1997-05-26 17:15:09 -03:00
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FAQ Wizard
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Author: Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org>
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1997-06-02 20:10:06 -03:00
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Version: 0.5
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Date: 2 June 1997
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1997-05-26 17:15:09 -03:00
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This is a CGI program that maintains a user-editable FAQ. It uses RCS
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to keep track of changes to individual FAQ entries. It is fully
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configurable; everything you might want to change when using this
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program to maintain some other FAQ than the Python FAQ is contained in
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the configuration module, faqconf.py.
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1997-06-02 20:10:06 -03:00
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Note that the bulk of the code is not an executable script; it's an
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importable module. The actual script in cgi-bin is minimal.
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1997-05-26 17:15:09 -03:00
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Files:
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faqw.py executable script to be edited and installed in cgi-bin
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faqwin.py main module, lives in same directory as FAQ entry files
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faqconf.py main configuration module
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faqcust.py additional local customization module (optional)
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1997-06-02 20:10:06 -03:00
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Setup Information
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-----------------
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This assumes you are familiar with Python, with your http server, and
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with running CGI scripts under your http server. You need Python 1.4
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or better.
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Create a dedicated working directory, preferably one that's not
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directly reachable from your http server. Drop the Python modules
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mentioned above in the working directory. Create a subdirectory named
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RCS. Make both the working directory and the RCS subdirectory
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wrld-writable. (This is essential, since the FAQ wizard runs as use
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nobody, and needs to create additional files here!)
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Edit faqconf.py to reflect your setup. You only need to edit the top
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part, up till the line of all dashes. The comments should guide you
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in your edits. You can also choose to make your changes to faqcust.py
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and leave faqconf.py alone.
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Don't forget to edit the SECTION_TITLES variables to reflect the set
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of section titles for your FAQ!
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Next, edit faqw.py to reflect the pathname of your Python interpreter
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and the directory you just created. Then install in in your cgi-bin
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directory. Make sure that it is world-executable. You should now be
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able to connect to the FAQ wizard by entering the following URL in
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your web client (subsituting the appropriate host and port for
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"your.web.server", and perhaps specifying a different directory for
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"cgi-bin" if local conventions so dictate):
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http://your.web.server/cgi-bin/faqw.py
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If you are unable to get this working, check your server's error_log
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file. The documentation for Python's cgi module in the Python Library
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Reference Manual gives plentyu additional information about installing
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and debugging CGI scripts, including setup debugging. This
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documentation is repeated in the doc string in the cgi module; try
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``import cgi; print cgi.__doc__''.
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Assuming this woks, you should now be able to add the first entry to
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your FAQ using the FAQ wizard interface. This creates a file
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faq01.001.htp in your working directory and an RCS revision history
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file faq01.001.htp,v in the RCS subdirectory. You can now exercise
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the other FAQ wizard features (search, index, whole FAQ, what's new,
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and roulette).
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1997-05-30 09:01:24 -03:00
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1997-05-26 17:15:09 -03:00
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--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)
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