Payments and use of script:
Q) Is the free script free for any use?
Q) I want the Xtra range but can not use PayPal
Q) Do I have to buy the Xtra Script for every website I use it on?
Q) When I buy the Xtra script how do I get it?
Q) I paid for the scripts but did not get them !
Q) How do I know that we can trust NewsScript.co.uk?
Q) Can I test the script before I buy?
Q) My website is a charity site, can I have the Xtra script for free?
Q) Can I use both Windows and Unix hosting?
Setting up the script:
Q) It's not working, why?
Q) How do I find the path and URL for my site?
Q) I don't know where to start, help!
Q) What do I edit the script with?
Q) I don't understand the difference between a Path and a URL
Q) What do I use to upload my script?
Q) What is CHMOD and what settings do I need?
Database Questions:
Q) What is CSV?
Q) How big can the database be?
Template Questions:
Q) Can I add SSI to the template page?
Q) When I run the script it said 'template tags not found'?
Running the script:
Q) I can't see the images in the template, why?
Q) When I run the script it just opens it, why?
Q) The Username and Password option is not working, why?
Customization and installation:
Q) Can you make a special script for my website?
Q) I am stuck, can you install the script for me?
Q) My UNIX hosting requires UNIX format scripts, how do I do that?
Common CGI script errors:
Q) What is "Error 404 File can not be found"?
Q) What is "Error 500 Internal Server Error"?
Q) What is "Error Premature end of script headers"?
Q) The script just opens so I can see the code
Q) I keep uploading the file but get the same error
Q) I get the error "Can't open file"
Q) I get the error "Can't create file"
Q) I get the error "Template-tag not found"
Q) I get the error Can't save image file!
Q) I get the error "bad file"
Other Questions:
Q) My question is not on this page!
Q) Why can I not email you for help?
Q) Will the script work in both Netscape and IE?
Q) Why have you used the Animals listed on the demo page?
Payments and use of script:
Q) Is the free script free for any use?
A) Yes, the free script is free to use for commercial and
non-commercial use. Neither the basic or Xtra script contains any
advertising for anybody, even the NewsScript.co.uk website! You
may not sell the script or give them away to anybody else or use
them or any part of them in another script that you distribute.
Q) I want the Xtra range but can not use PayPal
A) I use PayPal for payments as they are independent and provide
security for people buying our script. However I know some people
can not get an account. I can take payments by post in any
currency, or will take an Amazon.com E-mail Gift Certificate.
Q) Do I have to buy the Xtra Script for every website I use it on?
A) No! Once you have purchased the script you may use it in any
website you build. You may not sell the script or it by email to
anybody.
Q) When I buy the Xtra script how do I get it?
A) You can download the script instantly at the end of the PayPal
payment process.
Q) I
paid for the scripts but I did not get them !
A) Some pop-up blockers and firewalls can cause the automatic
scripts download to fail. Paypal might make this a little more
clear on their site. However, if this happens, just use the
contact form on this site and let me know the mail address you
used for the purchase and I will send you the scripts asap (allow
us 1 business day to get back to you - most of the times we will
react earlier).
Q) How do I know that we can trust NewsScript.co.uk?
A) I advise people to be very careful online. Never give your
credit card details to anybody by email or using a website you
don't trust. PayPal is an independent payment system and I will
never see your credit card details.
Q) Can I test the script before I buy?
A) Yes, the basic range is free to download try and use, in most
cases visitors don't need to buy the Xtra script as the basic
script is full of great features.
Q) My website is a charity site, can I have the Xtra script for
free?
A) Yes, I allow many charity websites use the Xtra script
for free. Use the contact button to tell me more about your site.
Q) Can I use both Windows and Unix hosting?
A) The script is tested on a Unix server not Windows. Each server
is set-up in a different way, most will run the script without
issue. Sadly I can not offer any technical support on setting up
web servers.
Setting up the script:
Q) It's not working, why?
Check your file and directory permissions. Improper permissions is
the most common cause of errors. Be sure you uploaded the files in
ASCII mode. Make sure that the settings you entered in the
configuration section are exactly correct, download the tester.cgi
script to check your path to perl the path to the files and URL
details. Check with your hosting company most have a page with CGI
information. See the instructions, help forum and this page for
more tips and advice.
Q) How do I find the path and URL for my site?
A) Your host company can tell you. However I have a free script to
help you find out the correct information called tester.cgi
Q) I don't know where to start, help!
A) You will need experience with setting up a CGI script on a
website, following the instructions for the script found on this
site. Post any questions you like in the help forum.
Q) What do I edit the script with?
A) You edit the script using Note Pad, do not use any other
software as it will damage the script and information you can not
see.
Q) I don't understand the difference between a Path and a URL
A) A URL is the web address used so the URL to our website is
https://www.NewsScript.co.uk/ please note the last slash on the
end. The path is like the path on your PC to a file, this is an
example of a path on my PC C:\My
Documents\NewsScript.co.uk\cgi-bin\ and that is how the path would
look on a windows computer, on a UNIX (most internet servers) it
would look like this: /home/vhosts/youraccount/cgi-bin/csvnews.txt
If you do not know yours download our tester.cgi script and run
this in the directory you will be using, it will tell your the
path and URL.
