Test Your Server
One of our most valuable software titles is free to download. And, it is frequently forgotten.
Often times, I'm sitting there scratching my head -"what is the server path on this server?" Oh. Yes, Master Pre-Installation Tester has the answer.
Master Pre-Installation Tester will spit out more information than you think you might ever need. Some of it is fairly "geeky".
I'd like to un-geek it for you and show you how to get the details about your server you want to know. The information
that will make choosing and installing software a very simple task.
In steps, this is how you get, and install this tool:
- Download the file here. Then unzip it. Installation instructions are in the MasterPreInstallationTester.cgi file.
- If you have never installed a CGI script, here is an article to get you started.
- The only thing you need to know about your server before installing MasterPreInstallationTester.cgi is the location of Perl. Ask you hosting company, if you don't have this information.
This is a screen shot of the Master Pre-Installation Tester control panel. (new window)
Let's look at each option and the information you may discover.
Environment Variables
If you check this box and click the button, Master Pre-Installation Tester will list everything it can find out about the server. Some is information you will want. Some is obscure and you probably won't care much about it.
Click here to view some possible output items and what they mean. Two items from the list of particular interest are these:
DOCUMENT_ROOT:
The document root directory of the domain where the script is running.
HTTP_HOST:
The domain name the script is running on.
More options you might click on for useful informtation:
Perl Version
CGI scripts can be written for a "minimum" version of Perl. Perl version 5, for example.
Current directory
Handy if you need to know the directory location where you will be installing a particular software.
Location of sendmail
You'll need to know this if your script will be sending email.
Directory/file create/update test
If you want to know, in advance, if your server will allow a script to create and/or update a directory and/or a file, run this test. (Many software titles will attempt to do this. If your server disallows it, you will know in advance that you will need to create the directories by hand.)
A "yes" answer will output data similar to this:
Directory/file create/update test
Created a test subdirectory in the directory where Master Pre-Installation Tester was launched from.
Created a file in the subdirectory.
Updated the newly created file in the subdirectory.
Deleted the newly created file in the subdirectory.
Deleted the test subdirectory.
Created a test subdirectory in the document root.
Created a file in the subdirectory.
Updated the newly created file in the subdirectory.
Deleted the newly created file in the subdirectory.
Deleted the test subdirectory.
Master Form V4 compatibility
Master Form V4 requires several commonly available Perl modules to be present on the server. Know in advance if your server is ready to run Master Form V4.
Module search directories
Tells you in what directories a Perl CGI script searches to find Perl modules.
List all installed DB database modules
Reveals the DB modules on hand if a script requires them.
Is this module installed?
Type in the name of a specific Perl module your script may need to see if it is already on your server.
Checking these will reveal the presence of the named Perl module.
Module CGI installed
Module Cwd installed
Module Fcntl installed
Module MIME::Base64 installed
Module Socket installed
Module LWP::Simple installed
Module LWP::UserAgent installed
Module HTTP::Request::Common installed
Master Pre-Installation Tester can help solve your installation problems, before they happen.
Question:
Did you find this article interesting and understandable? How can it be improved?
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When done typing, click anywhere outside the box. [more info]
Mari Bontrager
©2007 Bontrager Connection, LLC
Please note:
Articles on this website are presented "as is". However -
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