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Problems with "Recommend It" Mod

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Problems with "Recommend It" Mod
Hi guys... I'm having some problems setting up this "Recommend It" / Birdcast 2.0 mod for Links 2 and was hoping somebody might be able to help me out. I've been messing with it for a while now and can't seem to get it working.

I've modified the Birdcast script, following the step by step instructions here:

http://goodstuff.orphanage.com/recommend_mod2.html

For some reason, though, whenever I try to recommend a link I get an annoying HTTP 500 error when it attempts to access the cgi file. The permissions are correct on everything, and I've checked all of the paths at least three times. I even went through and did all of the modifications to Birdcast.cgi all over again... still not working.

I logged into my server using Telnet and ran the recommend script with perl... it spit out the following error (which I'm not even sure is causing the HTTP 500 errors):

In Reply To:
Can't find string terminator "__STOP_OF_MAIL__" anywhere before EOF at birdcast.cgi line 115.
Here is the section of code that is having the problem according to Perl:

In Reply To:
sub process_mail
{
for ($i=1;$i<$MAXNUM+1;$i++)
{
$recipname="recipname_$i";
$recipemail="recipemail_$i";
if ($fields{$recipemail} eq "")
{
next;
}
if (&valid_address == 0)
{
next;
}

#BNB SAYS! You can modify the Subject line below.

$subject = "A link from your friend $fields{'send_name'}";

#BNB SAYS! Modify the lines below between the lines marked
# with __STOP_OF_MAIL__ to customize your e-mail message
# DO NOT remove the lines that contain __STOP_OF_MAIL__!
# If you enter any hardcoded e-mail addresses, BE SURE TO
# put the backslash before the at sign, ie, me\@here.net

$msgtxt = <<__STOP_OF_MAIL__;
Hi $fields{$recipname},

$fields{'send_name'} stopped by $SITE_NAME
and suggested that you visit the following URL:

Site Name: $rec{'Title'}
Site Location: $rec{'URL'}
Site Description: $rec{'Description'}

__STOP_OF_MAIL__

if ($fields{'message'} ne "")
{
$msgtxt .= "Here is their message....\n";
$msgtxt .= "$fields{'message'}\n\n";
}
$msgtxt .= "$SITE_NAME\n";
$msgtxt .= "$ENDLINE\n";
$msgtxt .= "$SITE_URL\n\n";
$mailresult=&sendmail($fields{send_email}, $fields{send_email},
$fields{$recipemail}, $SMTP_SERVER, $subject, $msgtxt);

if ($mailresult ne "1")
{print "Content-type: text/html\n\n";
print "MAIL NOT SENT. SMTP ERROR: $mailresult\n";
exit
}

}
}
I searched through some of the archived posts from this board and noticed that some other people were having problems with internal server errors as well, but I couldn't find any kind of solution. Anyway, if anyone thinks they can help out, I'd appreciate it a lot. Thanks.

-Tom

Quote Reply
Re: Problems with "Recommend It" Mod In reply to
Quite frankly I found the script troublesome and others have reported that the message doesn't get posted and redirects the user to the cgi-bin. Instead I set up a form mail and made all fields except the email address hidden.

Quote Reply
Re: Problems with "Recommend It" Mod In reply to
Hi!
I use the modified birdcast now up to 2 years on my homepage, and it works fine for me! Are you shure, you uploaded your script as ASCII? I can't see any error in your code, but try to change the quotes to something like qq|...|; instead of this <<__something-stuff.

I modified the script to use templates, because this forum has no way to attach a file, I post it inside this message (sorry about the big message):

Code:
#!/usr/bin/perl
use Socket;
require "/home/larp-welt/www/cgi-bin/links/admin/links.cfg";
require "$db_script_path/links.def";
require "$db_script_path/db_utils.pl";
require "$db_script_path/Template.pm";
$|=1;
##################################################################
# birdcast.cgi Version 2.0
# updated May 2, 1999
# (C)1998, 1999 Bignosebird.com
# This software is FREEWARE! Do with it as you wish. It is yours
# to share and enjoy. Modify it, improve it, and have fun with it!
# It is distributed strictly as a learning aid and bignosebird.com
# disclaims all warranties- including but not limited to:
# fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, loss of
# business, harm to your system, etc... ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR
# SYSTEM BEFORE INSTALLING ANY SCRIPT OR PROGRAM FROM ANY
# SOURCE!
##################################################################

# CONFIGURATION NOTES

#
# $SCRIPT_NAME is the full URL of this script, including the
# http part, ie, "http://domainname.com/cgi-bin/birdcast.cgi";
#
# $SITE_NAME is the "name" of your web site.
# $SITE_URL is the URL of your site (highest level)
# $END_LINE is the very last line printed in the e-mail.
#
# $MAXNUM is the number of possible people a person can refer
# your URL to at one time. If you call the script using the
# GET method, then this is also the number of entry blanks
# created for recipient names and addresses.
#
# $SMTP_SERVER is the name of your e-mail gateway server, or
# SMTP host. On most systems, "localhost" will work just fine.
# If not, change "localhost" to whatever your ISP's SMTP
# server name is, ie, smtp.isp.net or mail.isp.net

# $SEND_MAIL is the full path to your server's sendmail program
# If you do not wish to use Sockets for some reason and need
# to use sendmail, uncomment the $SEND_MAIL line and comment
# the $SMTP_SERVER line.

