MAN page from Old RedHat 5.X perl-5.004-4.i386.rpm

CGI::Fast

Section: Perl Programmers Reference Guide (3)
Updated: perl 5.004, patch 04
Index

NAME

CGI::Fast - CGI Interface for Fast CGI

SYNOPSIS

    use CGI::Fast qw(:standard);    $COUNTER = 0;    while (new CGI::Fast) {        print header;        print start_html("Fast CGI Rocks");        print            h1("Fast CGI Rocks"),            "Invocation number ",b($COUNTER++),            " PID ",b($$),".",            hr;        print end_html;    }

DESCRIPTION

CGI::Fast is a subclass of the CGI object created byCGI.pm. It is specialized to work well with the Open MarketFastCGI standard, which greatly speeds up CGI scripts byturning them into persistently running server processes. Scriptsthat perform time-consuming initialization processes, such asloading large modules or opening persistent database connections,will see large performance improvements.

OTHER PIECES OF THE PUZZLE

In order to use CGI::Fast you'll need a FastCGI-enabled Webserver. Open Market's server is FastCGI-savvy. There are alsofreely redistributable FastCGI modules for NCSA httpd 1.5 and Apache.FastCGI-enabling modules for Microsoft Internet Information Server andNetscape Communications Server have been announced.

In addition, you'll need a version of the Perl interpreter that hasbeen linked with the FastCGI I/O library. Precompiled binaries areavailable for several platforms, including DEC Alpha, HP-UX and SPARC/Solaris, or you can rebuild Perl from source with patchesprovided in the FastCGI developer's kit. The FastCGI Perl interpretercan be used in place of your normal Perl without ill consequences.

You can find FastCGI modules for Apache and NCSA httpd, precompiledPerl interpreters, and the FastCGI developer's kit all at URL:

  http://www.fastcgi.com/

WRITING FASTCGI PERL SCRIPTS

FastCGI scripts are persistent: one or more copies of the script are started up when the server initializes, and stay around untilthe server exits or they die a natural death. After performingwhatever one-time initialization it needs, the script enters a loop waiting for incoming connections, processing the request, andwaiting some more.

A typical FastCGI script will look like this:

    #!/usr/local/bin/perl    # must be a FastCGI version of perl!    use CGI::Fast;    &do_some_initialization();    while ($q = new CGI::Fast) {        &process_request($q);    }

Each time there's a new request, CGI::Fast returns aCGI object to your loop. The rest of the time your scriptwaits in the call to new(). When the server requests thatyour script be terminated, new() will return undef. You canof course exit earlier if you choose. A new version of thescript will be respawned to take its place (this may benecessary in order to avoid Perl memory leaks in long-runningscripts).

CGI.pm's default CGI object mode also works. Just modify the loopthis way:

    while (new CGI::Fast) {        &process_request;    }

Calls to header(), start_form(), etc. will all operate on thecurrent request.

INSTALLING FASTCGI SCRIPTS

See the FastCGI developer's kit documentation for full details. Onthe Apache server, the following line must be added to srm.conf:

    AddType application/x-httpd-fcgi .fcgi

FastCGI scripts must end in the extension .fcgi. For each script youinstall, you must add something like the following to srm.conf:

   AppClass /usr/etc/httpd/fcgi-bin/file_upload.fcgi -processes 2

This instructs Apache to launch two copies of file_upload.fcgi at startup time.

USING FASTCGI SCRIPTS AS CGI SCRIPTS

Any script that works correctly as a FastCGI script will also workcorrectly when installed as a vanilla CGI script. However it willnot see any performance benefit.

CAVEATS

I haven't tested this very much.

AUTHOR INFORMATION

be used and modified freely, but I do request that this copyrightnotice remain attached to the file. You may modify this module as youwish, but if you redistribute a modified version, please attach a notelisting the modifications you have made.

Address bug reports and comments to:lsteinAATTgenome.wi.mit.edu

BUGS

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