Use CGI to Automate Your Web Site	2.3/5.0 (3 votes total) Rate: Select 1 - Terrible 2 - Poor 3 - Average 4 - Good 5 - Outstanding
Shelley Lowery December 22, 2004

Shelley Lowery

Shelley Lowery is the author of the highly acclaimed ebook series, Web Design Mastery -- an in-depth guide to professional web design that is rapidly becoming known as the "Bible" for professional web design. http://www.webdesignmastery.com

Shelley Lowery has written 6 tutorials for CGIDir.

View all tutorials by Shelley Lowery...

Are you taking advantage of the powerful automation technology available on the Internet? Common Gateway Interface, better known as CGI, is one of the most widely used server applications on the Internet.
This software resides on your server and automatically performs specified functions on your web site.

If you've been on the Internet for a while, you've probably seen many examples of CGI use and didn't even realize it. Search Engines, Directories and Forums all use CGI scripts. Scripts can run everything from a form on your web site to an affiliate program. They can give you the power to completely automate your web site.

There are scripts online that can automate all of the following:

* Make your product available for download
* Take the customers order
* Approve it right online
* Send your customer a password
* Send you a confirmation of the order

You can sell your products around the clock and never lift a finger.

SuperScripts - http://www.superscripts.com/

If you have a subscription box on your web site, then you're already using a program to process the information. That's a good start however, there are many additional ways you can use this powerful technology.

Here are some great scripts to get you started.

The Master Series:

Master Form

This form will enable you to have the results emailed to you or to a specified address. It can write your information to a database file and even enable you to have a personalized thank you page. In addition, you can even have multi-page forms with no limit on the number of pages.

Master Feedback

Allow your visitors to provide you with feedback. Master Feedback enables you to add your own information fields with radio buttons, checkboxes, dropdown lists and text fields. The great thing about using Master Feedback is that it helps you spam-proof your site by not requiring your email address anywhere on your page.

Master Recommend

Word of mouth is one of the best forms of advertising. Master Recommend will enable your visitors to ecommend your web site to a friend. This great script is multi-lingual, which means that the emails sent can be written in any language.

Master Subscriber Pro

Enable your visitors to subscribe to multiple ezines by checking the boxes beside the publication they wish to subscribe. They'll only need to enter their email address one time and won't be forced to leave your web site.

The great thing about this script is that it is compatible with ezines hosted with Egroups, Topica, etc., or any ezine that uses an email address for subscriptions.

Master Syndicator

If you write articles, Master Syndicator will enable you to syndicate your content. You simply copy and paste your article into a form and click on submit. Your article will instantly be ready for syndication. To display your content, webmasters will need to place two small lines of JavaScript within their web page where they'd like the article to display. Each time you update your article, every web site using your code will automatically be updated.

The Master Series scripts can be found here:
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?wsnet/willmaster

WebBBS

This great script will enable you to set up your own forum. Unlike most bulletin board scripts, WebBBS stores messages as simple text files and creates HTML pages as needed.

This great script supports automatic quoting of message text and email notification of those who want to be informed of new posts.
http://awsd.com/scripts/webbbs/index.shtml

WebAdverts

The great thing about this script is that you can include banners on CGI-generated pages. In addition, you can filter the banners by allowing certain banners to appear only on certain pages. This script is a little complicated, but well worth it.
http://awsd.com/scripts/webadverts/index.shtml

Links

If you've ever wanted to set up a directory, this great script will make it simple. It is modeled after Yahoo and inspired by The CGI Resource Index. It can be completely customized to match the look and feel of your web site.
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/links/

POD

The Personal Open Directory script will enable you to pull the contents of the Open Directory Project into your own web pages. It is completely customizable and will enable your visitors to have access to this great directory without leaving your web site.
http://grohol.com/downloads/pod/dmoz/

Learn more about CGI:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/cgi.htm

Locate CGI Scripts:
http://cgi.resourceindex.com/Programs_and_Scripts/Perl/

If you're not utilizing the full benefits that CGI has to offer, you're missing the boat. Not only will it save you a great deal of time, but it will also process your information around the clock. Scripts can assist you in making your web site an interactive community and bring your site to life.