help with an error 500 messge...

[Nik]

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[davido]

Once again, Nik, your enthusiasm is exceeding the level of care in your methodology.

First, in developing a CGI script, you surely, by now, understand that there is an error log file on your webserver that will contain a more detailed description of the problem. 500 server errors should be seen as simply a flag telling you that you ought to look at the error logs to find out why your script is failing. What is the error log telling you? We need to know to help.

Better yet, use the CGI::Carp module (documentation on how to use it is provided along with this core module). With Carp you can send the "fatals" (error messages that result in program termination) to the browser so you don't have to go digging through an error log. Then tell us what fatal message is getting sent to the browser.

Next, this being your umpteenth (ok, 23rd or so) post, and having already graced the "Worst Nodes of the Week" list a couple of times, by now you should understand that for us to help we need real, concrete specifics. If you found Abigail II's quip unhelpful consider the reason; the question was similarly unhelpful. We know nothing about your script. We know nothing about the environment in which it is running (other than the fact that it's Apache 2.0.40 for Red Hat Linux), and we don't know what mistake you made any more than you do if we aren't given better clues. Just as we can't read your mind, we can't read your server's error log for you.

You are getting this error because you've instructed the server to do something it can't. That's as much as I can tell you without more information.

Come back and tell us what the error log says. Give us an example of the code that causes the error (not the whole thing, narrow it down). Then maybe we can begin to provide suggestions that assist YOU in hunting down the problem.

[bradcathey]

Did you check permissions (chmod 755)? Is your localhost running any modules that your remote host is not? Are there any file path issues? Did you check the error log? Add:

CGI::Carp qw(fatalsToBrowser);

to the beginning of your script and see what it returns.

These are frustrating errors, but there are ways to hunt them down. It's probably something really simple that you overlooked.

Carry on!



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Follow up:
I ran a quick Google on "perl error 500" and came up with two ostensibly helpful sites here and here.

[Abigail-II]

You have a bug on line 17.

Abigail

[bradcathey]

Abigail,
Just curious. Where do you see this code?
Thanks.


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Redfaced bradcathey sees he's been had.
Time to lighten up.

[vek]

He's being sarcastic. There's absolutely no way of knowing what the problem is because the OP question was so vague.

[Marcello]

:)



$Abigail += $bradcathey;
$bradcathey = undef;

[PodMaster]

I'm a little disappointed nobody pointed you to Tutorials yet, so i'm doing it
• Tutorials
  • Network/CGI Programming
    • CGI (and related) Programming
      • Troubleshooting and FAQ's
        • CGI Help Guide
The tutorial in question is very thorough.

[rdfield]

Are you running Apache2 on "your localhost"? If you're not then all bets are off.