# okaydomains is a list of domains from which you want to allow
# the script to be called from. Leave it commented to leave the
# script unrestricted. If you choose to use it, be sure to list
# your site URL with and without the www.

# Use either $SMTP_SERVER
# $SMTP_SERVER="localhost";
#
# OR
#
$SEND_MAIL="/usr/lib/sendmail -t";
#
# BUT NEVER BOTH!!!!!!

# @okaydomains=("larp-welt.de", "www.larp-welt.de");

$SCRIPT_NAME="http://larp-welt.de/cgi-bin/links/birdcast.cgi";
$SITE_NAME="LARP-Welt";
$SITE_URL="http://larp-welt.de/";
$ENDLINE="\tLARP-Verzeichnis\n\tLARP-Suchmaschine\n\tMagazin\n\tForum";
$MAXNUM=5;
$LOGFILE="/home/larp-welt/www/admin/reflog.html";

if ($SENDMAIL ne "")
{&test_sendmail;}


&valid_page; #if script is called from offsite, bounce it!
&decode_vars;
%rec = &get_record($fields{'ID'});
if ( $ENV{'REQUEST_METHOD'} ne "POST")
{
&draw_request;
exit;
}
&do_log;
&process_mail;
print "Location: $JUMP_TO\n\n";


##################################################################
sub process_mail
{
for ($i=1;$i<$MAXNUM+1;$i++)
{
$recipname="recipname_$i";
$recipemail="recipemail_$i";
if ($fields{$recipemail} eq "")
{
next;
}
if (&valid_address == 0)
{
next;
}

#BNB SAYS! You can modify the Subject line below.

$subject = "Web-Seiten-Tip von $fields{'send_name'}";

#BNB SAYS! Modify the lines below between the lines marked
# with __STOP_OF_MAIL__ to customize your e-mail message
# DO NOT remove the lines that contain __STOP_OF_MAIL__!
# If you enter any hardcoded e-mail addresses, BE SURE TO
# put the backslash before the at sign, ie, me\@here.net

$msgtxt = <<__STOP_OF_MAIL__;
Hi $fields{$recipname},

$fields{'send_name'} hat $SITE_NAME besucht,
und empfiehlt Ihnen folgende Seite zu besuchen:

Seite:\t$rec{'Title'}
URL:\t$rec{'URL'}
Beschreibung:\n$rec{'Description'}


__STOP_OF_MAIL__

if ($fields{'message'} ne "")
{
$msgtxt .= "Hier ist noch ein Kommentar von $fields{'send_name'}:\n";
$msgtxt .= "----------------------------------------------------------------------\n";
$msgtxt .= "$fields{'message'}\n";
$msgtxt .= "----------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n";
}
$msgtxt .= "$SITE_NAME\n";
$msgtxt .= "$ENDLINE\n";
$msgtxt .= "$SITE_URL\n\n";
$mailresult=&sendmail($fields{send_email}, $fields{send_email}, $fields{$recipemail}, $SMTP_SERVER, $subject, $msgtxt);

if ($mailresult ne "1")
{print "Content-type: text/html\n\n";
print &load_template ("recommend_error.html", {error => $mailresult});
exit
}

}
}

##################################################################
sub draw_request
{
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n";

#BNB SAYS! Here is the part that draws the page that asks the
#reader to enter e-mail addresses and names. Tailor it to meet
# your needs if necessary. DO NOT disturb the lines with
# __REQUEST__ on them.
# Changed to Templates by Marcus J. Ertl

print &load_template ("recommend.html", {%rec,
%fields,
Referer => $ENV{'HTTP_REFERER'},
script => $SCRIPT_NAME} );
}

##################################################################
# NOTHING TO MESS WITH BEYOND THIS POINT!!!!
##################################################################
sub decode_vars
{
$i=0;
if ( $ENV{'REQUEST_METHOD'} eq "GET")
{
$temp=$ENV{'QUERY_STRING'};
}
else
{
read(STDIN,$temp,$ENV{'CONTENT_LENGTH'});
}
@pairs=split(/&/,$temp);
foreach $item(@pairs)
{
($key,$content)=split(/=/,$item,2);
$content=~tr/+/ /;
$content=~s/%(..)/pack("c",hex($1))/ge;
$content=~s/\012//gs;
$content=~s/\015/ /gs;
$fields{$key}=$content;
}
if ($fields{'call_by'} eq "")
{
$JUMP_TO = $ENV{'HTTP_REFERER'};
}
else
{
$JUMP_TO = $fields{'call_by'};
}
}