Q) What do I use to upload my script?
A) Any FTP software will do to upload your script. The file must
NOT be uploaded as binary. it simply will not work if you do.
Check that your FTP client uploads .PL files as ASCII. I use
software from Cute FTP to upload filles. https://www.cuteftp.com/
Q) What is CHMOD and what settings do I need?
A) Once uploaded you will need to CHMOD the script and all the
files so they can read and write on your server. Do this using
your FTP client, right click on the files and select
"properties" or "permissions" (depending on
your FTP client) and set the script permissions to 755. On servers
where the files are in an non-public directory you will need to
set them to 777. If you are unsure ask your hosting company.
Database Questions:
Q) What is CSV?
A) CSV stands for 'Character Separated Value' and is a standard
format for a small database. Almost every software package in the
world can export and import CSV.
Q) How big can the database be?
A) The database size is only limited by the server you are
running. If you have a dedicated server just for your site then
the database can be much bigger than on a free shared hosting
computer. Almost every server can manage a database 1 MB in size,
or 100 records. If your database is bigger than that consider
using MySQL.
Template Questions:
Q) Can I add SSI to the template page?
A) Sadly not, with CGI Perl this is not an option.
Q) When I run the script it said 'template tags not found'?
A) The script can not find the tag in your template that will tell
the script where to start. Look at the demo template or
instructions for more information. This is case sensitive, so make
sure it's not all capitals.
Running the script:
Q) I can't see the images in the template, why?
A) Check the PATH and URL to the files in the script set-up. If
you have changed them then you need to edit each record to input
the new location.
Q) When I run the script it just opens it, why?
A) On some servers you need to change file.pl to file.cgi
Q) The Username and Password option is not working, why?
A) The script will write a cookie on your server, this will work
on most servers however some have an issue with this. Ask your
hosting company if they let a CGI script write a cookie to the
server.
Customization and installation:
Q) Can you make a special script for my website?
A) Yes, I have a list of freelance CGI writers who can help make
anything happen online. Send your project details using the
contact button and I will pass your enquiry to the right team for
you.
Q) I am stuck, can you install the script for me?
A) Yes, for a small fee I can get any of the script running on
your server for you. Most projects don't take long.
Q) My UNIX hosting requires UNIX format scripts, how do I do that?
A) The scripts are provided in Windows format, this is fine to
edit with Notepad and will run on most UNIX servers. Some servers
require strict UNIX format however. Download a text editor like NOTEPAD++
and then save the script in UNIX format.
Common CGI script errors:
Q) What is "Error 404 File can not be found"?
A) The URL address you put in your browser is wrong. Check the web
site address and the folder name, finally the script name.
Remember this is case SenEsitIve. An occasional, if rare error, is
if you have created a cgi-bin of your own in your web space
however the server may ignore this and use it's own cgi-bin you
have not got access to.
Q) What is "Error 500 Internal Server Error"?
A) The Path to Perl or CHMOD of your file or directory may be
wrong. Try CHMOD all the files and directory again. Your server
may not like the CHMOD setting ask you host what you should be
using. Check you did not open the script with anything other than
notepad. Check your log to find out more. Also try putting the
code below directly after your Path to Perl this will stop and
report the script error in more detail.
#!/usr/sbin/perl
use CGI::Carp qw(fatalsToBrowser);
Q) What is "Error Premature end of script headers"?
A) The CHMOD of your file or directory may be wrong. Try CHMOD all
the files and directory again. Check you did not open the script
with anything other than notepad.
Q) The script just opens so I can see the code
A) Some servers do not like .pl try changing it to .cgi and some
servers don't like .cgi so try .pl Remember to CHMOD the file
again!
Q) I keep uploading the file but get the same error
A) Some servers and FTP software can keep a copy of the file
before the edit you have made, so delete the file on your server,
disconnect from the internet, and restart your computer.
Q) I get the error "Can't open file"
A) The file has been found on the server, but the script has not
got permission to open it. Check you CHMOD on all the directories
and files.
Q) I get the error "Can't create file"
A) The script is trying to make a database but has not got
permission to do so. Check you CHMOD on all the directories and
files. If you have uploaded a database already, the the path is
wrong that is why the script has decided to make the file.
Q) I get the error "Template-tag not found"
A) The format of your template is wrong. Check it again, try the
sample template.
Q) I get the error Can't save image file!
A) NewsScript.co.uk has not got permission to do so. Check you
CHMOD on all the directories and files. Ask you host if you server
allows this to be done using your hosting, some servers block file
upload.
Q) I get the error "bad file"
A) Your file is in the wrong format. If this is your database then
see the instructions on making the database.
Other Questions:
Q) My question is not on this page!
A) Okay, post it on the help forum and I can take a look.
Q) Why can I not email you for help?
A) I want you to post your questions in the help forum so
everybody can see the answer to the question. You may find your
answer already in the forum. I check and answer all questions in
the help forum before I read the emails, so it's also quicker.
Q) Will the script work in both Netscape and IE?
A) Yes. The script basically just print out HTML for any browser
Q) Why have you used the Animals listed on the demo page?
A) The animals listed are all Endangered Mammals at 'Durrell
Wildlife' or from the WWF where the mission is to save wild
animals from extinction.