (name): dict[name].append(value) @@ -528,13 +539,13 @@ class FormContentDict: class SvFormContentDict(FormContentDict): """Strict single-value expecting form content as dictionary. - IF you only expect a single value for each field, then form[key] - will return that single value. - It will raise an IndexError if that expectation is not true. - IF you expect a field to have possible multiple values, than you - can use form.getlist(key) to get all of the values. - values() and items() are a compromise: they return single strings - where there is a single value, and lists of strings otherwise. + IF you only expect a single value for each field, then + form[key] will return that single value. It will raise an + IndexError if that expectation is not true. IF you expect a + field to have possible multiple values, than you can use + form.getlist(key) to get all of the values. values() and + items() are a compromise: they return single strings where + there is a single value, and lists of strings otherwise. """ def __getitem__(self, key): @@ -627,7 +638,7 @@ def test(): print_environ() print_form(FormContentDict()) print - print "<H3>Current Working Directory</H3>" + print "<H3>Current Working Directory:</H3>" try: pwd = os.getcwd() except os.error, msg: |