Installing Perl on IIS6

[Vernon]

I'm trying to get Perl running under IIS6 (Windows3K). Perl installs OK and a test from the command line (perl helloworld.pl) executes just fine.

However, calling one of the .pl files in the /cgi-bin from the web site produces a 404 error. In this instance a 404 (2) indicates a permissions failure rather than a genuine missing page error.

In IIS6, the .pl extension is mapped to perl.exe "%s" s, which was inserted by the ActiveState Perl installer. However, to get it to work (I gather) you need under IIS6 to add an additional "Web server extension". So I've added one called "Perl" and set the perl.exe (and most other .exe and .dll in the Perl installation directory) as "allowed".

I still get the 404 error.

My next attempt was to wonder about the Windows account used to run the Perl command. When mapping the .pl extension under "Application Extension mapping" I've set .pl to only use POST,GET and HEAD and called it a "script engine". I then tried running it under a different "Application Pool", so created a special one called "Perl applications". The default is to run this under the identity Network service, but I've also tried running it under IWAM and a host of others. Needless to say I've ensured that the NTFS permissions allow these accounts to access the Perl folder and the web application is set to run "Scripts and executables" (though having described Perl as a script engine, I guess it should run withas just "scripts").

Where am I going wrong, please? And help!

Thanks.

[cdicken]

Everything I know about IIS setup is in the latest Advanced User Guide. I suggest you have a read through of these section on setting up Actinic on IIS, which includes all permission details and Perl details.

[Vernon]

Thanks Chris, but the information you point me to only covers IIS5. Sure, it helpfully covers the permisisons for various folders, but doesn't cover the problems I'm raising at all. Do you know of any other sources?

Has Actinic 6 been tried on Windows 2003? It's nbeen around for some time now, at least in RC1/2 form so I assume you've tested it. If so, how did you manage to get Perl to run?

Right now my only solution is to "Allow all CGI Extensions" to run, which sort of defeats the better security of Win3K.

Vernon

[Jan]

> Has Actinic 6 been tried on Windows 2003?

My site is currently running on a fasthosts windows 2003 server - don't know who it was set up though just wanted to give an example of it working.

Regards

[cdicken]

'Allow all CGI Extensions' does seem like a good setting to have if you are trying to get Perl to work on a server. What are the alternative settings that you would prefer to use?

[Vernon]

>'Allow all CGI Extensions' does seem like a good setting...

It is not a good setting as it will allow rogue extensions to run as well. The recommended method is to prohibit "all" and set up individual rules under Web server extensions that allow particular .exes and .dlls to run. That way you can control what runs. This is new IIS6 stuff and not IIS5. Have Actinic got a test version of IIS6 with Actinic running? If so, how is it set up?

I can get Perl to run a Hello World program just fine by loosening the permisisons as I've described. But as soon as I add an item to the Actinic basket or do a search, I get an invalid path such as:

"Error: Error opening configuration file ./acatalog/A000.cat. No such file or directory"

It's as though it can't read the folder (or tranverse folders) so doesn't k now the file is there. (BTW the same shop is currently working fine on an IIS5 setup - I am trying to migrate it, so I don't think any of the Actinic settings are incorrect.)

I'm totally puzzled. Any more thoughts?

Thanks.

[cdicken]

When you go to 'Advanced | Network Setup' and click 'Test', what happens?

It sounds as if Perl works fine, but your network settings are not correct.

[adley]

Anybody sorted this problem out yet?
I've independently run across the same problem and there's scant info out there to help solve it.
Is Windows Server 2003 (IIS6) officially supported?

[I'm only attempting to get a local development server up and running again - worked fine with IIS5 etc..]

Any help appreciated.

[NormanRouxel]

"Error: Error opening configuration file ./acatalog/A000.cat. No such file or directory"

That path above implies that you've got acatalog as a subdirectory of cgi-bin.

Try ../acatalog/ instead in your network settings instead (in the Path From CGI-BIN to acatalog Directory).

Norman

[Vernon]

It's so long since I first posted this problem that the details are now getting a little hazy. But many thanks for the comments people have posted.

I honestly don't think it is a simple as an incorrect folder structure. The site has actually running on Win3K for months now. The problem is that I've had to loosen the security permissions beyond what I feel comfortable with to make it do so. Maybe Fasthosts have found the same, but are happy with the looser security - I don't know. As I say above:

"... my only solution is to 'Allow all CGI Extensions' to run, which sort of defeats the better security of Win3K."

Adley is reporting the same issue. He has a setup that works fine with IIS5, but when the structure and folder permissions are migrated to IIS6 it breaks. It must have something to do with IIS's permissions and allowing particular CGI extensions to run, but what?

Vernon

[mnew]

I have the same problem. Actinic works fine on 2000 but on the new server running 2003 I can not get the catalog to work, the best I can do is display the pages but without the 'buy this item' button so no one can purchase from us.

I have gone through the advanced user guide and set everything correctly as far as I can see. But no luck.

Has there been any progress on this?

Regards

Mark Newton

[Darren]

There is an IIS6 setup guide available, take a look HERE

Also is your site on version 4, there are problems with some versions of v4 not working on IIS6.

Hope it is of help

[Vernon]

IIS6 and Actinic

Sorry, Mark, but I'm struggling to remember what solved it. Like a very bad dream, I've tried to forget!

I *think* that the latest version of Actinic solved it. I downloaded a trial version of the latest and that worked, so the client had to stump up an upgrade fee.

I've just looked at the permissions on my server and they are nothing exceptional. I've allowed the IUSR account and Network Service to run over the files. In IIS itself I have unknown ISAPI and CGI extensions set to prohibited (under Web Server Extensions), but the installatin of Perl has put entries for Perl CGI and ISAPI extensions, which are allowed. I'm now not on the same server as I was when I first reported the problems, and the installation of Perl put these web server extensions in for me, whereas on my last server they were never present. So check if you have these extensions and then the versions of Actinic and Perl you are running.

I still found moving the Actinic to a new server was a very great trial. The error reports thrown up by Actinic seemed almost random and it made strange choices for the CGI-bin. I now confess to staying well clear of Actinic when I can - sorry guys. I do realise a lot of this is through my sheer ignorance of the package, but I'm still reporting that it wasn't smooth sailing.

Email me if you think I can help any more.

Vernon

[mnew]

the main bit was that IIS6 does not use perl.exe but perlis.dll it seems