##################################################################
sub valid_address
{
$testmail = $fields{$recipemail};
if ($testmail =~ /(@.*@)|(\.\.)|(@\.)|(\.@)|(^\.)/ ||
$testmail !~ /^.+\@(\[?)[a-zA-Z0-9\-\.]+\.([a-zA-Z]{2,3}|[0-9]{1,3})(\]?)$/)
{
return 0;
}
else
{
return 1;
}
}

sub valid_page
{
if (@okaydomains == 0) {return;}
$DOMAIN_OK=0;
$RF=$ENV{'HTTP_REFERER'};
$RF=~tr/A-Z/a-z/;
foreach $ts (@okaydomains)
{
if ($RF =~ /$ts/)
{ $DOMAIN_OK=1; }
}
if ( $DOMAIN_OK == 0)
{ print "Content-type: text/html\n\n Sorry, cant run it from here....";
exit;
}
}


##################################################################
sub test_sendmail
{
@ts=split(/ /,$MAIL_PROGRAM);
if ( -e $ts[0] )
{
return;
}
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n";
print "<H2>$ts[0] NOTFOUND. PLEASE CHECK YOUR SCRIPT'S MAIL_PROGRAM VARIABLE</H2>";
exit;
}

sub do_log
{
open (ZL,">>$LOGFILE");
$date=localtime(time);
for ($i=1;$i<$MAXNUM+1;$i++)
{
$recipname="recipname_$i";
$recipemail="recipemail_$i";
if ($fields{$recipemail} eq "")
{
next;
}
if (&valid_address == 0)
{
next;
}
$logline="$date\|$JUMP_TO\|$fields{'send_email'}\|$fields{$recipemail}\|\n";
print ZL $logline;
}
close(ZL);
}

###################################################################
#Sendmail.pm routine below by Milivoj Ivkovic
###################################################################
sub sendmail {

# error codes below for those who bother to check result codes <gr>

# 1 success
# -1 $smtphost unknown
# -2 socket() failed
# -3 connect() failed
# -4 service not available
# -5 unspecified communication error
# -6 local user $to unknown on host $smtp
# -7 transmission of message failed
# -8 argument $to empty
#
# Sample call:
#
# &sendmail($from, $reply, $to, $smtp, $subject, $message );
#
# Note that there are several commands for cleaning up possible bad inputs - if you
# are hard coding things from a library file, so of those are unnecesssary
#

my ($fromaddr, $replyaddr, $to, $smtp, $subject, $message) = @_;

$to =~ s/[ \t]+/, /g; # pack spaces and add comma
$fromaddr =~ s/.*<([^\s]*?)>/$1/; # get from email address
$replyaddr =~ s/.*<([^\s]*?)>/$1/; # get reply email address
$replyaddr =~ s/^([^\s]+).*/$1/; # use first address
$message =~ s/^\./\.\./gm; # handle . as first character
$message =~ s/\r\n/\n/g; # handle line ending
$message =~ s/\n/\r\n/g;
$smtp =~ s/^\s+//g; # remove spaces around $smtp
$smtp =~ s/\s+$//g;

if (!$to)
{
return(-8);
}

if ($SMTP_SERVER ne "")
{
my($proto) = (getprotobyname('tcp'))[2];
my($port) = (getservbyname('smtp', 'tcp'))[2];

my($smtpaddr) = ($smtp =~
/^(\d{1,3})\.(\d{1,3})\.(\d{1,3})\.(\d{1,3})$/)
? pack('C4',$1,$2,$3,$4)
: (gethostbyname($smtp))[4];

if (!defined($smtpaddr))
{
return(-1);
}

if (!socket(MAIL, AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, $proto))
{
return(-2);
}

if (!connect(MAIL, pack('Sna4x8', AF_INET, $port, $smtpaddr)))
{
return(-3);
}

my($oldfh) = select(MAIL);
$| = 1;
select($oldfh);

$_ = <MAIL>;
if (/^[45]/)
{
close(MAIL);
return(-4);
}

print MAIL "helo $SMTP_SERVER\r\n";
$_ = <MAIL>;
if (/^[45]/)
{
close(MAIL);
return(-5);
}

print MAIL "mail from: <$fromaddr>\r\n";
$_ = <MAIL>;
if (/^[45]/)
{
close(MAIL);
return(-5);
}

foreach (split(/, /, $to))
{
print MAIL "rcpt to: <$_>\r\n";
$_ = <MAIL>;
if (/^[45]/)
{
close(MAIL);
return(-6);
}
}

print MAIL "data\r\n";
$_ = <MAIL>;
if (/^[45]/)
{
close MAIL;
return(-5);
}

}

if ($SEND_MAIL ne "")
{
open (MAIL,"| $SEND_MAIL");
}

print MAIL "To: $to\n";
print MAIL "From: $fromaddr\n";
print MAIL "Reply-to: $replyaddr\n" if $replyaddr;
print MAIL "X-Mailer: Perl Powered Socket Mailer\n";
print MAIL "Subject: $subject\n\n";
print MAIL "$message";
print MAIL "\n.\n";

if ($SMTP_SERVER ne "")
{
$_ = <MAIL>;
if (/^[45]/)
{
close(MAIL);
return(-7);
}

print MAIL "quit\r\n";
$_ = <MAIL>;
}

close(MAIL);
return(1);
}
Perhabs this may help you!

Bye
:-) Tiggr