Can I use a Perl exe on a CD to search a flatfile on the CD?

[jerrygarciuh]

My client has a small ColdFusion database on their web site and would like the same functionality on a CD tour of their facility which I am developing. As CF is right out, I am pondering how best to create the desired result. I am pretty sure I can do this in javascript but I would like to write it in Perl. I have seen references to compiled perl exe's. Is this a situation where I could use a perl exe?
TIA
jg
_____________________________________________________
Ain't no time to hate! Barely time to wait! ~RH

[cmilfo]

Yes, you can use a Perl executable. However, if you are planning on making the CD platform independent, you will run into trouble unless you provide an executable for each of the platforms you expect it to run on. You will probably be safe just supporting the big OSes. ActiveState's Perl Development Kit is pretty nice for making executables. I've also found that Perl2Exe is nice. I think there is another, also; help, anyone?

[mischief]

Have a look at the FAQ How can I compile my Perl program into byte code or C? for another way to do this (though this would require the OP to have access to a C compiler, and the answer doesn't mention whether this is supported under windows).

[Anonymous Monk]

I had thought that I could make a multi-platform perl disk. Well at least windows/mac. (Burn it hybrid, etc). I had started to code a perl-based web server. (emulating somewhat of a mod_perl environment). I'm not sure this was even possible. Has anyone ever tried to run Actistate Perl and/or MacPerl off a cd ?

[mischief]

When you say facility, do you mean a website? (I'm guessing you do from your later post.) If you do, the problem with using perl on a cd is that you won't have a webserver running to pass the cgi environment variables etc to perl so that it can do its thing. Your best bet might be to use javascript if the db is small enough. Otherwise you could, as you suggested, write a simple http server in perl and make sure they run that before accessing the pages. It's more work, but would be more flexible. Have a look at HTTP::Daemon, it'll probably help you a lot if you decide to go this route.

Another way you might be able to get round this is just create a static version of the site by crawling all the pages and saving them to cd (something like what http://perlmonks.thepen.com/ does for perlmonks.org). This probably isn't all that helpful an idea though, as you'll have no ability to generate pages from user input.